The UN secretary-general António Guterres has said the coronavirus pandemic has unleashed a tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scare-mongering, and appealed for an all-out effort to end hate speech globally.
He said anti-foreigner
sentiment has surged online and on the streets, and highlighted the spread of antisemitic conspiracy theories and Covid-19-related anti-Muslim attacks.
Guterres called on the media, especially social media, to remove racist, misogynist and other
harmful content, on civil society to strengthen their outreach to vulnerable people, and on religious figures to serve as models of mutual respect. He added somewhat hopefully:
And I ask everyone, everywhere, to stand up
against hate, treat each other with dignity and take every opportunity to spread kindness.
The Global Expression Report 2018-19 shows that global freedom of expression at its lowest for a decade. Gains that were made between 2008 -- 2013 have been eroded over the last five years. Repressive responses to street protests are contributing to the
decline in freedom of expression around the world. A rise in digital authoritarianism sees governments taking control of internet infrastructure, increasing online surveillance and controlling content. The numbers of journalists, communicators and human
rights defenders being imprisoned, attacked and killed continues to increase. 66 countries -- with a combined population of more than 5.5 billion people -- saw a decline in their overall freedom of expression environment last decade.
Global Expression Report 2018-19: media pack
The Global Expression Report 2018-19 shows that global freedom of expression at its lowest for a decade. Gains that were made between 2008 -- 2013 have been eroded over the last five years.
Repressive responses to street protests are contributing to the decline in freedom of expression around the world.
A rise in digital authoritarianism sees governments taking control of internet infrastructure, increasing online surveillance and controlling content.
The numbers of journalists, communicators and
human rights defenders being imprisoned, attacked and killed continues to increase.
66 countries -- with a combined population of more than 5.5 billion people -- saw a decline in their overall freedom of expression
environment last decade.
Comment from Thomas Hughes, Executive Director of ARTICLE 19:
"Almost ten years ago, the Arab Spring offered hope to people across the world that repressive governments would not be able
to retain power when faced with protestors, empowered as never before with access to information and digital tools for organising.
"Today, protests continue to take place around the world but our report shows that global
freedom of expression remains at a ten-year low and that many of the gains made in the earlier part of the decade have been lost.
"Some of these threats are not new: governments are still using state violence and judicial
harassment to close down protests. Journalists, communicators and human rights defenders are still being imprisoned, attacked and killed with impunity. But we are also seeing a rise in digital authoritarianism where governments are using digital
technology to surveill their citizens, restrict content and shut down communications."
"Governments need to take action to reverse this trend and uphold their citizens' right to freedom of expression."
The UN secretary-general António Guterres has said the coronavirus pandemic has unleashed a tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scare-mongering, and appealed for an all-out effort to end hate speech globally. 
The Global Expression Report 2018-19 shows that global freedom of expression at its lowest for a decade. Gains that were made between 2008 -- 2013 have been eroded over the last five years. Repressive responses to street protests are contributing to the
decline in freedom of expression around the world. A rise in digital authoritarianism sees governments taking control of internet infrastructure, increasing online surveillance and controlling content. The numbers of journalists, communicators and human
rights defenders being imprisoned, attacked and killed continues to increase. 66 countries -- with a combined population of more than 5.5 billion people -- saw a decline in their overall freedom of expression environment last decade. 