[huridocs-tech] WSIS: UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression says freedom of expression largely neglected at Summit

UNITED NATIONS
Press Release
17 December 2003

xxxxxxxxxx RIGHTS EXPERT SAYS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION LARGELY NEGLECTED AT
WORLD INFORMATION SUMMIT xxxxxxxxxx


The following statement was issued today by the Special Rapporteur on the
Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression of the United Nations
Commission on Human Rights:

The Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the right to
Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Ambeyi Ligabo, welcomed the adoption of
the Draft Declaration of Principles and the Draft Plan of Action by the
first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society, held in Geneva
from 10 to 12 December 2003.

However, the Special Rapporteur wishes to note that, in spite of the
efforts of many participants in the Summit, human rights issues,
especially the right to freedom of opinion and expression, were largely
neglected. The Special Rapporteur underlines that fundamental human rights
such as the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion
and expression and other basic human rights, should be a constituent part
of any declaration on the right to information.

In the view of the Special Rapporteur, the mere reiteration of a few
well-established principles and commitments on human rights is not
sufficient; human rights concepts should be integrated meaningfully in the
Draft Declaration. Moreover, the Special Rapporteur also observes that the
Draft Plan of Action appears deprived of any human rights strategy. The
absence of an in-depth analysis of a number of crucial matters like media
concentration, safeguards to press freedom on the Internet and obstacles
to accessing it, may gravely hamper the good work done so far by
international institutions and non-governmental organizations on these key
documents.

The Special Rapporteur hopes that the second phase of the World Summit on
the Information Society, to be held in Tunis in 2005, will take remedial
action on this shortcoming and human rights organizations working on
freedom of opinion and expression are fully implicated in the preparation
of the second phase of the Summit. The Special Rapporteur remains at the
disposal of the information community so as to provide a substantive
contribution and further advice.





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