Tuesday 21 July 2009

Africa: Conference - Enhancing Democracy and Good Governance through Effective Information and Knowledge Services XIXth Standing Conference

-----Original Message-----
From: cbatambuze@nabotu.or.ug [mailto:cbatambuze@nabotu.or.ug]
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 9:36 PM
To: IFLA-L
Subject: [IFLA-L] SCECSAL XIX-Call for papers

Enhancing Democracy and Good Governance through Effective Information and
Knowledge Services XIXth Standing Conference of Eastern, Central, & Southern
Africa Library and Information Associations (SCECSAL) 2010 Conference will
take place in Gaborone, Botswana starting from 7th September to 10th
September 2010.

Call for Papers
This is the first call for papers for the SCECSAL XIX Conference in
September 2010. Papers should address the Conference theme: "Enhancing
Democracy and Good Governance through Effective Information and Knowledge
Services"
Through the contribution of libraries and information services free
effective information and knowledge services do prevail in Africa. Free flow
of Information can play an important role in contributing to democracy, good
governance, social equality and economic growth within nations. In order to
promote transparency and accountability on a national scale, every
government needs to establish mechanisms to provide for setting out the
practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure access to
information. Democracy requires an informed citizenry and transparency of
information which are vital to national functioning and also to contain
corruption and to hold Governments and their instrumentalities accountable
to the governed. Information and knowledge creates a receptive, opened and
questioning nation that forms the basis for strong democracy. In today's
technological environment much can be done by libraries, media and other
information outlets to promote the principles of free and democratic
societies. It has been observed that, democracy depends both on freedom and
accessibility of information and on an informed public. African governments
must ensure that nationals have easy access to information more than ever
before so as to promote the principle of good governance, democracy, social
equality, and economic growth.
The conference organisers are calling for abstracts on a range of themes,
but not limited to:
Sub-Themes:

. Libraries, democratization process and promotion
of sustainable good governance in Africa

. Freedom of access to information, censorship to
information, Internet monitoring, and good governance

. Information privacy and confidentiality

. Libraries, human rights and democracy

. Advocacy and smart partnerships between libraries
and government in national development

. Information for poverty alleviation and social
justice

. Libraries, social equality and economic growth

. Social inclusion/exclusion, democracy and good
governance

. Digital divide and achievement of democracy

. E-governance/e-government and libraries in Africa

. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)
and good governance

. Universal access to information and disadvantaged
groups

. Information literacy and democracy

. Local content, knowledge management/services, and
good governance

. Intellectual property rights and democracy

. Information services and community/national
development

. Learning organizations, democracy and good
governance

Important Deadlines (Dates)
Submission of Abstracts
Abstract proposals are due on Thursday 30 July 2009, and should be sent to:

Dr Priti Jain (jainp@mopipi.ub.bw)

or to:

Reason Baathuli Nfila (nfilar@mopipi.ub.bw) Authors will be notified about
acceptance of their abstracts by Wednesday 30th September 2009.
Accepted full papers are due on Monday 28th February 2010.

Completed papers, including abstracts, must be sent to the above addresses.
Papers should be sent as e-mail attachment (electronic). Papers and
abstracts must include the following:

. Names of speaker(s), institution, city and country

. Title of paper

. Abstract of not more than 150 words

. Full-text as electronic attachment

Papers to be presented must be written in English Registration and
exhibition details can be obtained from Dikgangb@mopipi.ub.bw, Tel. (267)
355 2459; Cell. (267)71827118, Faculty of Science, University of Botswana.

Sunday 19 July 2009

India: "Safeguarding the Right to Information: Report of the People's RTI Assessment 2008" in India

-----Original Message-----
From: freedominfo.org [mailto:FREEDOMINFO@HERMES.GWU.EDU] On Behalf Of
freedominfo.org
Sent: Saturday, July 18, 2009 6:51 AM
To: FREEDOMINFO@HERMES.GWU.EDU
Subject: "Safeguarding the Right to Information: Report of the People's RTI
Assessment 2008" in India

freedominfo.org - Update, July 17, 2009


* "Safeguarding the Right to Information: Report of the People's RTI
Assessment 2008" in India


http://www.freedominfo.org


"Safeguarding the Right to Information: Report of the People's RTI
Assessment 2008" in India

A Comprehensive Look at the Implementation and Use of India's RTI Act

New Delhi, India -- In the first two years of access-to-information
implementation in India, about 1.6 million requests for information were
maade in urban areas, while an additional 400,000 applications were made in
the rural villages. Taking such a large-scale access-to-information regime
head on, "Safeguarding the Right to Information: Report of the People's RTI
Assessment 2008" is the first broad-based, nation-wide study of RTI
implementation and usage in India.


http://www.freedominfo.org

_________________________________________________________________________

freedominfo.org is a one-stop portal that describes best practices,
consolidates lessons learned, explains campaign strategies and tactics, and
links the efforts of freedom of information advocates around the world. It
contains crucial information on freedom of information laws and how they
were drafted and implemented, including how various provisions have worked
in practice.

_________________________________________________________________________

PRIVACY NOTICE freedominfo.org does not and will never share the names or
e-mail addresses of its subscribers with any other organization. We would
welcome your input, and any information you care to share with us about your
special interests. But we do not sell or rent any information about
subscribers to any other party.

_________________________________________________________________________

France: Censure du rap

Quand le rap dérape
http://www.france5.fr/c-dans-l-air/index-fr.php?page=resume&id_rubrique=1205
mercredi 15 juillet 2009

La déprogrammation d'Orelsan aux Francofolies met artistes et politiques en
émoi et provoque le débat autour du clip d'une ancienne chanson du rappeur.
Danger pour la liberté d'expression ou légitime lutte contre l'apologie de
la violence envers les femmes ?

L'annulation, par les organisateurs, du concert d'Orelsan, qui aurait dû
avoir lieu mardi 14 juillet 2009 au cours des Francofolies La Rochelle, a
été condamnée par plusieurs artistes du festival, comme Olivia Ruiz, Tryo ou
Bénabar, ainsi que de Cali, qui n'était pas invité cette année, certains
criant à la "censure" ou à l'"atteinte à la liberté d'expression".

