On Wednesday, 26 June, Estonia delivered a statement on behalf of Members of the Freedom Online Coalition’s Geneva Network at the 41st session of the Human Rights Council, during the Clustered Interactive Dialogue with Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, Special Rapporteur for peaceful assembly and of association, and David Kaye, Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression. The statement was delivered in response to the Special Rapporteur of peaceful assembly and association’s report, which explores the impact of ‘digital technologies’ on human rights.
The statement expresses FOC’s concern about shrinking civic and democratic spaces online as a result of state-sponsored obstruction of free expression, peaceful assembly, and free association. Members of the FOC’s Geneva Network welcomed the Special Rapporteur’s recommendation that states should ensure that any interference with the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association is “prescribed by law” and is “necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others”, and called on “all governments to refrain from enacting laws and implementing policies that unduly restrict civic space”.
You can read the full statement here.The statement is also available on the HRC extranet here.
