[IRP] Sign on letter for freedom of expression

[Marco Pancini]

Hi All,
I'm in favour of the endorsement.
Thanks!
marco

On Tue, Oct 20, 2009 at 3:36 PM, Max Senges <maxsenges at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi everybody, Hi steering committee
>
> I just learned that the attached letter will be submitted to the Ad Hoc
> Committee tomorrow. So if we want to co-sign it we need to do so fast.
>
> Please express your doubts or endorsement ASAP.
>
> And yes we should gear up for elections of a new steering committe @ the
> IGF!
>
> Thanks
> Max
>
>
>
> On Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 3:18 PM, Max Senges <maxsenges at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> 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
>>>
>>>
>>
>


-- 
Marco Pancini
European Senior Policy Counsel
Google Italy
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20122 Milano, Italia
Tel. +39 02 36618524
Cell. +39.348.9946222
pancini at google.com
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