La controverse, qui se concentre principalement autour d'un clip et des
paroles d'une chanson datant de 2007 et intitulée Sale pute, a pris une
tournure politique. Suite aux déclarations de l'ancien directeur du
festival, Jean-Louis Foulquier, sur des menaces de retrait des subventions,
l'UMP a accusé la présidente socialiste de la région Poitou-Charentes,
Ségolène Royal, d'avoir fait pression sur les organisateurs de la
manifestation.

Des affirmations contestées par l'actuel directeur artistique des
Francofolies, Gérard Pont - qui assume l'entière responsabilité de cette
décision -, et de Ségolène Royal, qui reconnaît "avoir exprimé sa
satisfaction à l'annonce de la déprogrammation du rappeur".

Le nouveau ministre de la Culture, Frédéric Mitterrand, interrogé à ce sujet
sur RTL, a jugé "cette polémique ridicule" : Dans le même temps, la
secrétaire d'Etat à la Politique de la ville et ancienne présidente de
l'association Ni putes ni soumises, Fadela Amara, a proposé une table-ronde
aux rappeurs. Valérie Létard, secrétaire

Invites:

Véronique Mortaigne
Journaliste et critique musicale au Monde.

Violaine-Patricia Galbert
Psychothérapeute.

Alain Piot
Sociologue de formation.

FORUM C dans l'air»Culture et médias»Quand le rap dérape
http://forums.france5.fr/cdanslair/Cultureetmedias/derape-sujet_370_1.htm

----
Mark Perkins MLIS, MCLIP
www.markperkins.info

https://keyserver.pgp.com/

Iran: Protests & censorship links

The Twitter crisis: how site became voice of resistance in
Iran (Guardian)
http://www.qlinks.net/items/qlitem23073.htm

Iranian Consumers Boycott Nokia
http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=4zc,17tsq,2aec,y65,l9iz,3lsb,hvta

Director-General suupports the G8 call on Tehran for respect for human
rights
http://www.unesco-ci.org/newsletter/lt/t_go.php?i=2013&e=MzgyODQ=&l=
-htt
p--portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID--E-28903--A-URL_DO--E-DO_TOPIC--A-U

RL_S ECTION--E-201.html

Help Protesters in Iran: Run a Tor Bridge or a Tor Relay Internet
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/06/help-protesters-iran-run-tor-relays-bri
dges
users in Iran are using Tor to both (a) circumvent censorship systems and
(b) remain anonymous while reading and writing on the Internet. Both are
critically important to the safety of protesters, many of whom fear
retaliation from the government. Preliminary reports indicate that use of
the Tor client in Iran has increased in the days after the contested
election.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/06/help-protesters-iran-run-tor-relays-bri
dges

Twitter Users And The #IranElection
http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/VP6EHT/A4COP/ULVD47/7M830Z/YGEA6/VU/h

World's media seeks ways around Iran clampdown
http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/X109GB/HQKLF/065SIK/Z0HHNC/7ZL3R/LE/h

Google trial in Italy: freedom v. responsibility
http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/PSLW3N/85ACJ/4VKNSE/KRET0Y/MJ5GG/XL/h

Iran Protesters Using Tech To Skirt Curbs
http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=4zc,179gn,2aec,uvm,hy3i,3lsb,hvta

Are US Regulations Hurting Free Speech in Iran?
EFF has been watching with concern the blocking of Web 2.0 sites in
countries like Iran. This new threat doesn't come from foreign governments:
it appears to be coming from the ambiguity of the United States' own export
regulations.
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/06/sanctions-and-web

IRAN'S ELECTION AND THE POWER OF TWITTER
http://blogs.findlaw.com/technologist/2009/06/the-revolution-will-be-microbl
ogged-irans-election-and-the-power-of-twitter.html

----
Mark Perkins MLIS, MCLIP
www.markperkins.info

https://keyserver.pgp.com/

China: New 'Green Dam' Internet filter - links

China's internet censors (Economist)
http://www.qlinks.net/items/qlitem23058.htm

Chinese censorship of Internet 'unacceptable': EU (AFP)
http://www.qlinks.net/items/qlitem23103.htm

PC giants ship Chinese censorware anyway: The porn filter that keeps you
from typing
www.theregister.co.uk

U.S. Presses China on Censorship: Senior Officials Object to New
Filter-Software Requirement
http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/SFBD1U/1CCRT/7ZIUFS/572HFB/YGF2O/28/h

China Backs Down Over Controversial Censorship Software
http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=4zc,17al1,2aec,38mw,dvzh,3lsb,hvta

US Lodges China Censorship Complaint
http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=4zc,17de4,2aec,j4s5,edqz,3lsb,hvta

Internet Boycott Calls To Mark China Filter Debut
http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=4zc,17ebn,2aec,7zbd,ilhj,3lsb,hvta

China Says Web Filtering Software Launch Unchanged
http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=4zc,17fg0,2aec,mg7t,epnm,3lsb,hvta

U.S. Urges China To Revoke Internet Filter Requirement
http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=4zc,17ge0,2aec,341h,6unt,3lsb,hvta

Google Slammed As China, U.S. Quarrel Over Internet
http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=4zc,17h9v,2aec,ln45,f4wr,3lsb,hvta

PC Makers Race To Comply With China's Web Filter
http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=4zc,17h9v,2aec,2det,33iv,3lsb,hvta

Companies Appeal To China To Drop Web Filter Plan
Washington Post

PC makers voluntarily supply Web filter in China (By JOE McDONALD)
http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/5O5UA2/O38DZ/ULVD47/4Z4J96/Q3J1A/9A
washington post

China Web controversy highlights public role (By JOE McDONALD)
http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/LI37JS/1CW4Q/YG7QDW/KR3WG2/9MV4D/T3/h


----
Mark Perkins MLIS, MCLIP
www.markperkins.info

https://keyserver.pgp.com/

Saturday 18 July 2009

Sri Lanka: Deteriorating Press Freedom Continues Post-Conflict

 


From: ARTICLE 19 [mailto:press@article19.org]
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 3:52 AM
To: lists@markperkins.info
Subject: Sri Lanka: Deteriorating Press Freedom Continues Post-Conflict

ARTICLE 19

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release – 16 July 2009

Sri Lanka: Deteriorating Press Freedom Continues Post-Conflict

Today the International Press Freedom Mission to Sri Lanka, of which ARTICLE 19 is a member, issued an open letter to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa expressing extreme concern over the deterioration of press freedom despite the military victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

The International Press Freedom Mission to Sri Lanka has outlined an 11-point plan to the government of Sri Lanka to redress the perilous condition of press freedom.

