The 2022 International Rounds of the 15th Monroe E. Price Media Law Moot Court Competition (“Price Moot”), hosted by the University of Oxford, was held online from June 6th to 10th, 2022.
With outstanding team performances, STL Moot Team ranked Top 4 in the Asia-Pacific Regional Rounds and successfully advanced to the International Rounds. As the only Chinese team in the International Rounds, STL mooters took the 7th place with their hard work and diligence among all participants, which marked a milestone of STL Moot Team in this competition.
The Price Moot is endorsed and organized by the University of Oxford. Since 2008, the Price Moot has been encouraging law students around the world to engage in comparative research on legal standards at national, regional and international levels. Participants are expected to sharpen their written and oral abilities to present arguments on media and information issues. Themed on international human rights laws, the Price Moot has been recognized as one of the “Grand Slam Moots” for its professionalism in judging and its worldwide participation.
The Price Moot focuses on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and the role of the media and online technologies in societies (such as intermediary liability regarding the regulation of speech that incites discrimination and the right to anonymity). The case argued in 2022 was inspired by the Capitol Hill Riot and the ensuing permanent blockings of Trump’s social media accounts during the 2020 United States presidential election. The case involved freedom of expression, the prohibition of hate speech, and the principle of proportionality. The case also highlighted the relationship between the freedom of expression and the freedom of religion, which reminded all participants to consider the boundaries of individual freedom in public events in the age of information.
STL Moot Team comprised four students from STL: Duan Dehao’2020, Huang Shichen’2020, Xia Zhengtong’2020, and Wang Yi’2019. The team was supervised by their coach, Senior C.V. Starr Lecturer and Director of Moot Court Competition Qiu Xiaoya, and Jiang Dongyuan’2018. Assistant Dean Christian Pangilinan also provided constructive advice during the Asia-Pacific Regional Round.
The Price Moot is a highly competitive competition and requires excellent oral advocacy and analytical skills. To understand the international standards of human rights, participants should be familiar with civil and political rights stated in key treaties such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, regional human rights treaties and general comments by the UN Human Rights Committee in order. When preparing for the International Rounds, STL Moot Team practiced four times a week, memorized oral outlines, improved fluency in addressing judges’ questions, and enhanced time management skills and court etiquette. Finally, STL Moot Team managed to win the 7th place in the Price Moot.
The Price Moot was undoubtedly a challenging but rewarding experience for all mooters. Congratulations to the STL Moot Team for their success in the 15th Monroe E. Price Media Law Moot Court Competition!
written by HE Caizhen
