Harmful interference and human rights

This contribution focuses on the role of human rights law in tackling the problem of intentional harmful interference (jamming). To this end, it studies the available human rights instruments protecting freedom of information and expression as well as possibilities of exemptions. Due to the significant amount of exceptions to freedom of information and expression, the contribution finds that assessment of jamming under human rights law is a complex task that needs to take into account political and cultural context. Although jamming can constitute a violation under human rights law, in certain situations alleged violators may actually be acting within the framework of their own obligations under human rights conventions and based on their rights under public international law.