Statement of the United States on the Reports of the
Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Religion or Belief and
the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression

Delivered by Ms. Velia M. DePirro
U.S. Mission Alternate Representative,
Human Rights Council
Thursday, September 21, 2006

Thank you, Mr. President.

I will address the reports of both Special Rapporteurs.

We strongly support the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Religion or Belief, Ms. Asma Jehangir. 

Since the promotion of religious freedom is a core objective of U.S. foreign policy, my government considers this mandate essential.

The United States seeks to promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries. In so doing, it strives to assist newly formed democracies in implementing freedom of religion and conscience, assist religious and human rights NGOs in promoting religious freedom, and identify and promote changes in the policies and actions of regimes that severely persecute their citizens or others on the basis of religious belief.

We look forward to seeing continued work under this mandate in the future.

My delegation also welcomes the report of the Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Mr. Ambeyi Ligabo.

This another example of a mandate that my Government considers essential.

We are gratified that the Special Rapporteur focused on the urgent need for security and protection of media professionals.

As Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice said on the occasion of this year’s commemoration of World Press Freedom Day, we hail the courageous sacrifices made by journalists around the world to report the facts, even at the cost of their lives and their freedom.

In some countries, media professionals face crackdowns on press freedoms, including tightening libel laws, a concentration of media ownership, diminishing independent press outlets, and restricted Internet search engines.

In particular, we oppose the efforts of non-democratic governments to misuse the Internet to restrict freedom of expression or to track and prosecute dissidents.

We also urge other players, such as NGOs and especially the Internet industry, to take voluntary action to ensure that, as they spread the availability of the Internet around the world, they also take care to minimize its abuse as a means of political repression.

Thank you, Mr. President.