Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Freedom Of Speech Germany topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
UN says people should have the right to speak after disruptions at Berlin event featuring UN special rapporteur
Summary
The UN said people should be allowed to speak and organize meetings after reports that German riot police broke up a lecture in Berlin given by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese and that pro‑Palestinian protesters were dispersed for chanting.
The United Nations urged respect for the rights to speak and to organize after reports that a lecture in Berlin featuring the UN special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories faced disruptions.
The UN spokesperson said they had seen reporting that police intervened during a lecture by Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese in Berlin and said people should have “a right to speak and right to organize meetings.” The briefing said Ms. Albanese is independent from the secretary‑general and that special rapporteurs play a “critical role” in the human rights architecture.
Nut graf: The spokesperson emphasized the balance between ensuring safety and security at events and allowing people to speak, but did not provide a detailed account of the Berlin incidents beyond references to news reporting. The briefing also referenced separate reports that Berlin police had broken up pro‑Palestinian protests that involved chanting and singing in Arabic.
Ending: The spokesperson did not offer an independent UN investigation or a full factual timeline for the incidents in Berlin and repeated that special rapporteurs are independent and important to human rights monitoring.
