LOC16:14
13:14 GMT
GENEVA, April 30 (KUNA) -- The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Tuesday expressed concern at the "heavy-handed" steps taken to disperse and dismantle protests across university campuses in the US in recent weeks.
"Freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly are fundamental to society and must be protected, even in the face of sharp disagreement on major issues such as the conflict in the Occupied Palestinian Territory," said Turk in a statement.
"While many protests have taken place without incident security forces have dispersed or broken up demonstrations in a number of places leading to the arrest of hundreds of students," he noted.
"Any restrictions on these freedoms must be "strictly based on the principles of legality necessity and proportionality" and applied without discrimination," he stressed.
He warned that some of the law enforcement measures appeared to be "disproportionate in their impact" and could endanger students.
Turk condemned all forms of anti-Semitic, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian speech and behavior as "totally unacceptable and deeply disturbing."
"US universities have a strong historic tradition of student activism strident debate and freedom of expression and peaceful assembly," said Turk.
"It must be clear that legitimate exercises of the freedom of expression cannot be conflated with incitement to violence and hatred." He added. (end)
imk.bb