Freedom of Expression

Annual Report 2008 Presentation

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Every person has the right to freedom of investigation, of opinion, and of the expression and dissemination of ideas, by any medium whatsoever.

American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man

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PRESS RELEASE

R24/09

 

OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

PRESENTS ITS 2008 ANNUAL REPORT

 

Washington, D.C., May 7, 2009 - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) presented its annual report before the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs of the Organization of American States (OAS) today, the second volume of which is the 2008 Annual Report of the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression. In its evaluation of the status of freedom of expression in the Americas during 2008, the Office of the Special Rapporteur recognized that progress has been made in recent years with respect to freedom of expression. However, it also noted persistent challenges such as violence against journalists, the need for more effective mechanisms for ensuring access to information, and the absence of clear regulations to prevent mechanisms of indirect censorship and to promote pluralism and diversity.

 

The report from the Office of the Special Rapporteur called attention to violence against journalists, which was evident in 2008 in the murder of at least nine members of the media and in a growing number of threats or attacks against reporters. It also noted the existence of legal provisions that fail to meet international standards with regard to the protection of freedom of expression and enable the imposition of disproportionate measures that may have a chilling effect that is incompatible with democratic societies. The Office of the Special Rapporteur also underscored the need to initiate regional efforts to adjust institutional mechanisms in order to prevent state authority from being used to reward or punish the media according to their editorial positions, and to promote pluralism and diversity in public debate.

 

In addition to evaluating the status of freedom of expression in the region, the report of the Office of the Special Rapporteur gives an account of the status of the exercise of this right in each country during 2008. It also includes a theoretical chapter that compiles and systematizes the inter-American standards on freedom of expression. The annual report also presents the agenda of the Office of the Special Rapporteur for the 2008-2011 period. It presents general conclusions with regard to the regional status of the issue, based on which it makes a number of recommendations addressed to the OAS Member States for improving the conditions necessary for the full exercise of freedom of expression in the region.

 

The 2008 Annual Report of the Office of the Special Rapporteur is available at the following web page: http://www.cidh.oas.org/annualrep/2008eng/Annual%20Report%202008-%20RELE%20-%20version%20final.pdf


 

APPENDIX

 

The 2008 Annual Report of the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression contains the following chapters:

 

Chapter I explains the mandate and activities of the Office of the Special Rapporteur. Given that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, this chapter briefly recounts the work it has undertaken during this decade.

 

Chapter II provides a country-by-country evaluation of the status of freedom of expression in 2008.

 

Chapter III compiles and systematizes the standards contained in the regional case law on freedom of expression.

 

Chapter IV discusses the agenda of the Office of the Special Rapporteur for promoting those standards and confronting new challenges during the 2008-2011 period.

 

The 2008 Annual Report of the Office of the Special Rapporteur ends with a chapter of Conclusions and Recommendations for the OAS Member States.

 

The complete version of the 2008 Annual Report of the Office of the Special Rapporteur is available at: http://www.cidh.oas.org/annualrep/2008eng/Annual%20Report%202008-%20RELE%20-%20version%20final.pdf