[IRP] FW: APC Statement of Support for An Expert Panel on Freedom of Expression and the Internet at the UN HRC

Thu Sep 15 16:32:39 EEST 2011

+1 for an endorsement by IRP

Bertrand

On Thu, Sep 15, 2011 at 12:35 PM, Dixie Hawtin
<Dixie at global-partners.co.uk>wrote:

> Dear IRPers ? let?s endorse this Statement  by APC supporting the Swedish
> government proposal for an expert panel on freedom of expression and the
> Internet at the UN!****
>
> Please say if you agree or not,****
>
> Thanks, Dixie****
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* henrik.almstrom at gmail.com [mailto:henrik.almstrom at gmail.com] *On
> Behalf Of *Henrik Almstr?m APC
> *Sent:* 14 September 2011 19:42
> *To:* afapredesa2 at yahoo.org; fouadbajwa at gmail.com;
> sheherwzade at arc-international.net; aipazcomun at gmail.com;
> rasha at aucegypt.edu; wlasky at gmail.com; motabac at imber.rc;
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> anne.pineau at csn.qc.cn; skujur at creaworld.org; annvetron.schmicler at gmail.com;
> laura.stefani8 at gmail.com; onvginebra at mmrree.gov.ec; sza at eda.admin.ch;
> vrho85 at gmx.de; katyn.fokin at forman.fi; fungaijames at gmail.com; Dixie Hawtin;
> Rebecca Zausmer; adv_igit at hrm.org; acsanyi at kum.hu; fbadii at unog.ch;
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> gbenja.seson at pinigeria.ng; marian.delemontex at gmail.com; helsack at gmail.com;
> libert.expresion at gmail.com; jsorensen at gmail.com; arthit at thanetizon.org;
> sheyna.arthur at unctad.org; shaffeam at plu.edu; framet at state.gov;
> faisalrehmanmalik at gmail.com; orldpeaceforum at hotmail.com;
> jana.brandt1 at gmail.com
> *Cc:* Joy Liddicoat; Anriette Esterhuysen; Valeria Betancourt; Karen
> Higgs; Grady Johnson; Johan Hallenborg;
> irina.schoulgin-nyoni at foreign.ministry.se
> *Subject:* APC Statement of Support for An Expert Panel on Freedom of
> Expression and the Internet at the UN HRC****
>
> ** **
>
> Dear all,****
>
> ** **
>
> Following the activities during the HRC 17 in June, including the APC
> parallel event on Frank La Rue's report and the cross-regional Statement
> by Sweden <http://www.regeringen.se/sb/d/14186/a/170565>, we are now
> excited to inform you about the most recent developments on the subject:**
> **
>
> ** **
>
> **** Swedish Government will during the current HRC session propose an
> expert panel to be convened at the next session (HRC19). APC is issuing the
> statement below to support this proposal and we hope you are interested in
> endorsing this statement to support this important process. ********
>
> ** **
>
> Please find the statement online at http://rights.apc.org, where you will
> also find APCs other work on Internet Rights.****
>
> ** **
>
> Kind regards****
>
> Henrik Almstrom and the internet Rights team at APC****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> *****************
>
> NO EMBARGO
>
>
> APC STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR AN EXPERT PANEL ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND
> THE INTERNET AT THE UN
>
> JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (APC) Wednesday September 14 -- At this
> extraordinary time for human rights, social media and the internet, we
> strongly endorse the proposal of the Swedish Government for an expert panel
> on the promotion and protection of freedom of expression on the internet  to
> be convened at the 19th Session of the Human Rights Council.
>
> We call on all UN Member States to support this initiative.
>
> Following the annual report of the Special Rapporteur on the Right to
> Freedom of Opinion and Expression at the 17th Session of the Human Rights
> Council, forty governments affirmed that the same human rights that apply
> offline, also apply online, to the internet and social media. Those
> governments stated that ?Only in a few exceptional and limited circumstances
> can restrictions on content be acceptable. Such restrictions must comply
> with international human rights law, notably Article 19 of the ICCPR.?
>
> APC agrees that international human rights standards are the foundation for
> all States to respect, protect and promote human rights. These standards
> must apply to new technologies, including social media and the internet
> which are used by billions of people around the globe. The interface of
> human rights and the internet is a new issue for the Human Rights Council,
> but one that is quickly emerging in multiple areas. The Council?s recently
> released General Comment No. 34 on Article 19 of the International Covenant
> on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) includes specific reference to the
> internet in the context of freedom of expression.
>
> To be effective, the proposed panel must be constituted through an open
> process and ensure the engagement of all, particularly vulnerable and
> marginalised groups, in accordance with the rights based approach and
> principles of multi-stakeholder participation, information-sharing,
> participation and transparency.
>
> There is a clear need for a process through which the Council can consider
> these issues across its mandate. The consideration of human rights online
> must be institutionalised if it is to be effective.  An expert panel will
> start the necessary dialogue in the HRC which we believe should eventually
> extend beyond freedom of expression to include all human rights, civil and
> political as well as cultural, social and economic rights.
> ============================
> The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) is an international
> network and non-profit organisation founded in 1990 that wants everyone to
> have access to a free and open internet to improve lives and create a more
> just world. www.apc.org
>
> If you wish to endorse this statement please send your name and
> organisation (if applicable) to grady at apc.org with ?Endorsement? in the
> subject line.
>
> END****
>
> ****************
>
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> --
> Henrik Almstr?m
> Association for Progressive Communications, APC
> Johannesburg, South Africa****
>
> www.apc.org****
>
> skype: henrikalmstrom
> henrik at apc.org
> mobile: +27 72 311 9613****
>
> ** **
>
>
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-- 
____________________
Bertrand de La Chapelle
Tel : +33 (0)6 11 88 33 32

"Le plus beau m?tier des hommes, c'est d'unir les hommes" Antoine de Saint
Exup?ry
("there is no greater mission for humans than uniting humans")
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