Friday, October 27, 2006

"Call to Bloggers" to stand up for freedom

"Call to Bloggers" to stand up for freedom ahead of world meeting in Athens on future of Internet
Urgent appeal for Iranian blogger held incommunicado
Διαβάστε το στα ελληνικά απο τον Αθήναιο
Amnesty International today issued a ‘Call to Bloggers’, asking them to get online and stand up for freedom of expression on the internet. The organisation says this is a critical time when fundamental rights – particularly freedom of expression and privacy – are under threat from governments that want to control what their citizens say, and what information they can access.

The call comes as the online world prepares to meet at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF, Athens 30/10 – 2/11) to discuss the future of the internet. Amnesty released a statement to the IGF today and is sending a delegation to ensure that human rights are not sidelined and remain at the heart of the forum’s discussions.

Amnesty’s International's statement also coincides with an urgent appeal on behalf of a blogger in Iran who was detained this month. Kianoosh Sanjari was arrested earlier this month while reporting on clashes between security forces and supporters of Shi'a cleric Ayatollah Boroujerdi. He is being held incommunicado and Amnesty International fears that he may be at risk of torture or ill-treatment. Sanjari had allegedly gone to the home of Ayatollah Boroujerdi in the capital, Tehran, to prepare a report on the clashes that were taking place there.

Steve Ballinger, part of Amnesty International’s delegation to the IGF, said:

“Freedom of expression online is a right, not a privilege – but it’s a right that needs defending. We’re asking bloggers worldwide to show their solidarity with web users in countries where they can face jail just for criticising the government.

“The Internet Governance Forum needs to know that the online community is bothered about free expression online and willing to stand up for it.”

Amnesty International is calling on governments and companies to ensure that human rights – particularly the rights to freedom of expression, association and the right to privacy – are respected and protected.

Steve Ballinger added:

“The internet is a powerful force for human rights, enabling the free flow of ideas and information around the world.

“But some governments have sought to curtail this freedom. People have been locked up just for expressing their views in an email or a website. Sites and blogs have been shut down and firewalls built to prevent access to information. Companies have restricted internet searches to stop people accessing information that repressive governments don’t want them to see.

“Countries and businesses have failed to respect, protect and promote the rights to freedom of expression, association and privacy, and the rights of human rights defenders.”

Yahoo! via its Chinese partner company, Alibaba.com, has provided the Chinese authorities with private and confidential information about its users that has been used to convict and imprison journalists. It has also agreed to censor and deny access to information. Microsoft shut down the blog of New York Times researcher Zhao Jing on the basis of a Chinese government request. The company has also admitted that it responds to directions from the Chinese government in restricting users of MSN Spaces from using certain terms. Google has launched a censored version of its international search engine in China.

Amnesty International is also highlighting the cases of prisoners of conscience, imprisoned for the expression of their peaceful views online.

Chinese journalist Shi Tao used his Yahoo! account to email a US-based website about an internal government directive instructing journalists how to handle media coverage of the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for "illegally providing state secrets to foreign entities." Yahoo! provided information to the government that was used in his prosecution.

Tunisian lawyer and human rights defender Mohammed Abbou is serving a three and a half year prison sentence largely for publishing articles critical of the Tunisian authorities on the internet.

Vietnamese political dissident Truong Quoc Huy was first arrested in October 2005 with two other young people after chatting on a democracy and human rights website. He was held incommunicado for nine months then released, but on 18 August 2006 he was rearrested in an internet cafe in Ho Chi Minh City, where he had logged on to a chatroom. His whereabouts remain unknown and no charges have been publicised.

Steve Ballinger said:

“We bring with us to the Internet Governance Forum the voices of thousands of people who share our concerns and who have supported Amnesty’s irrepressible.info campaign.

“We are calling on governments to release prisoners who are held just for expressing their peaceful views online, and to stop unwarranted censorship of internet sites and searches.”

The organisation welcomed the opportunity presented by the IGF to raise concerns with human rights and the internet.

Steve Ballinger added:

“We are looking forward to participating in the IGF, and being part of a process that will protect human rights on the internet. Amnesty’s job in Athens will be to ensure that human rights are not sidelined – they must be at the heart of all the forum’s discussions.”