In particular, the Mission has asked the government to:
  1. Combat impunity through the creation of a Special Prosecutor’s Office for the investigation of crimes against the media;
  2. Put in place effective measures to ensure that all journalists can work safely.
  3. Release imprisoned journalist J.S. Tissainayagam and his colleagues B. Jasiharan and V. Vallarmathy;
  4. Release the first results of the investigation into the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge;
  5. Provide full and unconditional access to the IDP camps for all media;
  6. Repeal the Press Council Act No. 5 of 1973;
  7. Introduce training for the police, army and the intelligence agencies on freedom of expression;
  8. Award financial compensation to journalists who have been arbitrarily detained, beaten or otherwise harassed by security forces;
  9. Invite the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom and Expression to visit Sri Lanka;
  10. Work with the state-owned media to ensure the immediate end to direct verbal attacks and threats against independent journalists and press freedom activists; and
  11. Introduce structural legal reforms to create an enabling environment for a free and independent media.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

• For more information please contact Toby Mendel, a19law@hfx.eastlink.ca, tel +1 902 431-3688.
• The full text of the letter can be found at: http://www.article19.org/pdfs/letters/open-letter-to-his-excellency-president-mahinda-rajapaksa.pdf

mini logo ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 19 is an independent human rights organisation that works globally to protect and promote the right to freedom of expression. It takes its name from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees free speech. For more information on ARTICLE 19 please visit www.article19.org

Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3GA, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7324 2500 - Fax: +44 20 7490 0566 - info@article19.org - www.article19.org


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Thursday 16 July 2009

USA: EPA Calls for Transparency as "First Step" to Improving Water Quality

EPA Calls for Transparency as "First Step" to Improving Water Quality
<http://www.ombwatch.org/node/10205/>
Posted on July 14, 2009

In a July 2 memo to top staff, the administrator of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), Lisa Jackson, called for greater transparency of
water quality enforcement and compliance information. Jackson acknowledged
that U.S. waters do not meet public health and environmental goals, and she
listed enhancing transparency as the first of several steps toward improving
compliance and water quality.

Stating that "Americans have a right to know how their government is doing
in enforcing laws to protect the nation's water," Jackson directed staff to
improve, expand, and enhance the amount of information on water quality
available to the public. She added, "[G]overnment has an obligation to
clearly inform the public about water quality and our actions to protect
it."

Jackson's memo lays out several actions to expand public access to
government data, improve the analysis and presentation of compliance data,
and use new technologies to link such regulatory data to real-time
environmental conditions.

The administrator called for enhanced information on compliance and
enforcement of water quality laws to be posted on the agency's website,
including Clean Water Act compliance data for each state. Jackson stated,
"An informed public is our best ally in pressing for better compliance."
Where possible, the website will show connections between local water
quality and the state's enforcement record.

Jackson set broad standards for the data to be available online. The
information must be easy to access, simple to understand, and provide the
user with ways to analyze the performance of individual businesses, as well
as states and the nation's performance overall. Online tools to analyze
state performance reports should also be made available.

Jackson ordered state performance reports that have been released under the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to be posted online. Government
transparency advocates have recommended posting all materials disclosed
under FOIA on agencies' websites. Providing public access to
already-disclosed information would reduce the burden of future FOIA
requests for the same information. It is unclear whether Jackson intends to
expand this approach into a policy that would place all FOIA-released
materials online.

Complementing the administrator's call for greater transparency is her plan
to "move EPA's information technology into the 21st century." Recognizing
how much more powerful information is when presented clearly to the public,
Jackson is demanding that EPA be an "analytical resource" that provides -
over the Web - easily understandable, useable, real-time data, including
facility-level compliance data, water quality data, and other environmental
data.

Jackson's memo also calls for raising the bar on performance of Clean Water
Act enforcement. She pushed for putting resources into the highest-priority
problems that will yield the largest impact on water quality, such as "wet
weather pollution," which would include storm water runoff.

The memo continues an emerging trend at EPA of greater transparency - at
least rhetorically. Shortly after her confirmation as head of EPA, Jackson
released a memo to all employees calling for greater transparency, followed
by a memo emphasizing a restoration of scientific integrity.

In a September 2008 report, the Government Accountability Office (GAO)
listed several problems inhibiting the accuracy and transparency of EPA's
reporting of enforcement for all environmental regulations. GAO recommended
several actions for EPA to improve transparency. Among them, GAO recommended
disclosure of additional enforcement data and the methods for calculating
them. It is not clear from the administrator's memo how these
recommendations would be incorporated into Clean Water Act enforcement
reporting.

A July 2005 GAO report identified gaps and discrepancies in data that
impeded EPA's ability to efficiently allocate resources to protect
environmental health. Jackson's memo does not address data gaps or data
quality.

The new memo from Jackson only addresses enforcement of and compliance with
one statute, the Clean Water Act. No such memo or other instructions have
been released regarding transparency in the enforcement of the numerous
other environmental statutes under EPA's jurisdiction.

Jackson's memo was addressed to Cynthia Giles, the new head of the EPA's
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA). Working with the
agency's Office of Water, OECA will develop an "action plan" to increase
transparency, improve compliance, and transform the information systems
dealing with water quality programs. The offices are to gather ideas from
states, the EPA regional offices, and outside stakeholders; develop
recommendations; and report to the administrator within 90 days.

