Report on academic freedom and the freedom of opinion and expression
Issued by
Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression
Published
28 July 2020
presented to
GA, 75th session
Issued by
Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression
Published
28 July 2020
presented to
GA, 75th session
Issued by Special Procedures
Subject
Freedom of opinion and expression
Symbol Number
A/75/261
Summary
In the present report, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression focuses on the freedom of opinion and expression aspects of academic freedom. The report highlights the special role played by academics and academic institutions in democratic society and noting that, without academic freedom, societies lose one of the essential elements of democratic self-governance: the capacity for self-reflection, for knowledge generation and for a constant search for improvements of people’s lives and social conditions.