UN, OSCE, OAS and ACHPR Joint Declaration on Freedom of Expression and Responses to Conflict Situations

The document expresses its concern with the systematic or targeted attacks on democracy and freedom of expression by state and non-state actors in many countries which take place in different contexts, including international and non-international armed conflicts, terrorist attacks, and widespread organised crime resulting in the effective failure of the rule of law. It acknowledges that the filtering of content on the Internet, using communications ‘kill switches’ (i.e. shutting down entire parts of communications systems) and the physical takeover of broadcasting stations are measures which can never be justified under human rights law.