Image in teaser by flickr user Wouter Kiel, used under a Creative Commons
license

----
Mark Perkins MLIS, MCLIP
www.markperkins.info

https://keyserver.pgp.com/

Wednesday 15 July 2009

Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka accused of Internet censorship

Sri Lanka accused of Internet censorship
<http://www.totaltele.com/view.aspx?ID=447239&mail=52&C=3>
From AFP
Tuesday 14 July 2009
Media rights group claims authorities blocked access to Websites that
criticised the government.

A media rights organization Tuesday accused Sri Lankan authorities of
blocking access to Web sites critical of the government and stifling
dissent.

The Paris-based Reporters without Borders, or RSF, said Sri Lanka most
recently blocked a site for reporting alleged incidents inside a camp for
civilians displaced by the war with Tamil Tiger rebels.

"The Lankanewsweb.com blocking is the latest evidence of a decline in
freedom of expression in Sri Lanka," RSF said in a statement.

It noted that the move followed the government's re-activation of the Press
Council, which has powers to jail reporters and media executives.

--snip--

----
Mark Perkins MLIS, MCLIP
www.markperkins.info

https://keyserver.pgp.com/

Russia: British academics protest after Russia closes down history website

British academics protest after Russia closes down history website
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/13/russia-shuts-history-website>
Move reflects official efforts to rewrite Stalin's role and to cover up
Nazi-Soviet pact
* Luke Harding in Moscow
* guardian.co.uk, Monday 13 July 2009 17.58 BST

A group of British academics including the historian Orlando Figes and the
poet and translator Robert Chandler have spoken out after authorities in
Russia closed down a website dealing with the country's controversial Soviet
past.

On 19 June the home affairs ministry in St Petersburg shut down the site
www.hrono.info. The website had been Russia's largest online history
resource, widely used by scholars in Russia and elsewhere as a unique source
of biographical and historical material.

Officials said they closed the site because it published extracts from
Hitler's autobiography, Mein Kampf. Today, however, its founder, Vyacheslav
Rumyantsev, said the closure had nothing to do with Hitler, adding that the
text was widely available elsewhere and was only summarised on the site.

Rumyantsev said the authorities may have pulled the plug after an article
was posted on 16 June criticising St Petersburg's pro-Kremlin governor,
Valentina Matviyenko. The article attacked Matviyenko's decision to cut an
allowance given to survivors of the Nazi siege of Leningrad.

The closure comes amid official attempts in Russia to rewrite some of the
darkest aspects of its 20th-century history. School textbooks now portray
Stalin not as a mass murderer but as a great, if flawed, national leader and
an "efficient manager" who defeated the Nazis and industrialised a backward
Soviet Union.

In December, police in St Petersburg raided the human rights organisation
Memorial, removing much of the material used by Figes in The Whisperers, his
acclaimed book on family life under Stalin. It included interviews with
gulag victims, photos and personal testimonies. Figes's Russian publisher
later scrapped plans to publish the book in Russian.

--snip--

Much of Soviet history is now taboo. Particularly sensitive for the Kremlin
is the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, under which Hitler and Stalin agreed to
carve up Europe, with Moscow annexing the Baltics and two-thirds of Poland.
The Kremlin also refuses to acknowledge Ukrainian claims that the
Stalin-engineered famine of 1932-33 amounted to a genocide.

--snip--

In May Russia's president, Dmitry Medvedev, announced he was setting up a
new body to counter the "falsification of history". The commission,
dominated by members of Russia's FSB intelligence service rather than
professional historians, would ensure that history teaching stressed
Russia's heroic sacrifice during the war, Medvedev said, and combat foreign
"revisionists".

This month Russia's defence ministry posted a lengthy article on its website
claiming that Poland provoked the second world war. The article said Poland
refused to yield to Germany's "modest" ultimatum demands in 1939 for a land
corridor to East Prussia and Gdansk. The ministry withdrew it after Poland
protested to Russia's ambassador in Warsaw.

--snip--

----
Mark Perkins MLIS, MCLIP
www.markperkins.info

https://keyserver.pgp.com/

2009 Global Corruption Barometer by Transparency International

2009 Global Corruption Barometer by Transparency International
<ti@transparency.org>
<http://www.transparency.org/publications/publications/gcb2009>
English, French, Spanish
Published by Transparency International

Transparency International's (TI) 2009 Global Corruption Barometer (the
Barometer) presents the main findings of a public opinion survey that
explores the general public's views of corruption, as well as experiences of
bribery around the world. It assesses the extent to which key institutions
and public services are perceived to be corrupt, measures citizens' views on
government efforts to fight corruption, and this year, for the first time,
includes questions about the level of state capture and people's willingness
to pay a premium for clean corporate behaviour.

ISBN: 978-3-935711-28-9

contact: msidwell@transparency.org

----
Mark Perkins MLIS, MCLIP
www.markperkins.info

https://keyserver.pgp.com/

Australia: Net filtering a $33m waste according to child right groups

Net filtering a $33m waste: child groups
<http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,25756003-15306,00.html>
Fran Foo | July 09, 2009

CHILD rights groups have come out in force to criticise the Rudd Labor
government's controversial plan to censor the internet, saying the scheme
will divert around $33 million away from more effective ways of tackling
online child pornography.

In a joint statement with lobby group GetUp, both Save the Children
Australia and the National Children's & Youth Law Centre believe the
resources could be better spent on law enforcement agencies battling to
eradicate child pornography on the internet.
--snip--

-----

Joint Statement on Internet Censorship
<http://www.cla.asn.au/0805/index.php/articles/2009/active-anti-censorship-c
ampaign-starts
>
We oppose the Government's plan to censor the internet through mandatory
ISP-level internet filtering technology.

While we wholly support measures that effectively prevent the distribution
of material refused classification under laws that properly respect free
speech, this proposed filter does not meet that aim.

The proposed filter fails to meet the test of an effective child protection
measure that respects the rights of children. Mandatory internet filtering
curtails our human rights without offering any effective protection for
children.

