6/13/22, 12:27 PM Myanmar: Human Rights Council must hold the line on freedom of expression, rights violations - ARTICLE 19 the Upper House in 2018 are due to be considered by Parliament in March 2019. If passed, they would further limit the exercise of the right to peaceful assembly. Following a campaign of violence against Rohingya Muslims in (https://www.article19.org) Rakhine State that included international crimes perpetrated by state security forces, the government has continued to disseminate misinformation, stoke anti-Rohingya sentiment, and suppress independent reporting on the crisis. Restrictions on the access of journalists and rights monitors to conflict areas, most notably in northern Rakhine State, continue to severely hamper independent reporting and impede long term and sustainable solutions to the grave challenges facing the country. Despite calls from the Human Rights Council to combat hate speech by implementing measures outlined in Human Rights Council Resolution 16/18 and the Rabat Plan of Action, the Myanmar government has continued to directly contravene (https://www.article19.org/resources/myanmar-failure-tocondemn-atrocity-crimes-and-hate-speech-fanning-flames-of-crisisin-rakhine/) the guidance contained in these documents. Instead of implementing positive policy measures to address “hate speech” and intolerance, government officials have themselves contributed to divisive narratives and spread discriminatory messages. While the Myanmar government has yet to release the current draft of a proposed “Anti-Hate Speech Bill”, the military-controlled Ministry of Home Affairs is reportedly chairing a committee tasked with developing the proposed legislation. Previous drafts of the bill (https://www.article19.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/170907Myanmar-Hate-Speech-Law-Analysis-August-2017.pdf) analysed by ARTICLE 19 relied primarily on censorship and criminal penalties to combat “hate speech”, neglecting the range of policy initiatives that should form the foundation of any effort toward promoting tolerance and inclusion. If new legislation takes the approach of these previous efforts it will likely close space for inter-communal dialogue, increase tensions within and between groups, and further stifle the free expression of ethnic and religious minorities. The ofuses the UN Special Rapporteur the situation human Thisreport website cookies to improve your on experience. We'll of assume you're ok with this, but you rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, which she will present to the can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settings Human Rights Council next week, paints a bleak picture of ACCEPT Privacy and Cookie Policy (https://www.article19.org/privacy-policy/) developments in the country, highlighting attacks on civic space https://www.article19.org/resources/myanmar-human-rights-council-must-hold-the-line-on-freedom-of-expression-rights-violations/ 3/4