New Indian IT Rules do not conform with international norms: UN Special Rapporteurs

Experts at United Nations Office of the Human Rights Commissioner have said in a report that it is concerned that Indias Information Technology Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules 2021 in their current form do not conform with international human rights normsThe observations were made in Mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and the Special Rapporteur on the right to privacyThe report is authored by Irene Khan Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Clement Nyaletsossi Voule Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and Joseph Cannataci Special Rapporteur on the right to privacyAs noted in previous communications sent to your Excellencys Government we are concerned that these new rules come at a time of a global pandemic and of largescale farmer protests in the country where the enjoyment of the freedom of opinion and expression including the right to receive information and the right to privacy is particularly important for the realisation of several other civil cultural economic political and social rights the report saidWe would like to recall that restrictions to freedom of expression must never be invoked as a justification for the muzzling of any advocacy of multiparty democracy democratic tenets and human rights the report saidThe report said as a global leader in technology innovation India has the potential to develop a legislation that can place it at the forefront of efforts to protect digital rights However the substantially broadened scope of the Rules is likely to do just the oppositeWe would therefore encourage the Government to take all necessary steps to carry out a detailed review of the Rules and to consult with all relevant stakeholders including civil society dealing with human rights freedom of expression privacy rights and digital rights the report saidWe understand the new Rules were issued under the Information Technology Act of 2000 and therefore were not subject to parliamentary review or opened for consultation with stakeholders We believe such consultations with relevant stakeholders are essential in order to ensure the final text is compatible with Indias international legal obligations in particular with Articles 17 and 19 of the ICCPR it addedThis observation along with Indias comment will also subsequently be made available in the usual report to be presented to the Human Rights Council it addedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever