The US State Department will focus on “natural rights” like freedom of speech in its next human rights report, a senior State Department official mentioned Thursday, because the company targets conventional European allies for alleged freedom of speech restrictions.
The transfer additional institutionalizes modifications seen in the most recent report launched in August, which coated the 2024 calendar yr. That report alleged “significant human rights issues” in allied international locations together with the United Kingdom, France and Germany over “serious restrictions on freedom of expression.”
The State Department instructed all embassies and consulates in a diplomatic cable Thursday to start getting ready the congressionally required annual report. The official mentioned they’re encouraging diplomats to “go out in the field, talk to people, collect data that then informs the report.”
The future report is “really going to reflect what’s going on in the country,” they mentioned.
“For instance, in Western Europe, we see a backsliding of the protection of freedom of expression. So of course, we’re going to prioritize that versus another country that is maybe not curtailing free speech as much,” the official mentioned.
Top Trump administration officers, together with Vice President JD Vance, have lambasted European nations over allegations of free speech backsliding whereas additionally assembly with far-right European political figures. At the identical time, the administration has additionally revoked and denied visas for alleged antisemitic speech and feedback made concerning the homicide of right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk.
“When it comes to Western Europe, we’re not saying that we’re favoring one opposition party or one particular political group. We’re saying all groups, all parties, all people should be able to speak freely, and that includes on the internet. That includes on social media,” the senior State Department official mentioned Thursday.
“In Europe, the (Digital Services Act) is a regulatory regime that restricts speech online,” the official mentioned, referencing a sweeping EU legislation that requires Big Tech platforms to take significant steps to cut back unlawful and dangerous content material.
The official famous that the human rights report, formally often known as the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, is used “as a tool to change the behavior of governments.”
“When our European friends are restricting free speech, we’ll have a conversation, and if they make changes, we will note that in the future report,” they mentioned.
The official additionally famous that they “are moving away from group identities, group labels, and focusing on the fact that when a person is persecuted for whatever reason, that is a violation of the moral law.”
“We’re making sure that we’re promoting individual freedom not based on some group identity,” they mentioned.
The newest human rights report launched in August had already been stripped of particular sections of reporting on alleged abuses based mostly on sexual orientation, violence towards ladies and systemic racial or ethnic violence.