The Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and promotion and protection of  the freedom of opinion and expression was given to the Human Rights Council at the UN General Assembly on 15 June – 3 July 2020.

The report starts with an explanation of the legal framework applicable to artistic freedom of expression and then addresses the ways in which States and other actors often fail in their obligations or responsibilities in this field. A main result is, that states are restricting repressions increasingly in the form of art. For online content filtering mechanisms, private companies should also adopt the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. 

The report is available at the HRC site (in English only)

For their next thematic reports to the UN General Assembly or the Human Rights Council, the effects of the COVID19 crisis will be closely analysed. A questionnaire will assist the human rights experts to obtain information and elaborate comprehensive recommendations on the measures taken by national, federal and local governments to protect their population and ensure the enjoyment of human rights, including particular groups at risk of discrimination or social exclusion. It consists of a section with joint questions for all mandates, and specific questions for each mandate. The report on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the exercise of cultural rights and on the role of culture and cultural rights in responding to the pandemic will be presented by Karima Bennoune in March 2021. The joint questionnaire can be consulted and downloaded online and should be sent electronically no later than 19 June 2020.

Governments have introduced drastic measures against the COVID-19 outbreak, suspending many fundamental freedoms and rights until further notice.

This discussion, originally planned for the IETM Plenary Meeting in Tromsø, took place as an interactive webinar on 24 April with Sara Whyatt, researcher on freedom of artistic expression and human rights, UK, Sina Saberi, Kakeshan, Iran, Israel Aloni, Ildance, Sweden/Australia, Salil Tripathi, Writer, Chair: Writers in Prison Committee, PEN International, India/USA. Moderator: Pelin Başaran,  Siyah Bant, UK/Turkey.

Watch on Youtube (1:27)

Horizons threaten to close for international artistic mobility: On Monday, April 20, President Trump tweeted that he intends to suspend legal immigration to the U.S. indefinitely.

Although they are part of Schengen Territory, Czech Republic’s President Milos Zeman has suggested that all borders of the country should remain sealed off for a year, in order to prevent another surge of infections in the country. The Czech Republic has all air border controls in place as well as land border controls with Austria and Germany, set to expire on April 24, 2020.

Sources: Tamizdat, schengen visa info 

To celebrate World Art Day 2020 (April 15), Freemuse is launching the State of Artistic Freedom Report and discuss the current state for arts and culture in 2020. The digital seminar live stream will be available at YouTube (9 am – 10:45 am CET). You may  live join the live discussion on Twitter at #artisticfreedomSAF20

“This report shows that the west is losing its leading position as human rights and freedom defenders at a fast pace, while the world grows intolerant and violent against non-mainstream views and expression” (Srirak Plipat, Freemuse Executive Director).

After the launch the Report will be available for download on Freemuse.org.

The 2020 reports of the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, Karima Bennoune, to the Human Rights Council have been published. The Special Rapporteur will be presenting these reports to the Council on Tuesday, 3 March, tentatively at 16:00, Geneva time. The presentation will be available as live-webcast at the UN- website.

Cultural rights defenders – Report of the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights

Assorted Country reports and special reports (conflict and post-conflict situations and communications with governments) are available on the website of the 43rd session of the HRC (scroll down to A/HRC/43/50/Add.1  ff)

Source: SR Cultural Rights OHCHR  mailout 02/25/2020