The International Press Institute (IPI) today welcomed a UN Human Rights Council (HRC) resolution highlighting the protection of human rights on the Internet – and in particular freedom of expression and access to information – as fundamental to any sustainable development agenda.

Approved by consensus, the resolution expresses concern over abuse committed against persons exercising fundamental freedoms online and condemns impunity for such acts. It cites as specific examples of abuse, among other things, “[…] intimidation and harassment, as well as gender based violence”.

The HRC called on all states to hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations committed against Internet users.

The resolution – officially titled “The promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet” – also condemns measures taken by states to intentionally disrupt the access and dissemination of information. Signatories called upon states “to address security concerns on the Internet in accordance with their international human rights obligations to ensure protection of freedom of expression, freedom of association and privacy […] online”.

IPI Executive Director Barbara Trionfi welcomed the HRC’s decision to speak out on human rights online in light of growing challenges faced by online journalists, including government surveillance and digital harassment.

“It is particularly important to restate these values at a time in which purported or real security concerns are often presented to justify restrictions on fundamental rights and liberties in the online sphere,” she said.

“The internet has an immense potential to support democratic processes, but only as long as human rights are respected online.”

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic also welcomed the resolution, hailing it as a “milestone for free expression on the Internet”. “All members of the UN Human Rights Council […] overwhelmingly agree that the rights people have offline must also be protected online,” she noted.

This is not the first time that the HRC has taken up the cause of protecting human rights online. HRC declarations in 2012 and 2014 also included resolutions on the right to freedom of opinion and expression as well as other fundamental rights on the Internet.