On November 19th the UN Human Rights Committee issued its decision in Irina Fedotova v. Russian Federation, Communication No. 1932/2010, a complaint involving a form of codified discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation that has become increasingly prevalent. The Human Rights Committee found that the applicant’s conviction under the Ryazan Law on Administrative Offenses (Ryazan Region Law) which prohibits “public
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Middle East Protests Draw Focus to Freedom of Expression and Political Rights
In the ongoing wake of pro-democracy demonstrations that has swept through Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Yemen, Iran, Bahrain and Jordan, and which have affected other countries in the region – including Syria and Kuwait – the United Nations and human rights organizations are focusing on freedom of expression, political rights, and the role of democracy in the
Read moreNew ECHR Decisions on Freedom of Expression in France
This week the European Court of Human Rights published its decisions in, among others, three cases related to freedom of expression in France: Le Pen v. France, Fleury v. France and Brunet Lecomte and Lyon Mag v. France. All three deal with civil or criminal penalties imposed on individuals for published statements regarding other individuals or groups. The Court found no violation in
Read moreECHR Reviews Disappearance, Private and Family Life, and Freedom of Expression in Recent Judgments
The European Court of Human Rights issued a number of decisions this week and last against a number of States, including Poland, Slovakia, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Albania, Romania, Italy, Serbia and the United Kingdom. Several of these recent judgments involved individuals who had been internally displaced by conflict or unrest, while others involved rights protected by Article 8 of the Convention (pertaining
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UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Opinion and Expression: 2014 Annual Report
On May 22, 2015, David Kaye, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression (Special Rapporteur), submitted his annual report to the Human Rights Council. His report evaluates whether the rights to privacy and freedom of opinion and expression protect secure online communication by methods including encryption and anonymity. Secondly, his
Read moreSpecial Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
MANDATE OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON FREEDOM OF OPINION AND EXPRESSION The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression is one of the thematic special procedures overseen by the United Nations Human Rights Council. The current mandate holder is IJRC Advisory Board member, David Kaye. The mandate holder promotes the right to freedom
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ACHPR Considers Draft Guidelines on Freedom of Association and Assembly
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) has prepared a draft of its forthcoming Guidelines on Freedom of Association as Pertaining to Civil Society and Guidelines on Peaceful Assembly (Draft Guidelines) to be presented at its 59th Ordinary Session, which began this week in Banjul, the Gambia. [ACHPR: Explanatory Note; ACHPR Press Release] The Study Group on Freedom
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Special Rapporteur Highlights Freedom of Speech in Counterterrorism Measures
Before the United Nations Human Rights Council on March 15, 2016, the UN Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of human rights while countering terrorism, Ben Emmerson, presented his report focused on violent extremism and the human rights implications of measures taken to eradicate it. See Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights
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Ecuador Attempts to Dissolve Only Remaining Independent Press Freedom Organization
On September 8, 2015 the National Secretariat of Communications of Ecuador (SECOM) sent a letter of notification to La Fundación Andina para la Observación y Estudio de los Medios [The Andean Foundation for the Social Observation and Study of Media] (Fundamedios), a non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to promoting freedom of expression, that it was initiating an administrative process to dissolve the
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Human Rights Bodies’ Hearings & Sessions: March 2023
In March 2023, various international human rights bodies will meet – some virtually – to continue their monitoring and oversight of States’ human rights practices. For more information on each of the bodies mentioned, visit the Courts & Monitoring Bodies section of the IJRC Online Resource Hub. At the regional level, the human rights courts and commissions of Africa and
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