From: Shawna Finnegan <sha...@apc.org> Hi all,
I was part of a group of CS in Geneva for the 24th session of the Human Rights Council working on internet rights and privacy issues, including Access, EFF, PI, HRW, RSF and CDT. APC, Access, RSF, EFF and PI made an oral statement ( https://www.apc.org/en/pubs/civil-society-statement-read-apc-human-rights-coun ) at the HRC highlighting the need to bring surveillance practices in line with international human rights norms, and referencing the http://www.necessaryandproportionate.net/ principles, which were launched in a side event during the session. There were a number of resolutions adopted during the session, which specifically refer to the internet and ICTs, including on equal political participation, racial discrimination, and freedom of peaceful assembly and of association: https://www.apc.org/en/node/18585 During the session, Pakistan on behalf of a group of countries made a statement on mass surveillance, criticizing the IGF and calling for the development of a new intergovernmental body on IG. B4A, PK and APC have issued a response here: https://www.apc.org/en/pubs/response-pakistans-submission-24th-human-rights-co I have also written a blog post reflecting on my experience at the HRC, which is here: https://www.apc.org/en/blog/reflecting-human-rights-council-space-halt-mass-su My general sense from the session, and meetings with government delegates, was that while there is concern for the respect of human rights in carrying out surveillance, national security concerns, and insufficient pressure from internet users at the grassroots level, are seriously impeding concrete action by States. The fact that States are now bringing debates around the future of IG into discussion of privacy and freedom of expression at the HRC could be seen positively, mainstreaming IG discussion, but I think these statements could also further complicate and slow down action to hold government and private actors accountable for their surveillance policies and practices. I am very interested to hear others' perspectives on recent developments in internet-related human rights discussion, not only at the HRC, but also the UNGA, including Dilma's Rousseff's statement, and other spaces. Thanks and best wishes, Shawna
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