自由在线联盟（Freedom Online Coalition）是一个由深切致力于提倡并保护《世界人权宣言》（Universal Declaration of Human Rights）所阐明的人权和基本自由的31个国家组成的团体。我们相信个人在网下所享有的人权和基本自由也必须在网上得到保护。我们致力于共同努力支持全世界的人们的因特网自由——其中包括表达、结社、和平集会的自由，以及网上隐私权。
自由在线联盟与各个地方的人们在面对COVID-19 冠状病毒全球疫情时有着共同的关切，其中包括与之相关的负面经济影响，并认识到政府为减轻病毒的扩散而颁行紧急措施的努力。与此同时，比以往任何时候都更多的活动正在网上进行，我们对有关政府为应对这场危机而采取的某些措施、做法及数字应用对人权的影响感到关切。这包括使用任意或非法的监控手段；部分或完全地关闭因特网；以及不符合人权法的对网上内容的监管和审查。我们对这些行动有可能给表达、结社及和平集会自由的权利以及隐私权所带来的短期和长期的影响，乃至在全球性疫情结束之后，进一步感到关切。
对侵犯及践踏网上人权的行径缺乏究责及有效的补救，构成了对公共当局的信任减少的风险，而这反过来又可能损害今后任何公共应对举措的效力。侵犯及践踏人权的行径还会增加歧视的风险，并可能不成比例地危害已被边缘化的弱势社群成员，其中包括妇女和女童以及其他可能面临多重的、交织的歧视形式的个人。在网上侵犯及践踏人权的行径直接挑战着自由在线联盟保护并提倡在网上行使人权以及一个开放、自由[1]、安全、可靠、可互操作的因特网的目标。
此外，自由在线联盟对网上不实信息的传播以及试图恶意利用COVID-19 冠状病毒全球疫情的活动感到关切。这包括操纵信息以及传播不实信息，以破坏有章可循的国际秩序，并侵蚀支撑它的民主和人权。获取真实及准确的信息，其中包括通过一个线上及线下的自由及独立的媒体，能帮助人们采取必要的预防措施，以制止传播COVID-19 冠状病毒、拯救生命并保护易于受害的人群。
我们重申，自由在线联盟的创建文件中所阐明的承诺和原则依然至关重要。我们进一步强调，各国必须确保为应对这场全球疫情而实施的措施符合国际人权法。有关措施还应当仅限于是正当保护公共健康所必需的，其中包括根据应对COVID-19 冠状病毒疫情危机的必要性在时间上限制这些措施。任何干预隐私和其他相关的权利和自由的行为还应当与《公民权利和政治权利国际公约》（International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights）以及《世界人权宣言》相符。不论有关限制适用于线上还是线下，都应如此。我们对联合国秘书长（UN Secretary General）、联合国人权事务高级专员（UN High Commissioner for Human Rights）以及联合国特别报告员（UN Special Rapporteurs）和有关专家注重于这个问题表示欢迎。
在应对COVID-19 冠状病毒全球疫情时，我们敦促全世界各国政府：
……同时承诺我们自己也这样做。
[1] “Free”在文中不是“免费”的意思。

May 27, 2020
The Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) is a group of 31 countries deeply committed to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). We believe that the human rights and fundamental freedoms that individuals have offline must also be protected online. We are committed to working together to support Internet freedom for individuals worldwide – including the freedoms of expression, association, peaceful assembly, as well as privacy rights online.
The FOC shares the concerns of people everywhere in the face of the COVID-19 global pandemic, including the negative economic impact associated with it, and recognizes government efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus by enacting emergency measures. At the same time, more activities are taking place online than ever before, and we are concerned with the human rights implications of certain measures, practices, and digital applications introduced by governments in response to the crisis. This includes the use of arbitrary or unlawful surveillance practices; partial or complete Internet shutdowns; online content regulation and censorship that are inconsistent with human rights law. We are further concerned with the potential short-and-long-term impact of these actions on the rights of freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, and privacy rights, even after the pandemic is over.
Lack of accountability and lack of effective remedy for violations and abuses of human rights online pose a risk of reduced trust in public authorities, which, in turn, might undermine the effectiveness of any future public response. Violations and abuses of human rights also increase risk of discrimination and may disproportionately harm members of already marginalized and vulnerable communities, including women and girls and other individuals who may face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination.  Human rights violations and abuses online are a direct challenge to the FOC’s goal of protecting and promoting both the exercise of human rights online and an open, free[1], secure, reliable, and interoperable Internet.
Furthermore, the FOC is concerned by the spread of disinformation online and activity that seeks to leverage the COVID-19 pandemic with malign intent. This includes the manipulation of information and spread of disinformation to undermine the international rules-based order and erode support for the democracy and human rights that underpin it.  Access to factual and accurate information, including through a free and independent media online and offline, helps people take the necessary precautions to prevent spreading the COVID-19 virus, save lives, and protect vulnerable population groups.
We reiterate that commitments and principles outlined in FOC founding documents remain of the utmost importance. We further emphasize that countries must ensure that measures implemented to address the pandemic are in compliance with international human rights law. Measures should also be limited to what is necessary for the legitimate protection of public health, including by limiting these measures in time only as necessary to address the COVID-19 crisis.  Any interference with privacy and other relevant rights and freedoms need also be consistent with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UDHR. This is true whether the restrictions apply to activity online or offline. We welcome the focus on this issue by the UN Secretary General, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and UN Special Rapporteurs and experts.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we call upon governments worldwide:
…while committing ourselves to do the same.
[1] ‘Free’ in this context does not mean ‘free of cost’.