Summary

In the present report, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression examines the impact of the conflict in Gaza on freedom of expression globally. She highlights attacks on journalists and media restrictions, endangering access to information about the conflict globally; suppression of protests and dissent and undermining of academic and artistic freedoms in polarized political environment; and restrictions on legitiportionate restrictions on advocacy for the rights of Palestinian people. Emphasizing the importance of freedom of opinion and expression – enjoyed on an equal basis by all sides – as an invaluable tool for fighting hate and encouraging mutual respect and dialogue, the Special Rapporteur calls on States, social media companies and other private actors to reject double standards on human rights and makes concrete recommendations for them to uphold the right to freedom of opinion and expresmate political expression in the name of fighting terrorism and antisemitism. She assesses the compliance of States, social media companies and other private actors with international human rights standards, online and offline, and finds an extensive pattern of unlawful, discriminatory and disprosion equally for all.