Note to Editors
For more media information, including advanced copies of Amnesty International’s statement to the IGF, its appeal to bloggers and its Urgent Action appeal for Iranian blogger Kianoosh Sanjari, please contact:
Steve Ballinger, Amnesty International press office, +44 (0)20 7033 1548 or +44 (0)7891 565592

For a copy of AI's Urgent Action for Kianoosh Sanjari, please see: http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE131212006
From 27 October, Amnesty International’s statement to the IGF will be available at this link: http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engpol300542006

For more information on Amnesty’s campaign for internet freedom see: http://irrepressible.info


Public Document
****************************************
For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org

16 comments:

Ecumene said...

An unprecedented case (in West) of censorship against www.blogme.gr, a search engine for Greek blogs, has provoked hue and cry in Greek blogs. The case was made known by an e-mail sent by the search engine's administrator, Mr. Andonis Tsipropoulos, to all listed members yesterday evening. By this e-mail the administrator informed members that a Greek public figure -whose name has not been disclosed as yet by Blogme.Gr- prosecuted the search engine for what he/she regarded as slander in one of its listed blogs! The administrator was arrested without prior notice last night at his residence. He spent the night behind bars and was taken today to the Distric Attorney wearing handcuffs. His company - funded by an unemployment subsidies' program - has been forced to suspend its operation. Mr. Tsipropoulos has in overall sustained great damage on a professional and personal level alike.

by Serenity at

http://news.com.com/

Ecumene said...

Aπόσπασμα απο ραδιοφωνική εκπομπή
του Μαστορακη.Mp3


Radiogold
http://www.freestuff.gr/forums/viewtopic.php?t=25031&start=26

Ecumene said...

Αυτόφωρο και ελευθερία του λόγου

E-laywer

Ecumene said...

ATHENS INDYMEDIA

Ecumene said...

ΑΝΤΩΝΗΣ ΤΣΙΠΡΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ LIVE

Ecumene said...

Aιρετικές απόψεις

Lili

και Return

Ecumene said...

Revision of the Greek Constitution-Provisions on the Information Society


A major revision of the Greek Constitution has just been undertaken included in which is the proposed addition to the existing Constitution of a new Article 5A[21]. This Article provides for the right to information and the right of access to the sources of information. Significantly, the second paragraph of the proposed Article establishes the right of participation in the Information Society and the right of persons to access digitally transmitted information[22].

Greece is regarded as a pioneer in this field being the first country to include such a provision in its Constitution. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how the article, when the revision procedure is completed, will be interpreted by the Greek Courts and legislative system.


Censorship
Greece currently has not enacted specific legislation to deal with the issue of defamation on the Internet. Nevertheless, the Greek Penal Code[23] contains provisions concerning defamation. The Freedom House, an independent not-for-profit organisation in its most recent 2001 annual report, includes Greece in the countries regarded as free concerning media freedom[24]. The report shows that Greece is one of the countries in the world that does not carry out censorship of Internet material [25].



The APC European Internet Rights Project
Country Report — Greece

Ecumene said...

Reporters Without Borders

Months of harassment force Copt blogger to censor herself

Reporters Without Borders today condemned the months of harassment by the authorities in Qina (near Luxor, in central Egypt) that forced Hala Helmy Botros to close down her blog Aqbat Bela Hodood (Copts Without Borders) about the persecution of the Christian Coptic minority, and to stop writing on this subject for other websites.
Botros, 42, who wrote under the pseudonym of Hala El-Masry, is now the target of a judicial investigation and is banned from leaving the country.
“We are outraged by the practices used by the Egyptian authorities to intimidate and silence Botros,” Reporters Without Borders said. “With relations between Christians and Muslims off-limits in the traditional media, all she did was write posts on the Internet about the fate of the Coptic minority. It is unacceptable that freedom of expression and movement should be restricted in this fashion. We insist that the authorities guarantee Botros’ basis rights.”



Reporters Without Borders

ovi said...

