62nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council. Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, Ms. Gina Romero
Joint statement delivered by Lithuania on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic States
Thank you, Mr. President.
I speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic states and thank the Special Rapporteur for her report.
Digital technologies enable civil society to mobilize and increase their outreach; however, they are increasingly misused to monitor, control, and suppress grassroots activism.
The use of facial recognition, other biometrics to surveil activists and political opponents, blanket internet shutdowns during protests contribute to the erosion of collective action and limits political engagement.
The growing use of “foreign agent”-style legislation creates a climate of fear within societies, further deterring individuals from public action.
Digital surveillance and constant self-censorship also negatively affect activists’ mental health.
Madam Special Rapporteur,
The misuse of digital surveillance and the issue of transnational repression are closely linked. Political dissidents, human rights defenders, and journalists are targeted through digital means abroad. This has chilling effects on their ability to build networks in exile, mobilize resources, and engage in international advocacy.
In this context, what is the role of social media companies in preventing digital surveillance and their platforms’ “weaponization” for transnational repression?
