Join us to discuss the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, Irene Khan.
On 17 October 2024, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression presented her annual report to the UN General Assembly on the issue of the impact of the conflict in Gaza on freedom of expression globally.
According to the report, the conflict in Gaza has unleashed a global crisis of freedom of expression. Rarely has a conflict challenged freedom of opinion and expression so broadly and so far beyond its borders. The global and grave nature of these challenges include:
- Attacks on journalists and media restrictions, endangering access to information about the conflict globally;
- Suppression of protests and dissent and undermining of academic and artistic freedoms in polarized political environment; and
- Online censorship, including disproportionate censorship of content on Palestinian rights and a spike in hate speech.
The Special Rapporteur calls on States, social media companies and other private actors to reject double standards on human rights and makes concrete recommendations for them to uphold the right to freedom of opinion and expression equally for all.
7amleh, APC and IFEX will join efforts to organize a webinar to discuss the main findings of the report, as well as its recommendations and actions needed for their implementation.
Speakers:
- Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression
- Hebh Jamal, Journalist and activist based in Germany
- Taysir Mathlouthi, 7amleh’s EU Advocacy
- Anton Shulhut, Chair of the Board for the Arab Center for Media Freedom Development and Research (I'lam) and journalist
Moderator:
- Mahsa Alimaridani, Article 19.
