comment-on-the-draft-text-of-the-resolution-on-freedom-of-expression -propose

COMMENT on the draft text of the resolution on freedom of expression proposed by Egypt and the US at the twelfth session of the UN Human Rights Council London 23 September 2009 ARTICLE 19, Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3GA United Kingdom Tel: +44 20 7324 2500. Fax: +44 20 7490 0566 info@article19.org · http://www.article19.org 1 ARTICLE 19 welcomes the draft resolution on the right to freedom of expression proposed by Egypt and the United States at the twelfth session of the UN Human Rights Council. In our view, Member States of the UN Human Rights Council should adopt the draft resolution with the amendments which we suggest in this Comment. I. Introduction 1. This Comment examines the draft text of the resolution on freedom of expression which has been proposed by Egypt and the US (“the draft resolution”) at the twelfth session of the UN Human Rights Council (the 1“HRC”) which is currently being held in Geneva. ARTICLE 19 finds the draft resolution to be a marked improvement on an earlier draft text which was proposed by the Group of African States at the tenth session of the HRC in March 2009 (the “earlier draft resolution”). 2. At the outset of this Comment, ARTICLE 19 notes both the positive and negative features of the draft resolution. On the positive side, the draft text takes more account of international human rights law on freedom of expression ...