DEC/18/119 Panel on freedom of expression on the Internet

GE.11- 16946

Human Rights Council Eighteenth session

Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,

political, economic, social and cultural rights,

including the right to development

Decision adopted by the Human Rights Council*

18/119 Panel on freedom of expression on the Internet

At its 36th meeting, on 29 September 2011, the Human Rights Council decided to adopt the following text:

“The Human Rights Council,

Reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political 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,

Noting that freedom of expression on the Internet is an issue of increasing interest as the rapid pace of technological development enables people all over the world to use new communications technology,

Taking note of the report 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, on freedom of expression on the Internet,1

1. Decides to convene, within existing resources, at its nineteenth session, a panel discussion on the promotion and protection of freedom of expression on the Internet, with a particular focus on the ways and means to improve its protection in accordance with international human rights law;

* The resolutions and decisions adopted by the Human Rights Council will be contained in the report of

the Council on its eighteenth session (A/HRC/18/2), chap. I. 1 A/HRC/17/27.

2. Requests the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to liaise with relevant special procedures, States and other stakeholders, including relevant United Nations bodies and agencies, with a view to ensuring multi-stakeholder participation in the panel discussion;

3. Also requests the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a report on the outcome of the panel discussion in the form of a summary.”

[Adopted without a vote.]