The internet as a human right?

Frank La Rue, the UN's Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

Interesting report from the UN Human Rights Council in relation to cutting people off the internet:

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/17session/A.HRC.17.27_en.pdf

General conclusion seems to be, don't be so bloody stupid. Nice to see officials getting things right every now and again!

The section I particularly like:

 

As outlined under Chapter III, any restriction to the right to freedom of expression must meet the strict criteria under international human rights law. A restriction on the right of individuals to express themselves through the Internet can take various forms, from technical measures to prevent access to certain content, such as blocking and filtering, to inadequate guarantees of the right to privacy and protection of personal data, which inhibit the dissemination of opinions and information. The Special Rapporteur is of the view that the arbitrary use of criminal law to sanction legitimate expression constitutes one of the gravest forms of restriction to the right, as it not only creates a “chilling effect”, but also leads to other human rights violations, such as arbitrary detention and torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.