[IRP] Sign on letter for freedom of expression

[Max Senges]

Hello Robert

Thanks for sending this. I think it is a good and important statement and I
would like to propose to the Internet Rights and Principles community to
co-sign it if this is possible?

Naturally the statement implicitly includes freedom of expression on the
internet, but is there a chance to add one sentence specifically
highlighting how important it is not to curtail freedom of expression at the
moment when the internet enables one global heterogenous trans-cultural
public (discourse/media) sphere?

Best
Max

On Fri, Oct 16, 2009 at 9:41 PM, Internet Freedom <
freedom4internet at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> I wanted to forward  a letter that we are trying to get signatures on?some
> explanation is below:
>
> The letter is aimed at an upcoming meeting in Geneva of the ?Ad Hoc
> Committee on the Elaboration of Complementary Standards,? chaired by
> Algeria, that is examining potential gaps within the existing International
> Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
> (ICERD).  This committee was set up as a follow on to the Durban process.
> States have already been asked to submit brief documents outlining their
> views on the issue of the ICERD and the compilation of those submissions is
> attached. The submissions of the Africa Group (pp. 29-32) and the OIC (pp.
> 39-41) contain extremely troubling language.  In particular, note the vision
> of the OIC regarding this new legal mechanism, which is pasted below.  There
> is a real danger that these groups will succeed in creating an international
> legal mechanism that requires states to place legal restrictions on language
> and speech deemed ?defamatory? or insulting to religions.
>
> Our thinking is to submit a joint statement that includes major freedom of
> expression groups, including IFEX members, which opposes the efforts to
> create new international law criminalizing defamation of religions.  The
> letter will be sent to all members of the Ad Hoc Committee, as well as to
> Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
>
> The Ad Hoc Committee Meeting will convene in Geneva for two weeks (October
> 19-30).  According to the Program of Work, the discussion of issues related
> to religious defamation will begin on Wednesday, October 21.  For this
> reason, we are putting the deadline for signatures on Tuesday at 12:00 p.m.
> (noon) EST.
>
> Regards,
>
> Robert Guerra
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> IRP mailing list
> IRP at lists.internetrightsandprinciples.org
>
> http://lists.internetrightsandprinciples.org/listinfo.cgi/irp-internetrightsandprinciples.org
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.internetrightsandprinciples.org/pipermail/irp-internetrightsandprinciples.org/attachments/20091017/222f9469/attachment.htm>