[IRP] Urgent - Statement on Egyptian Internet restrictions

Tue Feb 1 14:11:01 EET 2011

Am Di, 1.02.2011, 13:05, schrieb Norbert Bollow:
Hello Lisa and all,
>
> While I'm a very new member of this mailing list and I'm not sure
> whether that makes me formally a member of the IRP coalition or
> not,

so do I

 I must say that I've very strongly in favor of making a statement
> like this, and I think that this is very well drafted.
>

so do I!

Greetings,
Lorena
___________________________________
Lorena Jaume-Palas?, M.A.
Research Associate
Chair of Political Theory,
Geschwister-Scholl-Institute
Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich
Oettingennstr. 67
80538 Munich
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)89 2180 90 20
Fax: +49 (0)89 2180 90 22
> Greetings,
> Norbert
>
>
> Lisa Horner <LisaH at global-partners.co.uk> wrote:
>> Hi all
>>
>> I'd like to suggest that the IRP coalition issues a statement on the
>> Intern=
>> et cuts and media disruptions in Egypt, in solidarity with the
>> protestors t=
>> here.  Seeing how we've discussed in depth Internet access and
>> accessibilit=
>> y as a fundamental component of the Charter and of human rights online,
>> I r=
>> eally feel that we should condemn what's going on in Egypt.  Dixie and I
>> ha=
>> ve drafted a statement below.  Please could you respond ASAP (by 15.00
>> GMT)=
>>  to say whether you're happy for this to go out.  We can then all send
>> far =
>> and wide.
>>
>> Thanks and all the best,
>> Lisa
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
>> --
>>
>>
>> The Internet Rights and Principles Dynamic Coalition urges the Egyptian
>> gov=
>> ernment to end its violation of the Egyptian people's rights to freedom
>> of =
>> expression and peaceful assembly by lifting restrictions on access to
>> the I=
>> nternet and other Information and Communication Technologies.
>>
>>
>>
>> The Egyptian government has cut off all Internet access in the country.
>> Mo=
>> bile phone networks have also been severely disrupted.  Restrictions
>> have a=
>> lso been placed on Egyptian and international media, including the
>> blocking=
>>  of Al Jazeera's broadcast signal and seizure of its equipment.
>>
>>
>>
>> These actions are direct and serious violations of the rights of the
>> Egypti=
>> an people to freedom of expression and assembly. The right to freedom of
>> ex=
>> pression is enshrined in international law in Article 19 of the
>> Internation=
>> al Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Egypt has
>> ratified=
>> .  The right includes freedom to seek, receive and impart information
>> throu=
>> gh any media, regardless of frontiers.   In modern society, the Internet
>> is=
>>  fundamental for the fulfilment of the right to freedom of expression.
>> It =
>> is also an essential tool for peaceful assembly, whether online or
>> offline,=
>>  as protected by Article 21 of the ICCPR.
>>
>>
>>
>> These restrictions on communications access are a disproportionate and
>> unne=
>> cessary response to legitimate political protest.  The UN Human Rights
>> Coun=
>> cil Resolution 12/16 states that it is never permissible for any
>> government=
>>  to restrict peaceful demonstrations and political activities, including
>> th=
>> ose for democracy.  It also states that placing restrictions on access
>> to, =
>> or use of, information and communication technologies is never
>> permissible.=
>>   This includes access to radio, television and the Internet.
>>
>>
>>
>> The explosion of information and communication technologies across the
>> worl=
>> d has brought with it unprecedented opportunities for the fulfilment of
>> hum=
>> an rights, social and economic development and democracy. These
>> opportuniti=
>> es must not be lost through misguided efforts to control online
>> communicati=
>> on.
>>
>>
>>
>> The Dynamic Coalition calls on the Egyptian government to restore the
>> right=
>>  to freedom of expression and assembly in Egypt through removing all
>> restri=
>> ctions on communication.  All professional and citizen journalists in
>> Egypt=
>>  must be free to report on unfolding events through any media platform,
>> to =
>> national and international audiences.  All people must have full access
>> to =
>> the Internet, to mobile phones and SMS, and to national and
>> international m=
>> edia.
>>
>>
>>
>> About the Internet Rights and Principles Dynamic Coalition
>>
>> The IRP DC is an international network of people who are working to
>> uphold =
>> human rights on and through the Internet.  The coalition is currently
>> under=
>> taking a major project to draft a Charter of Human Rights and Principles
>> fo=
>> r the Internet.  This applies international human rights standards to
>> the I=
>> nternet environment.  It outlines what human rights people have when
>> operat=
>> ing online, and what elements of Internet architecture need to be
>> protected=
>>  in order to realise human rights to the fullest extent possible.
> _______________________________________________
> IRP mailing list
> IRP at lists.internetrightsandprinciples.org
> http://lists.internetrightsandprinciples.org/listinfo.cgi/irp-internetrightsandprinciples.org
>


