Geneva. The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva passed its first resolution on Internet freedom on Thursday with a call for all states to support individuals' rights online as much as offline, AFP informs.
Despite opposition on the issue from nations including China, Russia and India, states promoting the resolution hailed the support of dozens of countries ahead of its adoption.
"This outcome is momentous for the Human Rights Council," US ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe told reporters.
"It's the first UN resolution that confirms that human rights in the Internet realm must be protected with the same commitment as in the real world."
The text had the support of 85 co-sponsors, 30 of whom are members of the HRC, Donahoe added. The United States was among the text's co-sponsors.