WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Activists from more than 60 human rights groups signed a letter to encourage the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) to vote on and appoint a special rapporteur on privacy, according to an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) press release.
“The ACLU joined with more than 60 other human rights and civil liberties groups this week in signing a letter urging the HRC to vote in favor of the initiative, which could help strengthen critically needed privacy standards and monitor compliance with those standards worldwide,” the release, issued on Friday, read.
“Privacy is one of the most fundamental — and widely violated — human rights not to have its own special rapporteur,” ACLU stated. “Privacy needs a dedicated international champion.”
The UN special rapporteur would help to assess and monitor the implementation of the right to privacy amid quickly developing modern technologies, as well as to provide guidance in interpreting law in regard to privacy, according to the release.
“We have been pushing the HRC to establish a mandate for privacy for months. The moment of truth has arrived,” the ACLU concluded.
The United States and foreign publics have been increasingly concerned over privacy violations, following the disclosure of US National Security Agency mass surveillance programs by whistle-blower Edward Snowden in 2013.
