IFEX highlights how the trend of States suppressing protests and the censorship of expressions of solidarity with Palestinians on social media reflects wider systemic challenges to free expression and information that affect democracy, civic space, and human rights.
“[T]he free expression and information landscape is facing systemic challenges in which colonial practices and structural discrimination are being reinforced through State repression and tech companies’ increasing power over the digital space, while normalising an environment of censorship that has alarming global implications for democracy, civic space, and human rights.”
Silencing media, controlling the narrative and obscuring human rights abuses
IFEX has submitted a response to the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of freedom of opinion and expression in reply to the call for inputs for a report analysing “the trends, challenges and threats to freedom of expression in relation to the Gaza conflict and the situation in OPT and their broader consequences on media freedom, safety of journalists, artistic and academic freedoms, political expression and the right to peaceful protest.” The Special Rapporteur’s final report will be presented at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in October 2024.
Informed by what members are seeing globally, our submission highlights how Israel’s attempts to control the narrative on Gaza by targeting Palestinian journalists and media outlets is bolstered by State repression of solidarity protests, notably among States with democratic reputations. This is amplified by social media platform policies and practices that censor expressions of solidarity with Palestine while perpetuating harmful content.
Our submission makes recommendations urging States to cease their complicity in the human rights abuses committed by Israel against Palestinians, to uphold their international human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and to hold companies accountable for their contributions to ongoing violations under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and other applicable regional and international standards. This is critical for ensuring an open and healthy environment for freedom of expression and information, in which democracy, civic space, and human rights can thrive.
You can read IFEX’s submission below.