Δεν σε προλαβαίνω!!! Πάντως και εδώ αντιμετωπίζουμε πολλά προβλήματα με μηνύσεις κατά bloggers. Χαρακτηριστικό παράδειγμα blogger που διώκεται από εστιάτορα με μήνυση που συμπεριλαμβάνει δίωξη για χάσιμο κερδών γιατί ο συγκεκριμένος blogger έγραψε ότι το εστιατόριο του είναι απαράδεκτο. Το ότι αθωώθηκε στο δικαστήριο είναι ένα θέμα, η ταλαιπωρία και τα έξοδα όμως μέχρι να φτάσεις στο δικαστήριο είναι μια τελείως διαφορετική ιστορία.
Στο Ovi ζήσαμε κάποιες τέτοιες κωμικές στιγμές πέρσι με απειλές κλπ αλλά για μας πάλι μεταβλήθηκε σε ολόκληρο θέμα έρευνας που θα δημοσιεύσουμε σύντομα για τη Φιλανδική δικαιοσύνη, άρα από ένα σημείο και ύστερα το ...παρατραβήξαμε!!!

στη Φιλανδία έχουν κλείσει σειρά από forums μετά από μηνύσεις άλλα μετά από περσινή ιστορία η αστυνομία είναι πιο προσεκτική. Έκανε επιδρομή σε σπίτι ιρακινού στην ανατολική Φιλανδία και κατάσχεσε κομπιούτερ κλπ με την κατηγορία ότι διακινούσε υβριστικό υλικό. Στην ουσία ...την έλεγε στους Αμερικάνους. Έτσι η αστυνομία βρέθηκε αντιμέτωπη με όλον τον τύπο. Στον ιρακινό δεν έγινε τίποτα αλλά όταν του επιστράφηκαν οι σκληροί δίσκοι ήταν κατεστραμμένοι ...είχε πέσει το κουτί κατά τη μεταφορά!!! Μετά από αυτό δεν είχαμε άλλο κρούσμα αλλά παράλληλα και η ιστορία τρόμαξε πολύ κόσμο που προτιμάει να μην έχει blog παρά να μπει σε παρόμοιες περιπέτειες.

Ecumene said...

Eλλάδα και πάλι Ελλάδα...

Με αυτα που μου χεις πει

για Φινλανδία..εχω τρομάξει...
:)

ΦΑΝΤΑΣΟΥ ΝΑ ΔΙΑΛΕΓΕ Ο ΤΣΙΠΡΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ
ΦΙΝΛΑΝΔΙΚΟ DOMAIN!
:):):):)
ΚΑΙ ΝΑ ΤΟΥ ΚΑΝΕ ΜΗΝΥΣΗ Ο ΚΩΣΤΑΝΤΗΣ...
:-)

Y.Γ.
Η υποψία είναι μην παμε κι εμείς
με όλα αυτά
για φινλανδοποίηση......
:[

Ecumene said...