The proposed scheme will also block a range of material that it is perfectly
legal to view both online and offline. It will be shrouded in secrecy: there
will be no effective oversight of the secret blacklist of banned material.
The content to be blocked is currently sites that are 'refused
classification'; it could easily and covertly be expanded to include any
material that a Federal Government wishes to suppress.

Any limits on the rights and freedoms of Australians must be accompanied by
rigorous transparency and scrutiny; this proposed system does not allow for
either.

The filter will be easily circumvented by those with even a basic
understanding of information technology or the content providers. It will
also miss the vast majority of unwanted content, normally shared using email
or file-sharing networks - not through web traffic.

We argue that the tens of millions of dollars that such a scheme will cost
should instead be diverted to appropriate child protection authorities and
police to prevent the abuse of children, and towards effective
community-based education strategies that give children and parents the
skills to protect themselves.

Further, PC-level filtering software should be promoted to and provided to
parents that wish to protect their children from inappropriate internet
content.

No other Western democracy has mandatory ISP-level internet filtering.
Australians should not have to sacrifice their freedoms to make Australia a
world-leader in ineffective Internet censorship.

Australian Library and Information Association
Civil Liberties Australia
Dr Alex Byrne FALIA, University Librarian, UTS
GetUp!
Liberty Victoria
National Association for the Visual Arts
National Children's & Youth Law Centre
NSW Council for Civil Liberties
QLD Council for Civil Liberties
Save the Children
----
Mark Perkins MLIS, MCLIP
www.markperkins.info

https://keyserver.pgp.com/

Transparency in Reporting on Anti-Corruption - A Report of Corporate Practices

Transparency in Reporting on Anti-Corruption - A Report of Corporate
Practices
by Transparency International <ocg@transparency.org>
<http://www.transparency.org/publications/publications/2009_06_19_final_trac
_report>
English
Published by Transparency International

Transparency in Reporting on Anti-Corruption - A Report of Corporate
Practices (TRAC) assesses the extent to which close to 500 leading listed
companies have reported the strategies, policies and management systems they
have in place for combating bribery and corruption. Results are based on the
analysis of publicly available documentation. Company performance has been
aggregated by country and industry sector to provide an overview of
reporting performance.

ISBN:

contact: sfreeman@transparency.org

----
Mark Perkins MLIS, MCLIP
www.markperkins.info

https://keyserver.pgp.com/

Germany: Germany calls for ban of neo-Nazi sites abroad

Germany calls for ban of neo-Nazi sites abroad
<http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-technology/germany-calls-for-ban-of-ne
onazi-sites-abroad-20090710-devv.html
>
PATRICK McGROARTY
July 10, 2009

Germany's Justice Minister is calling for Internet service providers in the
U.S. and elsewhere to remove neo-Nazi images, text and other content that
can be viewed inside the country in violation of laws forbidding any Nazi
symbols.

It's doubtful, though, that Germany will have much luck persuading U.S.
companies to remove material that is legal in the United States.

Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries said her office would appeal to foreign
Internet providers to use their own terms of service as grounds for
eliminating content promoting the far-right ideal.

--snip--

Using ideology or symbols from the Nazis is forbidden in Germany, but
far-right groups that do not associate themselves with Nazis directly have
more leeway. Stefan Glaser, spokesman for a youth-protection group called
jugendschutz.net, said it catalogued 1,600 sites run by far-right extremists
last year, and that the number was growing.

--snip--

France, too, has laws restricting Nazi symbols and paraphernalia, and it
tried in 2000 to force Yahoo Inc. to prevent French Internet users from
seeing such items on its auction pages. Although Yahoo eventually banned
Nazi material, saying it did not want to profit from it, it continued to
challenge the application of French law to the U.S. company.

----
Mark Perkins MLIS, MCLIP
www.markperkins.info

https://keyserver.pgp.com/

Saudi Arabia: Bloggers test boundaries in Saudi Arabia

Bloggers test boundaries in Saudi Arabia
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/09/AR200907090
1645.html
>
By Asma Alsharif
Reuters
Thursday, July 9, 2009 9:58 AM

JEDDAH (Reuters) - Armed with a computer, an internet connection and his own
intellect Ahmed Al-Omran is one of a few Saudi bloggers trying to push for
change and make themselves heard in the conservative Gulf Arab monarchy.

Blogging provides a rare platform for speech in a country which has no
elected parliament, where clerics have strong influence on public opinion,
newspapers often parrot the official line and public demonstrations are
banned.

--snip--

PROBLEMS

Farhan himself has not resumed blogging since he was arrested in 2007 and
held for five months after campaigning on behalf of nine detained reformers.
He was released without charges.

Saudi researchers say there are up to 10,000 blogs in the kingdom. But many
are now inactive or have refrained from discussing politics since Alfarhan's
arrest.

Many blogs also steer clear of Islam, a sensitive issue, focusing more on
daily life and challenges for society.

"Alfarhan's incident showed that there are red lines that are not known,"
said Khaled al-Nasser, another blogger.

Abdulrahman al-Hazza, spokesman for the information ministry, said blogs
were generally not monitored.

But bloggers are worried about a law enacted earlier this year under which
anyone who "touches upon the general order, religious values, or general
conduct" can be prosecuted, according to the information ministry.

"Anyone can accuse me of that," said Omran. "My only fear is if the
government would use the law against people who want to express themselves
freely online. It could be used as a scare tactic."

The Committee to Protect Journalists listed Saudi Arabia in April as one of
the worst countries for bloggers, citing detentions, monitoring and blocking
of 400,000 websites.

