UN Appoints Leopoldo Maldonado as Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression
The current Regional Director of Article 19 Mexico and Central America will serve a three-year term and will be responsible for documenting violations of freedom of expression.
The United Nations Human Rights Council has appointed Mexican human rights advocate Leopoldo Maldonado Gutiérrez as Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
The appointment was announced during the Council's 62nd session, held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
According to the United Nations, freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur was established to protect and promote the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, both online and offline, in accordance with international human rights law and standards.
The Special Rapporteur's principal responsibilities include receiving complaints and documenting cases involving violations of freedom of expression, as well as issuing urgent appeals to governments.
The mandate also requires conducting country visits to assess the state of freedom of expression, issuing recommendations, and presenting annual thematic reports to both the Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly.
The position of Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression carries a three-year term, renewable for an additional three years under the rules governing the UN Special Procedures.
The previous mandate holder was Irene Khan, who was appointed on July 17, 2020. She was the first woman to serve in the position since the mandate was established in 1993.
Who Is Leopoldo Maldonado?
Leopoldo Maldonado currently serves as Regional Director of Article 19's Mexico and Central America Office. He holds a Master's degree in Human Rights and a law degree from Universidad Iberoamericana. He has also served on the Advisory Committee of the Documentation Repository on Enforced Disappearances in Mexico.
From 2008 to 2013, he worked at the Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Center, where he specialized in a wide range of human rights issues, including freedom of expression, social rights, access to justice for individuals and vulnerable groups, and criminal due process.
He also served on the Advisory Council of Mexico's Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists from 2018 to 2019.
Source: El Sol de México
Author: Montserrat Maldonado
Picture: Artículo 19