-- 
________________________________________________
Lorena Jaume-Palas?, M.A.
Wissenschaftliche Assistentin
Lehrstuhl f?r Politische Theorie (Prof. Dr. Karsten Fischer)
Geschwister-Scholl-Institut
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit?t M?nchen
Oettingenstra?e 67
80538 M?nchen
Tel.: +49 (0)89 2180 90 20
Fax: +49 (0)89 2180 90 22

Lorena Jaume-Palas?, M.A.
Research Associate
Chair of Political Theory,
Geschwister-Scholl-Institute
Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich
Oettingennstr. 67
80538 Munich
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)89 2180 90 20
Fax: +49 (0)89 2180 90 22

Am Di, 1.02.2011, 13:05, schrieb Norbert Bollow:
> Hello Lisa and all,
>
> While I'm a very new member of this mailing list and I'm not sure
> whether that makes me formally a member of the IRP coalition or
> not, I must say that I've very strongly in favor of making a statement
> like this, and I think that this is very well drafted.
>
> Greetings,
> Norbert
>
>
> Lisa Horner <LisaH at global-partners.co.uk> wrote:
>> Hi all
>>
>> I'd like to suggest that the IRP coalition issues a statement on the
>> Intern=
>> et cuts and media disruptions in Egypt, in solidarity with the
>> protestors t=
>> here.  Seeing how we've discussed in depth Internet access and
>> accessibilit=
>> y as a fundamental component of the Charter and of human rights online,
>> I r=
>> eally feel that we should condemn what's going on in Egypt.  Dixie and I
>> ha=
>> ve drafted a statement below.  Please could you respond ASAP (by 15.00
>> GMT)=
>>  to say whether you're happy for this to go out.  We can then all send
>> far =
>> and wide.
>>
>> Thanks and all the best,
>> Lisa
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
>> --
>>
>>
>> The Internet Rights and Principles Dynamic Coalition urges the Egyptian
>> gov=
>> ernment to end its violation of the Egyptian people's rights to freedom
>> of =
>> expression and peaceful assembly by lifting restrictions on access to
>> the I=
>> nternet and other Information and Communication Technologies.
>>
>>
>>
>> The Egyptian government has cut off all Internet access in the country.
>> Mo=
>> bile phone networks have also been severely disrupted.  Restrictions
>> have a=
>> lso been placed on Egyptian and international media, including the
>> blocking=
>>  of Al Jazeera's broadcast signal and seizure of its equipment.
>>
>>
>>
>> These actions are direct and serious violations of the rights of the
>> Egypti=
>> an people to freedom of expression and assembly. The right to freedom of
>> ex=
>> pression is enshrined in international law in Article 19 of the
>> Internation=
>> al Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Egypt has
>> ratified=
>> .  The right includes freedom to seek, receive and impart information
>> throu=
>> gh any media, regardless of frontiers.   In modern society, the Internet
>> is=
>>  fundamental for the fulfilment of the right to freedom of expression.
>> It =
>> is also an essential tool for peaceful assembly, whether online or
>> offline,=
>>  as protected by Article 21 of the ICCPR.
>>
>>
>>
>> These restrictions on communications access are a disproportionate and
>> unne=
>> cessary response to legitimate political protest.  The UN Human Rights
>> Coun=
>> cil Resolution 12/16 states that it is never permissible for any
>> government=
>>  to restrict peaceful demonstrations and political activities, including
>> th=
>> ose for democracy.  It also states that placing restrictions on access
>> to, =
>> or use of, information and communication technologies is never
>> permissible.=
>>   This includes access to radio, television and the Internet.
>>
>>
>>
>> The explosion of information and communication technologies across the
>> worl=
>> d has brought with it unprecedented opportunities for the fulfilment of
>> hum=
>> an rights, social and economic development and democracy. These
>> opportuniti=
>> es must not be lost through misguided efforts to control online
>> communicati=
>> on.
>>
>>
>>
>> The Dynamic Coalition calls on the Egyptian government to restore the
>> right=
>>  to freedom of expression and assembly in Egypt through removing all
>> restri=
>> ctions on communication.  All professional and citizen journalists in
>> Egypt=
>>  must be free to report on unfolding events through any media platform,
>> to =
>> national and international audiences.  All people must have full access
>> to =
>> the Internet, to mobile phones and SMS, and to national and
>> international m=
>> edia.
>>
>>
>>
>> About the Internet Rights and Principles Dynamic Coalition
>>
>> The IRP DC is an international network of people who are working to
>> uphold =
>> human rights on and through the Internet.  The coalition is currently
>> under=
>> taking a major project to draft a Charter of Human Rights and Principles
>> fo=
>> r the Internet.  This applies international human rights standards to
>> the I=
>> nternet environment.  It outlines what human rights people have when
>> operat=
>> ing online, and what elements of Internet architecture need to be
>> protected=
>>  in order to realise human rights to the fullest extent possible.
> _______________________________________________
> IRP mailing list
> IRP at lists.internetrightsandprinciples.org
> http://lists.internetrightsandprinciples.org/listinfo.cgi/irp-internetrightsandprinciples.org
>