UN free speech rapporteur told to watch his mouth

by Monitor
MediaWatchWatch.org.uk
June 8, 2009

http://www.legal-project.org/article/380

Excerpt:

Frank la Rue, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to free expression, got a firm telling off by representatives of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in Geneva last week. His crime? To suggest that

Restrictions [on free speech] should never be used to protect particular institutions or abstract notions, concepts or beliefs, including religious ones.

And that

defamation of religions does not accord with international standards on freedom of expression

Enraged diplomats from Egypt (on behalf of the African Group), United Arab Emirates (on behalf of the Arab Group), Pakistan (on behalf of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference), and individual delegations such as Algeria, Egypt, Malaysia, Sudan and Yemen claimed that La Rue was overstepping the bounds of his mandate by saying such things.

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