The global decline in freedom of expression is endangering free and fair elections and must be reversed for the sake of democracy as well as human rights, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, Irene Khan.
“Polarised politics in backsliding democracies, social media platforms awash with disinformation and hate speech and a media sector too weak to debunk the lies have imperilled both freedom of expression and the right to vote,” Khan said.
“While lies are not new during elections, digital technology and social media platforms have changed the game, enabling and amplifying the degradation of the electoral information environment as never before,” the expert said.
“Vilifying minorities and marginalised groups, smearing women politicians, discrediting independent journalists, targeting electoral officials, delegitimising electoral outcomes were worrying trends in many recent elections,” she said.
The Special Rapporteur said public officials and politicians bear a significant responsibility for the degradation of the information environment, as they weaponise their own freedom of expression to incite hate and violence while denouncing the prohibition of incitement as censorship.
“The advocacy of hatred to incite violence, rampant on some campaign trails and platforms, is prohibited under international law even when it masquerades as political speech,” Khan said. | UN
Photo: United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur, Irene Khan. UN Photo/Manuel Elías
