A/HRC/7/14 Page 5 Introduction 1. This report is submitted by the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Ambeyi Ligabo, pursuant Human Rights Council resolution 5/1. This is the last annual report that will be submitted by the present mandate-holder, whose term expires in August 2008. 2. Chapter I summarizes the main activities of the Special Rapporteur undertaken in 2007, including an analysis of communication trends in the period. Chapter II presents an overall review of the main issues addressed by the Special Rapporteur throughout his tenure. It thus intends to highlight the different trends observed by the Special Rapporteur over the past six years, pointing to the main challenges for the effective implementation of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. Chapter III presents the general conclusions and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur. 3. This report contains as its addendum 1 the summary of communications sent by the Special Rapporteur from 1 January to 4 December 2007 and replies received thereto from Governments by 21 January 2008. Addenda 2 and 3 are the reports of the Special Rapporteur’s country visits to Ukraine and Azerbaijan, respectively. I. ACTIVITIES A. Analysis of information, communications and trends 4. The Special Rapporteur relies on communications received from various sources as a means to identify trends, reiterate issues already discussed in previous reports and bring to the attention of the international community a number of policies, practices and measures having an impact on the respect for freedom of opinion and expression. 5. To effectively implement his mandate, the Special Rapporteur focuses on information received from a variety of sources, including Governments; local, national, regional or international governmental and non-governmental organizations; associations of media professionals and writers; trade unions; etc. The quality and the quantity of information received are essential to the discharge of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur. Furthermore, they are a significant indicator of the degree of implementation of the right to freedom of