--snip--

(Reporting by Asma Alsharif; Editing by Dominic Evans)
----
Mark Perkins MLIS, MCLIP
www.markperkins.info

https://keyserver.pgp.com/

Honduras: US Press Falsely Claims Honduran Plurality for Coup

US Press Falsely Claims Honduran Plurality for Coup
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/07/13-4
by Robert Naiman. Published on Monday, July 13, 2009 by CommonDreams.org

Did a CID-Gallup poll last week indicate that a plurality of Hondurans
support the military coup against democratically elected President Zelaya?
Yes, according to:

the Washington Post [July 9
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/09/AR200907090
2820.html
> ],

the Wall Street Journal [July 10
<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124718543706320515.html> ],

the Christian Science Monitor [July 11
<http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0711/p06s01-woam.html> ],

and Reuters [July 9
<http://www.reuters.com/article/newsMaps/idUSTRE5685W120090709> ],

which all reported that the poll showed 41% in favor of the coup, with only
28% opposed.

But in fact the poll showed that 46% - a plurality - were *opposed* to the
coup, according to:

the New York Times[July 10
<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/11/world/americas/11honduras.html> ],

the Associated Press [July 11
<http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jAkMGKIUDg_ngUiZboxQbYj5_
DPwD99C37KO0
> ]

- and the president of CID-Gallup, in an interview with Voice of America on
July 9
<http://www1.voanews.com/spanish/news/latin-america/Honduras-pais-dividido-g
olpe-estado-zelaya-50408857.html
> .

As of this writing - Sunday evening, 5:30 pm Eastern time - none of the
outlets which reported the poll incorrectly had corrected their earlier,
inaccurate, reports.

In reporting the poll incorrectly, the Post, the Journal, the Monitor, and
Reuters gave the impression that more Hondurans supported the coup than
opposed it, suggesting that this meant trouble for the international
coalition pressing for the restoration of President Zelaya - which includes
Costa Rican President Arias and Organization of American States
Secretary-General Insulza, as well as the Obama Administration.

Of course, even if a poll had showed a plurality in favor of the coup, that
would not legitimize the coup. But the opinion of the population, even if
difficult to discern in the repression following the coup, is without
question a key fact in understanding the situation. To misreport such a key
fact is to substantially misinform. To fail to correct such a mistake
compounds the error.

The incorrect report of the poll appears to have originated in the Honduran
La Prensa. But the U.S. press should have checked before simply repeating
what was in La Prensa, particularly on such an important fact, particularly
because the result was counterintuitive.

But perhaps the result was not counterintuitive for these press outlets, and
that may suggest a deeper problem - the U.S. press is out of touch with the
majority of the population in Honduras, and therefore credulous to results
which misreport Honduran public opinion as being much more similar than it
is to the opinions of Honduran elites.

To ask for corrections, you can contact:

the Washington Post here <mailto:corrections@washpost.com> ;

the Christian Science Monitor here
<http://www.csmonitor.com/cgi-bin/encryptmail.pl?ID=B2B0B0B3B0B6B0B4B0B8B4B4
B2B7
> ;

and the Wall Street Journal here <mailto:wsjcontact@dowjones.com> .


Robert Naiman is Senior Policy Analyst at Just Foreign Policy
<http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/> .

----
Mark Perkins MLIS, MCLIP
www.markperkins.info

https://keyserver.pgp.com/

Monday 13 July 2009

UK: United Kingdom to Decriminalise Defamation

 


From: ARTICLE 19 [mailto:press@article19.org]
Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 11:44 PM
To: lists@markperkins.info
Subject: United Kingdom to Decriminalise Defamation

ARTICLE 19

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release – 13 July 2009

United Kingdom: United Kingdom to Decriminalise Defamation
On Friday, 10 July 2009, the government of the United Kingdom formally committed to decriminalising defamation by doing away with the common law offences of sedition, seditious libel and defamatory libel.
The proposed amendment to the Coroners and Justice Bill was originally put forward in the House of Commons by Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament, Dr Evan Harris, after discussions with ARTICLE 19 (of which he is a board member). Lord Lester of Herne Hill also tabled a debate in the House of Lords last Thursday.

ARTICLE 19 has been campaigning for the decriminalisation of defamation, both in the UK and globally, for many years. Of the 168 countries surveyed by ARTICLE 19, 158 have criminal defamation laws and 113 countries have laws offering special protection to the most powerful and privileged figures in public life. These laws shield public figures from criticism, public scrutiny and investigation by virtue of the power they hold, thereby eating at the very heart of global efforts to promote good governance and combat corruption.

ARTICLE 19 warmly welcomes this initiative to abolish criminal defamation in the UK, which will make Britain the first Western European country to take this step. Even where criminal defamation laws have fallen into disuse, as was largely the case in the UK, the existence of these laws on the statute books provides more repressive governments around the world with the excuse they need not only to refuse to repeal of defamation laws but also to make active use of such laws to imprison journalists, writers and others.

The UK will now join other countries which have done away with criminal defamation, including Bosnia & Herzegovina, Estonia, Georgia and Ukraine in Europe, and Ghana, Sri Lanka, the United States, New Zealand and Mexico globally.

"This measure will send a very strong and clear signal globally that democracies do not have criminal defamation laws," says Dr Agnès Callamard, Executive Director, ARTICLE 19. "No longer will repressive countries be able to justify their criminal defamation laws on the basis that such laws exist in established democracies such as the UK.

"Defamation, both civil and criminal, is one of the greatest threats to freedom of expression in the world today. It is a global problem that requires global action," continues Callamard.

Dr Harris comments, "The acceptance by the Government that our retention of these repressive laws causes much more harm than good is welcome. The UK must set an example to the world in getting rid of anti-free speech offenses."

ARTICLE 19 urges other countries to follow suit and do away with criminal defamation.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

• For more information please contact: Toby Mendel, Senior Legal Counsel, a19law@hfx.eastlink.ca, +1 902 431-3688.
• ARTICLE 19 has conducted extensive research into criminal and civil defamation worldwide and has published our findings in a series of online maps, which are located at: http://www.article19.org/advocacy/defamationmap/map/.
www.article19.org/advocacy/defamationmap/map/


mini logo ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 19 is an independent human rights organisation that works globally to protect and promote the right to freedom of expression. It takes its name from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees free speech. For more information on ARTICLE 19 please visit www.article19.org

Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3GA, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7324 2500 - Fax: +44 20 7490 0566 - info@article19.org - www.article19.org


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Thursday 9 July 2009

Guerrilla Techniques for Online Activism

GUERRILLA TECHNIQUES FOR ONLINE ACTIVISM

IFEX often reports on journalists who have been violently attacked or killed
while on the job, or who have been slapped with defamation suits - two of
the greatest threats to free expression. So how do you, as a reporter,
escape unscathed and write without fear or favour?

