environment which, inter alia, offers guarantees for its protection; is essential to full
and effective participation in a free and democratic society; and is instrumental to the
development and strengthening of effective democratic systems,
Recognizing also that the effective exercise of the right to freedom of opinion
and expression is an important indicator of the level of protection of other human
rights and freedoms, bearing in mind that all human rights are universal, indivisible,
interdependent and interrelated,
Deeply concerned that violations of the right to freedom of opinion and
expression continue to occur,
Stressing the need to ensure that invocation of national security, including
counter-terrorism, is not used unjustifiably or arbitrarily to restrict the right to
freedom of opinion and expression,
Stressing also the importance of full respect for the freedom to seek, receive
and impart information, including the fundamental importance of access to
information, to democratic participation, to accountability and to combating
corruption,
Recognizing the importance of all forms of media, including the print media,
radio, television and the Internet, in the exercise, promotion and protection of the right
to freedom of opinion and expression, and also the importance for all forms of media
to report and to deliver information in a fair and impartial manner,
Bearing in mind paragraph 6 of General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15
March 2006,
Recalling Council resolutions 5/1 entitled “Institution-building of the United
Nations Human Rights Council” and 5/2 entitled “Code of Conduct for Special
Procedures Mandate-holders of the Human Rights Council” and stressing that the
mandate-holder shall discharge his/her duties in accordance with these resolutions and
the annexes thereto,
1.
Reaffirms the right of everyone to hold opinions without interference,
as well as the right to freedom of expression, and the intrinsically linked rights to