The Council of Europe’s Freedom of Expression and CDMSI Division contributed to discussions on countering disinformation at a side event held during the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on 10 March 2026.

The event, entitled “Disinformation as a Tool of Hybrid Warfare: Impacts on Human Rights and Democratic Processes”, took place at the Palais des Nations and was co-organised by the Permanent Missions of Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. It explored the human rights implications of disinformation and foreign information manipulation, including their impact on democratic processes and social cohesion.

The Council of Europe was represented by Ms Elena Brodeala, Legal Advisor in the Freedom of Expression and CDMSI Division. She highlighted the importance of media freedom and pluralism as key safeguards against information manipulation and stressed the need for robust national media and information literacy (MIL) strategies and related measures to strengthen societal resilience in today’s complex information environment.