[IRP] Sign on letter for freedom of expression

[Rudi Vansnick]

ISOC Belgium endorses the letter ...


Rudi Vansnick
President Internet Society Belgium vzw
Voorzitter TIK vzw
Board member EURALO (ALAC - ICANN)

Tel: +32 (0)70 77 39 39
GSM: +32 (0)475 28 16 32
www.isoc.be <http://www.isoc.be> - www.vansnick.eu <http://www.vansnick.eu>



Max Senges schreef:
> 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 
> <mailto: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 <mailto: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
>
>          
>          
>
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>
>
>
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