United Nations General Assembly A/HRC/41/35/Add.1 Distr.: General 14 May 2019 Original: English Human Rights Council Forty-first session 24 June–12 July 2019 Agenda item 3 Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Visit to Ecuador Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression*,** Summary The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression visited Ecuador from 5 to 11 October 2018, in coordination with the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, who visited the country from 20 to 24 August 2018. The purpose of the visits, which were undertaken at the invitation of the Government, was to engage in a dialogue and offer recommendations to the Government and other stakeholders in a moment of transition in the country. The priorities that the Special Rapporteurs believe are essential to reinforcing the State’s movement towards building a future that protects and promotes freedom of expression are identified in the report. The Special Rapporteurs welcome the Government’s first steps to bring the legal, policy and institutional frameworks of Ecuador into line with international standards on freedom of expression. The mandate holders remain committed to working with the Government and the people of Ecuador in their efforts to meet the State’s obligations under international human rights law. * The summary of the report is being circulated in all official languages. The report itself, which is annexed to the summary, is being circulated in the language of submission and Spanish only. ** Agreement was reached to publish the present report after the standard publication date owing to circumstances beyond the submitter’s control. GE.19-07886(E) 