[IRP] Sign on letter for freedom of expression

[Wolfgang Benedek]

I would like to co-sign the letter on behalf of he European Training and
Research Centre for Human Rights and Democracy at University of Graz

Thanks for the initiative

Wolfgang Benedek, Univ.Prof. Dr.




Am 20.10.09 15:36 schrieb "Max Senges" unter <maxsenges at gmail.com>:

> 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-internetrights
>>> andprinciples.org
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
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