Human Rights Council 57th session Item 8: General Debate: Follow-up to and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. Statement by Estonia, delivered by H.E Ambassador Riia Salsa-Audiffren, 3 October 2024

Mr. President,

Estonia aligns itself with the EU statement.

In the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, all States reaffirmed that all human rights and fundamental freedoms are universal. Democracy, development and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. It is essential to strengthen national legislation and institutions that uphold human rights, the rule of law and democracy.

Freedom of expression and the free flow of information, online and offline, is crucial to ensure transparent, free and fair elections. Likewise, we cannot underestimate the role of civil society in ensuring the credibility of elections and contributing to the integrity of democratic processes. Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly difficult for journalists and media workers, human rights defenders, and civil society actors to carry out their work effectively or safely, as they are facing threats, harassment and repressions in an increasing number of countries.

Estonia continues to defend the right to seek, receive and impart information and protect independent and pluralistic media. We must raise awareness about misinformation, disinformation and about the attempted interference in elections, including about the scale of Russia’s dangerous disinformation campaigns around the world, which pose a significant threat to a range of human rights and undermine the principles enshrined in the Vienna Declaration.

We are witnessing the rise of armed conflicts, of authoritarianism, of spread of disinformation and heated rhetoric, therefore we must, more than ever before, emphasize the universal character of human rights.

As the High Commissioner said at the beginning of this session: We can either continue on our current path — a treacherous ‘new normal’ — and sleepwalk into a dystopian future. Or we could choose to be guided by human rights and the universal values that we all share.

Thank you!