Παντως η Φινλανδία στην

ελευθερία του τυπου ερχεται
πρώτη


1 Finland 0,50
- Iceland 0,50
- Ireland 0,50
- Netherlands 0,50
5 Czech Republic 0,75
6 Estonia 2,00
- Norway 2,00
8 Slovakia 2,50
- Switzerland 2,50
10 Hungary 3,00
- Latvia 3,00
- Portugal 3,00
- Slovenia 3,00
14 Belgium 4,00
- Sweden 4,00
16 Austria 4,50
- Bolivia 4,50
- Canada 4,50
19 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5,00
- Denmark 5,00
- New-Zealand 5,00
- Trinidad and Tobago 5,00
23 Benin 5,50
- Germany 5,50
- Jamaica 5,50
26 Namibia 6,00
27 Lithuania 6,50
- United Kingdom 6,50
29 Costa Rica 6,67
30 Cyprus 7,50
31 South Korea 7,75
32 Greece 8,00
- Mauritius 8,00
34 Ghana 8,50
35 Australia 9,00
- Bulgaria 9,00
- France 9,00
- Mali 9,00
39 Panama 9,50
40 Italy 9,90
41 El Salvador 10,00
- Spain 10,00
43 Taiwan 10,50
44 South Africa 11,25
45 Cape Verde 11,50
- Macedonia 11,50
- Mozambique 11,50
- Serbia and Montenegro 11,50
49 Chile 11,63
50 Israel 12,00
51 Japan 12,50
52 Dominican Republic 12,75
53 Botswana 13,00
- Croatia 13,00
- Tonga 13,00
- United States of America 13,00
57 Uruguay 13,75
58 Fiji 14,00
- Hong-Kong 14,00
- Poland 14,00
- Romania 14,00
62 Central African Republic 14,50
- Cyprus (North) 14,50
- Guinea-Bissau 14,50
- Honduras 14,50
66 Madagascar 15,00
- Togo 15,00
68 Ecuador 15,25
69 Nicaragua 15,50
70 Burkina Faso 16,00
- Kosovo 16,00
- Lesotho 16,00
73 Congo 17,00
- Kuwait 17,00
75 Brazil 17,17
76 Argentina 17,30
77 Mauritania 17,50
- Senegal 17,50
- United Arab Emirates 17,50
80 Albania 18,00
- Qatar 18,00
82 Paraguay 18,25
83 Timor-Leste 18,50
84 Liberia 19,00
85 Moldova 19,17
86 Mongolia 19,25
87 Haiti 19,50
88 Tanzania 19,82
89 Georgia 21,00
90 Guatemala 21,25
91 Angola 21,50
92 Malaysia 22,25
93 Comoros 22,50
- Zambia 22,50
95 Niger 24,50
- Seychelles 24,50
97 Morocco 24,83
98 Bhutan 25,00
- Côte d’Ivoire 25,00
- Turkey 25,00
101 Armenia 25,50
- Malawi 25,50
103 Indonesia 26,00
- Sierra Leone 26,00
105 India 26,50
- Ukraine 26,50
107 Lebanon 27,00
108 Cambodia 27,25
109 Guinea 27,50
- Jordan 27,50
111 Bahrein 28,00
112 Cameroon 28,25
- Peru 28,25
114 Gabon 28,50
115 Venezuela 29,00
116 Uganda 29,83
117 Tajikistan 30,00
118 Kenya 30,25
119 United States of America (extra-territorial) 31,50
120 Nigeria 32,23
121 Djibouti 33,00
122 Thailand 33,50
123 Kyrgyzstan 34,00
124 Chad 35,50
125 Burundi 39,83
126 Algeria 40,00
127 Swaziland 40,50
128 Kazakhstan 41,00
- Rwanda 41,00
130 Afghanistan 44,25
131 Colombia 44,75
132 Mexico 45,83
133 Egypt 46,25
134 Palestinian Authority 46,75
135 Azerbaijan 47,00
- Israel (extra-territorial) 47,00
137 Bangladesh 48,00
- Equatorial Guinea 48,00
139 Sudan 48,13
140 Zimbabwe 50,00
141 Sri Lanka 50,75
142 Democratic Republic of Congo 51,00
- Philippines 51,00
144 Maldives 51,25
- Somalia 51,25
146 Singapore 51,50
147 Russia 52,50
148 Tunisia 53,75
149 Gambia 54,00
- Yemen 54,00
151 Belarus 57,00
152 Libya 62,50
153 Syria 63,00
154 Iraq 66,83
155 Vietnam 67,25
156 Laos 67,50
157 Pakistan 70,33
158 Uzbekistan 71,00
159 Nepal 73,50
160 Ethiopia 75,00
161 Saudi Arabia 76,00
162 Iran 90,88
163 China 94,00
164 Burma 94,75
165 Cuba 95,00
166 Eritrea 97,50
167 Turkmenistan 98,50
168 North Korea 109,00



North Korea, Turkmenistan, Eritrea the worst violators of press freedom

France, the United States and Japan slip further Mauritania and Haiti gain much ground


Fallout from the row over the "Mohammed cartoons”

Denmark (19th) dropped from joint first place because of serious threats against the authors of the Mohammed cartoons published there in autumn 2005. For the first time in recent years in a country that is very observant of civil liberties, journalists had to have police protection due to threats against them because of their work.

Ecumene said...

Ένας blogger στο δικαστήριο(Pitsirik)

ovi said...

Για να απαντήσω σε δύο θέματα, οι νόμοι υπάρχουν σε όλες τις ευρωπαικές χώρες συμπεριλαμβανομένης και τηε ελλάδας, απλά εδώ εφαρμόζονται οπως και σε πολλές άλλες ευρωπαικές χώρες αρα μαθαίνεις γρήγορα υποχρεωσεις και δικαιώματα, αν παρατηρησεις στο Ovi σε διαφορα σημεία ακόμα και στα comments εχουμε αναφορές σε νομικά θεματα.