The Southeast Asian Centre for e-Media, a partner of the Netherlands-based
foundation Free Voice, has come up with "Guerrilla Techniques for Online
Activism" for online journalists and bloggers to freely "pursue their
advocacy goals."

Using examples from Malaysia during its election year, the centre outlines
some "common guerrilla techniques," such as using multiple anonymous
identities, or teaming up with a ghost writer in another (safer) country who
will publish articles as if s/he is the one writing them. The guide also
offers tips on how you can protect yourself from government detection,
including by getting circumvention software from Sesawe.net.

Read more Guerrilla Techniques for Online Activism (English only):
http://www.freevoice.nl/weblog/view/425/
--------------------------------------------------------
The "IFEX Communiqué" is the weekly newsletter of the International Freedom
of Expression eXchange (IFEX), a global network of 88 organisations working
to defend and promote the right to free expression. IFEX is managed by
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression ( http://www.cjfe.org ).

The "IFEX Communiqué" is also available in French, Spanish, Russian (
http://www.ifex.cjes.ru/ ) and Arabic ( http://anhri.net/ifex/ ).

The views expressed in the "IFEX Communiqué" are the sole responsibility of
the sources to which they are attributed.

The "IFEX Communiqué" grants permission for its material to be reproduced or
republished provided it is credited as the source.

Contact IFEX Online Editor Natasha Grzincic at: communique (@) ifex.org

Mailing Address: 555 Richmond Street West, #1101, PO Box 407, Toronto,
Ontario M5V 3B1 Canada, Tel: +1 416 515 9622; Fax: +1 416 515 7879;
Website: http://www.ifex.org

----
Mark Perkins MLIS, MCLIP
www.markperkins.info

https://keyserver.pgp.com/

Thursday 2 July 2009

Azerbaijan: Civil Society and the Media Out of Immediate Danger?

 


From: ARTICLE 19 [mailto:press@article19.org]
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 9:20 PM
To: lists@markperkins.info
Subject: Azerbaijan: Civil Society and the Media Out of Immediate Danger?

ARTICLE 19

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release – 2 July 2009
Azerbaijan: Civil Society and the Media Out of Immediate Danger?
ARTICLE 19 welcomes a decision on 30 June by the parliament of Azerbaijan, the Milli Mejlis, not to adopt the most restrictive proposals in a package of legislative amendments governing civil society and media. However, questions remain as to why these restrictive amendments were proposed in the first place, why some were adopted, and why members of civil society who demonstrated against the amendments were harassed.
Demonstrators, protesting against the adoption of the amendments yesterday, ahead of the parliamentary session in Baku, were not allowed to march towards parliament. They had their placards forcefully taken away, reportedly by plain-clothes national security officers. A previous demonstration on 10 May 2009 also saw members of the public beaten by police and approximately 50 peaceful demonstrators were detained for a number of hours on that day. ARTICLE 19 believes that these incidents are clear infringements of the rights of citizens to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.

Civil society and independent media organisations have cautiously celebrated the outcome of yesterday’s extraordinary session of the Milli Mejlis, which could have led to the imposition of severe restrictions on their establishment and funding. But they remain concerned that some amendments, which have been adopted, retain restrictive provisions such as those concerning financial reporting and registration of foreign non-governmental organisations. It is unclear why these amendments were adopted and there are concerns about their implementation.

Azerbaijan has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which guarantees the fundamental rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of assembly. ARTICLE 19 urges the Azerbaijani government to respect and uphold these rights, cornerstone to human rights protection.

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

• For more information please contact: Nathalie Losekoot, Senior Programme Officer, Europe at Nathalie@article19.org or +44 207 324 2509

mini logo ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 19 is an independent human rights organisation that works globally to protect and promote the right to freedom of expression. It takes its name from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees free speech. For more information on ARTICLE 19 please visit www.article19.org

Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3GA, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7324 2500 - Fax: +44 20 7490 0566 - info@article19.org - www.article19.org


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FIJI: Veteran Fiji broadcaster gagged on non-fijian radio

 


From: pacific_media_watch-bounces@lists.apc.org.au [mailto:pacific_media_watch-bounces@lists.apc.org.au] On Behalf Of Pacific Media Watch nius
Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 7:53 PM
To: <Pacific Media Watch
Subject: [Pacific_media_watch] 6337 FIJI: Veteran Fiji broadcaster gagged onPacific radio

Title - 6337 FIJI: Veteran Fiji broadcaster gagged on Pacific radio
Date - 1 July 2009
Byline - None
Origin - Pacific Media Watch
Source - Café Pacific, 30/06/09
Copyright - CP
Status - Unabridged
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
* Pacific Media Watch Online - check the website for archive and links:
www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz
* Post a comment on this story at PMW Right of Reply:
www.pacificmediacentre.blogspot.com
pmc@aut.ac.nz

VETERAN FIJI BROADCASTER GAGGED ON PACIFIC RADIO
http://cafepacific.blogspot.com/2009/06/veteran-fiji-broadcaster-gagged-on.html

AUCKLAND (
CF Blogspot/Pacific Media Watch): A wide-ranging interview about Fiji has led to the suspension of veteran broadcaster Bulou Amalaini Ligalevu from her popular Pacific Radio Network programme. Bulou Amalaini, a highly regarded former Radio Fiji journalist who started her 531pi Fiji-language Voqa Kei Viti (Voice of Fiji) in 1980, fell out with her bosses over a 20-minute interview with Fiji's human rights advocacy group Citizens' Constitutional Forum (CCF) executive director Rev Akuila Yabaki.

The programme included insightful views about media censorship and current developments in Fiji.

