All’indomani della risoluzione A/HCR/20/L.13 adottata dalla Consiglio sui diritti umani delle Nazioni Unite il 12 luglio scorso molti siti, inclusi quelli a carattere spiccatamente giuridico, hanno titolato i propri articoli a commento della notizia alludendo all’ingresso del diritto di accesso ad internet fra i diritti fondamentali dell’uomo.
Per quanto importante e lodevole per aver sottolineato la correlazione tra la libertà di espressione ed il web, il testo della risoluzione ha tuttavia portata più limitata, rappresentando solo un primo passo verso il riconoscimento del diritto di accesso alla rete internet come diritto fondamentale.
Ed infatti dall’esame del testo della risoluzione appare chiara la lettura non completamente fedele che ne è stata data dai più, e ciò nella misura in cui, in verità, ivi si afferma solamente che i medesimi diritti di cui gode l’individuo “offline”, in particolare la libertà di espressione, devono essere tutelati anche in internet come in ogni altro “media”.
- “The Human Rights Council […] Affirms that the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online, in particular freedom of expression, which is applicable regardless of frontiers and through any media of oNés choice, in accordance with articles 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights”.
Pur senza menzionare il diritto all’accesso alla rete mondiale quale specifico ed autonomo diritto fondamentale dell’uomo, la medesima risoluzione riconosce la natura aperta e globale di internet, forza motrice di un processo di sviluppo ed esorta gli Stati a promuoverne e facilitarne l’accesso. Può dunque sostenersi, contrariamente a quanto titolato in molti altri siti e riviste, che il vero diritto riconosciuto dall’ONU è quello alla libertà personale, da esprimere attraverso la rete di internet, piuttosto che il diritto di accesso alla rete in senso stretto, sebbene sia stata tracciata una strada in tal senso.
Human Rights Council
Twentieth session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Algeria*, Argentina*, Australia*, Austria, Azerbaijan*, Belgium, Bolivia (Plurinational State of)*, Bosnia and Herzegovina*, Brazil*, Bulgaria*, Canada*, Chile, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire*, Croatia*, Cyprus*, Czech Republic, Denmark*, Djibouti, Egypt*, Estonia*, Finland*, France*, Georgia*, Germany*, Greece*, Guatemala, Honduras*, Hungary, Iceland*, India, Indonesia, Ireland*, Italy, Latvia*, Libya, Liechtenstein*, Lithuania*, Luxembourg*, Maldives, Malta*, Mauritania, Mexico, Monaco*, Montenegro*, Morocco*, Netherlands*, Nigeria, Norway, Palestine*, Peru, Poland, Portugal*, Qatar, Republic of Moldova, Republic of Korea*, Romania, Serbia*, Slovakia*, Slovenia*, Somalia*, Spain, Sweden*, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, Timor-Leste*, Tunisia*, Turkey*, Ukraine*, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland*, United States of America, Uruguay: draft resolution
20/… The promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet
The Human Rights Council,
Guided by the Charter of the United Nations,
Reaffirming the human rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
Recalling all relevant resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Council on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, in particular Council resolution 12/16 of 2 October 2009, and also recalling General Assembly resolution 66/184 of 22 December 2011,
Noting that the exercise of human rights, in particular the right to freedom of expression, on the Internet is an issue of increasing interest and importance as the rapid pace of technological development enables individuals all over the world to use new information and communications technologies,
Taking note of the reports of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, submitted to the Human Rights Council at its seventeenth session, and to the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session, on freedom of expression on the Internet,
- Affirms that the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online, in particular freedom of expression, which is applicable regardless of frontiers and through any media of one’s choice, in accordance with articles 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
- Recognizes the global and open nature of the Internet as a driving force in accelerating progress towards development in its various forms;
- Calls upon all States to promote and facilitate access to the Internet and international cooperation aimed at the development of media and information and communications facilities in all countries;
- Encourages special procedures to take these issues into account within their existing mandates, as applicable;
- Decides to continue its consideration of the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights, including the right to freedom of expression, on the Internet and in other technologies, as well as of how the Internet can be an important tool for development and for exercising human rights, in accordance with its programme of work.
* Non-Member State of the Human Rights Council.
