ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS OEA/Ser.L/V/II.124 Doc. 7 27 February 2006 Original: Spanish AANNNNUUAALL RREEPPOORRTT OOFF TTHHEE IINNTTEERR--AAMMEERRIICCAANN CCOOMMMMIISSSSIIOONN OONN HHUUMMAANN RRIIGGHHTTSS 22000055 VOLUME III REPORT OF THE OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION GENERAL SECRETARIAT ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES 1889 F St. N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20006 2006 Internet: http://www.cidh.org E-mail: [email protected] ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS OEA/Ser.L/V/II.124 Doc. 7 27 February 2006 Original: Spanish RREEPPOORRTT OOFF TTHHEE OOFFFFIICCEE OOFF TTHHEE SSPPEECCIIAALL RRAAPPPPOORRTTEEUURR FFOORR FFRREEEEDDOOMM OOFF EEXXPPRREESSSSIIOONN Dr. Eduardo Bertoni Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression GENERAL SECRETARIAT ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES 1889 F St. N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20006 2006 Internet: http://www.cidh.org E-mail: [email protected] ANNUAL REPORT OF THE OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER I GENERAL REPORTS ............................................................................. 7 A. Mandate and competence of the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression .................................................... 7 B. The Office of the Special Rapporteur’s principal activities.......................... 9 1. Promotion and dissemination activities........................................ 11 2. Official visits to countries.......................................................... 15 3. Publications............................................................................. 15 CHAPTER II THE SITUATION OF THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN THE HEMISPHERE.......................................................................... 17 A. Introduction and methodology ............................................................. 17 B. Situation of the freedom of expression in the Member States .................. 18 CHAPTER III JURISPRUDENCE............................................................................... 89 A. Summary of the jurisprudence of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights............................................................. 89 1. Introduction ...................................................................................... 89 2. Cases under the African Charter for Human and Peoples' Rights .............. 92 a. Political activism/opinion........................................................... 92 b. Prior censorship....................................................................... 98 c. Threats to and detention of individuals based on expression ........ 103 d. Defamation........................................................................... 105 iii Page B. Domestic jurisprudence of the Member States ..................................... 108 1. Introduction........................................................................... 108 2. Domestic cases..................................................................... 109 a. Freedom of Expression as a guarantee of democracy ........ 109 b. The right to criticize public officials................................. 110 c. The right to access to information and the Internet........... 111 d. Criminal defamation of public officials............................. 112 CHAPTER IV REPORT ON ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN THE HEMISPHERE.............. 115 A. Introduction.................................................................................... 115 B. Access to information in the Member States: An update of the 2004 Annual Report ................................................................... 115 1. Bolivia.................................................................................. 116 2. Chile .................................................................................... 116 3. Honduras .............................................................................. 117 4. Other developments ............................................................... 117 a. Argentina .................................................................... 117 b. Guatemala................................................................... 117 c. Nicaragua.................................................................... 118 d. Paraguay..................................................................... 118 e. Peru ........................................................................... 118 CHAPTER V PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS AS AN EXERCISE OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY ...................................... 121 A. Introduction: Purpose and content of the report .................................. 121 B. Public demonstrations as an exercise of the right to freedom of expression and feedom of assembly ............................................... 122 C. Public demonstrations in the framework of the United Nations............... 123 1. Instruments of protection ........................................................ 123 2. Jurisprudence........................................................................ 124 iv Page D. Public demonstrations in the framework of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms............................................................... 127 1. Instrument of protection ......................................................... 127 2. Jurisprudence........................................................................ 128 E. Public demonstrations in the framework of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights........................................................... 134 1. Instrument of protection ......................................................... 134 2. Jurisprudence........................................................................ 135 F. Public demonstrations in the framework of the inter-American human rights system........................................................................ 137 1. Instruments of protection ........................................................ 137 2. Standards for the interpretation of public demonstrations in light of Articles 13 and 15 of the American Convention .............. 140 CHAPTER VI FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND THE ELECTORAL PROCESS: THE CASE OF OPINION POLLS AND EXIT POLLS....................... 147 A. Introduction .................................................................................... 147 B. Political rights, freedom of expression and democracy .......................... 148 1. The protection of electoral rights in international ........................ 148 2. The importance of freedom of expression instruments in the electoral process.......................................... 149 C. Electoral polls and exit polls .............................................................. 150 1. Concept and history............................................................... 150 2. Possibilities, risks and limitations of polls .................................. 151 D. Polls and freedom of expression in the European and inter-American frameworks ......................................................... 155 1. The European experience ........................................................ 155 a. Normative framework and jurisprudence.......................... 155 b. The Council of Europe and election coverage ................... 158 v Page 2. The inter-American experience................................................. 160 a. Domestic jurisprudence of the countries .......................... 160 b. Standards for the interpretation of limitations on electoral polls in light of Article 13 of the American Convention.................................................... 169 CHAPTER VII FINAL CONSIDERATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................ 175 ANNEXES........................................................................................................... 179 1. Complete text of Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights ............................................................ 181 2. Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression .............................. 182 3. Declaration of Chapultepec ............................................................... 186 4. Resolution adopted by the General Assembly XXXV: Access to Public Information: Strengthening Democracy .................................. 190 5. Resolution adopted by the General Assembly XXXV: Right to Freedom of Thought and Expression and the Importance of the Media .... 194 6. Joint Declaration by the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the IACHR and the Special Rapporteur of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights .................... 197 7. Joint Declaration by the International Mechanisms for Promoting Freedom of Expression on World Press Freedom Day............. 199 8. Joint Declaration by the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and the OAS Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression ................... 201 9. Press Releases................................................................................. 204 vi INTRODUCTION 1. The Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (hereinafter “the Rapporteurship”) was created by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in October 1997,