Le 5 juillet 2012, le Conseil des Droits de l’Homme des Nations Unies a approuvé une résolution établissant que les états membres devront protéger le droit d’expression sur l’internet. « Les mêmes droits qui sont accordés aux gens hors ligne doivent aussi être accordés lorsqu’ils sont connectés à l’internet », dit le texte de la résolution.
Soutenu par 85 pays, dont le Brésil, la Suisse, les États-Unis et l‘Égypte, il s’agit d’un nombre sans précédent, surtout s’il est comparé avec des résolutions antérieures sur le même sujet. D’un côté, la résolution établit un nouveau précédent pour l’application de tous les droits humains en ligne – elle reconnaît aussi « la caractéristique mondiale et ouverte de l’internet comme force d’accélération du progrès et du développement ».
APC se réjouit aussi de cette forme explicite de soutien de la part de la communauté internationale de la promotion du droit d’expression en ligne. La résolution met en évidence l’impact du travail des organisations du réseau d’APC sur la conscientisation de ce droit. Ceci est un grand pas envers l’application et la protection de droits humains sur internet.
Texte complet de la résolution, en anglais
Human Rights Council
Twentieth session Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development
Algeria*, Argentina*, Australia*, Austria, Azerbaijan*, Belgium, Bolivia (Plurinational State of)*, Bosnia and Herzegovina*, Brazil*, Bulgaria*, Canada*, Chile, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire*, Croatia*, Cyprus*, Czech Republic, Denmark*, Djibouti, Egypt*, Estonia*, Finland*, France*, Georgia*, Germany*, Greece*, Guatemala, Honduras*, Hungary, Iceland*, India, Indonesia, Ireland*, Italy, Latvia*, Libya, Liechtenstein*, Lithuania*, Luxembourg*, Maldives, Malta*, Mauritania, Mexico, Monaco*, Montenegro*, Morocco*, Netherlands*, Nigeria, Norway, Palestine*, Peru, Poland, Portugal*, Qatar, Republic of Moldova, Republic of Korea*, Romania, Serbia*, Slovakia*, Slovenia*, Somalia*, Spain, Sweden*, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, Timor-Leste*, Tunisia*, Turkey*, Ukraine*, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland*, United States of America, Uruguay. [* Non-Member State of the Human Rights Council]
The promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet
The Human Rights Council,
Guided by the Charter of the United Nations,
Reaffirming the human rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
Recalling all relevant resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Council on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, in particular Council resolution 12/16 of 2 October 2009, and also recalling General Assembly resolution 66/184 of 22 December 2011,
Noting that the exercise of human rights, in particular the right to freedom of expression, on the Internet is an issue of increasing interest and importance as the rapid pace of technological development enables individuals all over the world to use new information and communications technologies,
_Taking note of the reports of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, submitted to the Human Rights Council at its seventeenth session,1 and to the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session,2 on freedom of expression on the Internet,
1. Affirms that the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online, in particular freedom of expression, which is applicable regardless of frontiers and through any media of one’s choice, in accordance with articles 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
2. Recognizes the global and open nature of the Internet as a driving force in accelerating progress towards development in its various forms;
3. Calls upon all States to promote and facilitate access to the Internet and international cooperation aimed at the development of media and information and communications facilities in all countries;
4. Encourages special procedures to take these issues into account within their existing mandates, as applicable;
5. Decides to continue its consideration of the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights, including the right to freedom of expression, on the Internet and in other technologies, as well as of how the Internet can be an important tool for development and for exercising human rights, in accordance with its programme of work.