>>> VERSION FRANÇAISE | |||
Inter-Parliamentary Union | |||
Chemin du Pommier 5, C.P. 330, CH-1218 Le Grand-Saconnex/Geneva, Switzerland |
Resolution adopted by consensus * by the 120th IPU Assembly
Recalling that under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression", Further recalling Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), Taking note of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (1950), Taking note of Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights (1969), Taking note of Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981), Taking note of the Chapultepec Declaration adopted by the Hemisphere Conference on Free Speech (1994), Recalling the 63rd General Conference of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) held in Copenhagen (1997) on access to information and freedom of expression, Taking note of the Aarhus Convention (1998) adopted by the Member States of the UN Economic Commission for Europe and the European Union, Noting the 1998 Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Noting the 1999 and 2004 Joint Declarations of the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media and the Organization of American States (OAS) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, Noting the 2002 African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa, Recalling the May 2005 IPU Seminar on Freedom of Expression, Parliament and the Promotion of Tolerant Societies, Noting the 2006 Joint Declaration of the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, the OAS Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and the ACHPR Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, Noting the outcome of the World Summit on the Information Society, held in two instalments (Geneva, 2003 and Tunisia, 2005), which seeks to build an information society with a humane and inclusive dimension that is conducive to development, in which each individual has the possibility to create, obtain, use and share information and knowledge, in keeping with the aims and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Welcoming the Medellin Declaration on Securing the Safety of Journalists and Combating Impunity adopted on the occasion of the UNESCO Conference on Press Freedom, Safety of Journalists and Impunity in 2007, Believing that the people’s right to information as well as the generation and dissemination of information are indispensable elements of a functioning democracy and that access to information is an essential tool for strengthening government accountability, transparency and adherence to the rule of law, Believing furthermore that the new digital communication tools, notably the Internet, can constitute powerful tools likely to facilitate the exercise of freedom of expression, access to information, transparency and diversity of opinions in the information society, Recognizing the importance of freedom of expression and access to information in a democratic society for ensuring accountability, checking corrupt practices and enhancing good governance, Recognizing also that freedom of expression should not be used to spread or promote hatred inciting to discrimination, hostility or violence, Convinced that the protection of journalists’ sources is an indispensable condition of press freedom, Expressing concern that in some parts of the world, citizens are not sufficiently informed about their rights to freedom of expression and of access to information, Expressing concern that denial of access to information on matters of public concern remains widespread in many government bureaucracies, Expressing further concern that in some parts of the world illiteracy may affect citizens’ ability to exercise their right to access information and freedom of expression, Urging governments to inform their citizens of their legal rights, including freedom of expression and access to information, Considering that education and literacy are crucial to the full enjoyment of access to information rights, Concerned, however, that computer systems and new digital communication tools can be misused or abused to spread child pornography and racist or xenophobic propaganda, Convinced of the need to strike a balance between freedom of expression, on the one hand, and the fight against incitement to hatred, on the other, Convinced of the need to clearly define the lawful limits to freedom of expression that are necessary and proportionate in any democratic society, Aware that appropriate measures should be taken, especially in the new information and communication environment, to protect minors from the harmful effects of content and behaviour likely to affect their well-being negatively, Concerned about the widening digital divide between developing and developed countries, which impedes equal enjoyment of freedom of expression and the right to information by all people, Aware that people’s right to access information is more relevant today than ever, as modern democracy embraces a wider and more direct concept of accountability,
* The delegation of Australia expressed reservations on operative paragraph 23.
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