Ο Κωνσταντής είναι ένα καλό παράδειγμα και σαν καλός έλληνας είναι μηνυσιομανής, αν τον αφήναν θα χτυπαγε μία μήνυση ανα ώρα, αλλά πρώτον κανένας δεν είναι ένοχος μέχρι αποδείξεως της ενοχής του αρα ο Κωνσταντης θα πρέπει να τεκμηριώσει σωστά την κατηγορία αλλιώς κινδυνεύει να μηνυθεί απο την αστυνομία ή την εισαγγελία. αν ο μηνυμένος αποδειχτει αθώος ο Κωνσταντής πρέπει να πληρώσει ολα τα έξοδα συν να αποζημιώσει τον μηνυόμενο. το ποσό που μαζέυεται στο τέλος είναι ...τσουχτερό και ο ίδιος το έχει ήδη δοκιμάσει σε αντιπαράθεση με άλλο έλληνα!!!

Η αστυνομία εδω πρέπει να είναι μοντέλο για τους ελληνες συναδέλφους τους, γνήσιοι γιοι των τέως συμμάχων τους και συνεχιστές του εργου της Γκεσταπο!!! και βέβαια ακριβως όπως και η ελληνική αστυνομία ανεγγέφαλοι τεμπέληδες με μόνη φιλοδοξία και ονείροξη να γίνουν γουρούνια. Στο μέλλον θα αναφερθώ!!!

Anh Khoi Do said...

You're right, Ergo Te Lina. It's really sad that such a democratic country like Denmark went down in the freedom of press ranking of Reporter Without Borders. It's ethically deplorable to see that a government is subtlely taking some coercitive measures against journalists by telling them not to draw a cartoon about Mohamed just to look good. The notion of freedom of speech implies that no matter what people do, say or write, they are solely responsible of their opinion.

It's important to know that even though some opinions might polarize a society, our freedom of speech can only be guaranteed and maintained through a civilized dialog between someone who uphold a specific opinion and those who don't concur with this opinion. Thus, it's ethically reprehensible to intimidate people who defend a specific opinion, because each person has the right to think by himself/herself. In addition to that, let it be said that subjectivity is the core element of our own identity as an individual who perceives the world in our own way.

Moreover, I'm really opposed to the ideological colonialism that is done by people who believes that there's always an axiom that must be respected.

Stand up for freedom of speech,
Anh Khoi Do

bidibis said...

Είναι απαράδεκτα αυτά που συμβαίνουν.

Κάτι τέτοιες στιγμές σε κάνουν να σκέφτεσαι ότι για ορισμένα αδικήματα η ανθρωπότητα πρέπει να αναθεωρήσει τη στάση της απέναντι στη θανατική ποινή.

Legalize Death Penalty Now!

Εμπρός όλοι οι προοδευτικοί άνθρωποι του Ιντερνετ να ενώσουμε τις φωνές μας για την επίτευξη του ιερού αυτού σκοπού.

Unknown said...

Χε, χε! Αποκαλύπτεται πλέον η ...συνομωσία πίσω από την περιπέτεια του Τσιπρόπουλου! Τι μου θέλετε πουλάκια μου, Internet Governance Forum, ε; Για δείτε εδώ τι μπορούμε να κάνουμε σ' ένα δικό σας. Προσέξτε λοιπόν τι λέτε και τι γράφετε. Που μου Θέλετε και «ελευθερία του λόγου», κοροϊδάρες! Τι νομίζετε, χρειαζόμαστε ντε και καλά λογοκρισία (για να μας βάζετε και στις σχετικές λίστες). Τη λογοκρισία μπορούμε να την μασκαρέψουμε μέσα σε μια μήνυση, σε μια αγωγή και πάει λέγοντας. Άντε μετά να σας δούμε να τρέχετε! Άντε, καληνύχτα και καλή τύχη, ο Μεγάλος Αδελφός σας σάς φροντίζει.

Για να καθαρίσουμε την Ελλάδα / To clean-up Greece Site Meter