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The present paper aims to investigate prisoners’ rights to use and access the Internet, focusing on the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). The study’s principal objective is to assess the fundamental rights aspects of Internet access, particularly within the context of relevant EU legislation, and to interpret how the digital divide impacts prisoners. The study primarily relies on a thorough review of pertinent literature and legal materials, and it incorporates case studies from Estonia, Lithuania and Türkiye to contextualize the literature findings within specific legal jurisdictions. The research findings suggest that prisoners’ Internet access should be evaluated in accordance with fundamental rights, including Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Regarding the digital divide, the study concludes that limiting prisoners’ access to the Internet could exacerbate the already existing societal gap, potentially hindering their reintegration into society. The particular focus on the above three countries stems from the fact that as per the precedent of the ECtHR, only four countries are involved in cases concerning restriction of access to the Internet (Estonia, Lithuania, Türkiye and Russia); however, Russia ceased to be a party of the European Convention on Human Rights, so analyzing the future of the issue of Internet acces there is highly limited. Our research contributes significantly to the literature on the digital divide, particularly in terms of its legal implications. The study’s comprehensive approach, which integrates both theoretical and practical aspects, is beneficial for domestic legal professionals and researchers engaged in interdisciplinary investigations of EU law and fundamental rights.

A pathogenetic hallmark of retroviral neurodegeneration is the affinity of neurovirulent retroviruses for microglia cells, while degenerating neurons are excluded from retroviral infections. Microglia isolated ex vivo from rats peripherally infected with a neurovirulent retrovirus released abundant mature type C virions; however, infectivity associated with microglia was very low. In microglia, viral transcription was unaffected but envelope proteins were insufficiently cleaved into mature viral proteins and were not detected on the microglia cell surface. These microglia-specific defects in envelope protein translocation and processing not only may have prevented formation of infectious virus particles but also may have caused further cellular defects in microglia with the consequence of indirect neuronal damage. It is conceivable that similar events play a role in neuro-AIDS.