A/HRC/14/23
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
20 April 2010
English
Original: Spanish
Human Rights Council
Fourteenth session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and
protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression,
Mr. Frank La Rue*
Summary
This report is submitted by the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection
of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Mr. Frank La Rue, pursuant to Human
Rights Council resolution 7/36. This is the second annual report to be submitted by the
current mandate holder, whose term began on 1 August 2008.
Following an introduction (chapter I of the report), chapter II provides a brief
account of the main activities undertaken by the Special Rapporteur, the communications
and press releases that he issued and his participation in meetings and seminars between
March 2009 and March 2010. Chapter III expands on four main themes: (a) general
considerations on the freedom of opinion and expression; (b) freedom of expression for
groups in need of particular attention and the role of freedom of expression in combating
discrimination; (c) permissable restrictions and limitations on freedom of the expression;
and (d) protection of journalists and freedom of the press. Chapter IV presents the Special
Rapporteur’s conclusions and general recommendations concerning these main subjects.
The first addendum to this report contains a summary of communications sent by
the Special Rapporteur between 1 January 2009 and 19 March 2010 and the replies
received from Governments between 16 May 2009 and 14 May 2010. The second
addendum contains the text of a joint declaration issued by the four rapporteurs holding
mandates regarding freedom of expression in February 2010.
* Late submission.
GE.10-13049 (E)
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