Facebook has blocked accounts belonging to Palestinian activists, bloggers and journalists, violating the right to freedom of opinion, according to the London-based think tank ImpACT International for Human Rights Policies.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media that the social media giant is closing millions of accounts in the Middle East and North Africa region, the NGO has warned, calling it an early sign of failure of the company’s newly appointed oversight board.

“The Facebook oversight board should assess the company’s policies in the Middle East, particularly whether the geographic location of its offices impacts human rights-related practices,” it said.

“Mass blocking of Facebook silences voices and restricts freedom of expression,” it added, and calling on Facebook management “to stop blocking bloggers’, journalists’ and activists’ accounts, protect the right to opinion and expression guaranteed in international conventions and treaties, and adhere to a code of conduct that prohibits the suppression of dissenting voices.”