But while the programme drew some 25 comments complimenting Bulou Amalaini over the interview, three people phoned the radio station complaining about a section discussing the recent Methodist Church controversy. Regime leader Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama banned this years annual conference of the 200,000-strong church.

The commander also demanded that the church sack two former presidents who were involved in previous coups, Rev Manasa Lasaro and Rev Tomasi Kanailagi, and are being blamed for incitement.

Acting chief executive Tom Etuata, of Niue, reportedly suspended Bulou Amalaini in response to the complaints - even before discussing the programme with her. Bulou has now been told the suspension has been lifted, but she has not actually been scheduled for her regular five-hour Saturday evening slot since her June 6 broadcast.

In this current post-Easter climate of media censorship in Fiji and the dearth of quality comment about the political situation, Bulou Amalaini's programme has been a gem. It has been marked by quality and in-depth research and credible commentators. But a lot of people dont like Rev Yabaki for his forthright and independent views - and for the same reason, some dont like me, she told Café Pacific.

Among views expressed in the Yabaki interview were:

On censorship:

>> It's difficult to get national news broadcast out of Fiji without it being censored by the regime. We have to find an alternative way of transmitting this information to the outside world, particularly when we are depending on the international community to help out.

On the abrogation of the 1997 Constitution:

>> Yes, it's true that our Constitution has been abrogated. However, basic human rights still exist globally - and this includes the right of freedom of speech. Every human being has the right to freedom of speech and although the Public Emergency Regulation is in force … we have to try and work a way around this censorship.

On the chilling of free speech:

>> People are not so forthcoming for fear of victimisation, whereby they could lose their jobs and all interviews are being screened as directed by the regime. This does not augur well for a solution. Instead we need to keep the dialogue open. And, as I have mentioned before, there were some discriminatory overtones in the last Parliament but that does not mean that freedom of expression should be curtailed altogether.

On arbitrary arrests and detentions:

>>> We are concerned at the arrest and detention of people by the police and military. Following the abrogation of the Constitution on April 10, the Public Emergency Regulation (PER) was promulgated for 30 days [and Bainimarama says it will now be in force until the end of the year] ... This PER [was] embedded in our Constitution and can be executed by Parliament as a security measure if there is civil unrest or disturbance in the country. It had never been used before until the coup was staged in December 2006 and more recently after 10 April 2009.

On the cancellation of the Methodist Church annual conference:

>>> The Methodist Church chose not to be a member of the National Council for Building a Better Fiji (NCBBF) ... The Methodist Church is very much in disarray. If you look at the history of the stand that the Methodist Church has taken in the past 20 years, you will note that it supported the first coup of 1987 and also George Speights coup in the year 2000. But it opposed the coup of 2006 because it believes that Fiji should be governed by Fijians, who are their members, as if it were their divine right. This was the case when Dr Timoci Bavadra and Mahendra Chaudhry's Labour Party won the general elections of 1987 and 1999.

Café Pacific publisher David Robie concluded: How ironical that those objecting to the Bainimarama regime's censorship in Fiji should seek to gag a prominent Fiji broadcaster in New Zealand for trying to open up debate.

* Full text of the radio interview on the Pacific Media Watch database:
http://kauri.aut.ac.nz:8080/dspace/handle/123456789/2422

* Comment on this item
www.pacificmediacentre.blogspot.com
+++niuswire

PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE
www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz

PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is a media and educational resource compiled by the
AUT Pacific Media Centre for the Pacific region.

(c)1996-2009 Creative Commons
http://creativecommons.org

Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit
educational service. Copyright remains the property of the original 
producers as indicated in the header. Recipients should seek permission
from the copyright owner for any publishing. Copyright owners not 
wishing their materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The
views expressed in material listed by PMW are not necessarily the views
of PMW or the Pacific Media Centre.

For further information on joining the Pacific Media Watch listserve,
Or unsubscribing, go to:
http://lists.apc.org.au/listinfo.cgi/pacific_media_watch?apc.org.au

Email:
pmc@aut.ac.nz
Fax: (+649) 921 9987
SnailMail: Pacific Media Centre, School of Communication Studies, AUT
University, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142, Aotearoa/New Zealand

Website:
www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz
_______________________________________________
Pacific_media_watch mailing list
Pacific_media_watch@lists.apc.org.au





Wednesday 1 July 2009

Honduras: Freedom of Expression Under Threat Following Weekend Coup

 


From: ARTICLE 19 [mailto:press@article19.org]
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 12:44 AM
To: lists@markperkins.info
Subject: Honduras: Freedom of Expression Under Threat Following Weekend Coup

ARTICLE 19

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release – 1 July 2009

Honduras: Freedom of Expression Under Threat Following Weekend Coup

The ousting of the democratically elected Honduran President, Manuel Zelaya, in a military coup on Saturday 28 June is a blow for democracy and a direct threat against the rights of citizens to express their political will through democratic means. ARTICLE 19 joins the international community in condemning the coup, which also negatively impacts the media and other avenues for free expression. In particular, A19 expresses its concerns about the arrests and intimidation of journalists by military forces and the temporary suspension of radio and television broadcasts in the country.

There has been a severe clampdown on the media since the weekend. On 29 June, Adriana Sívori, María José Díaz and Larry Sánchez from the Venezuelan TV station Telesur were arrested during a live broadcast from Honduras.

Speaking to ARTICLE 19 after their release, Sivori commented, "They arrested us without any provocation and provided no explanation; it felt like we were back in the dictatorships of the eighties."

Under the state of emergency, the National Telecommunications Commission has banned cable television transmissions and blocked transmissions of regional and international broadcasters, including CNN, Español, Telesur and Cubavisión Internacional.

Journalists, students and union leaders are also reportedly being harassed and at least seven media workers are now missing. These include: Mónica Ceoane of Telesur; cartoonist Allan McDonald; Esdras Amado Lopez of television station Canal 36; Patricia Arias of television station Canal 8; and Martinez and Aníbal Barrow of television station Hondured. Gustavo López, a journalist from the C-Libre Centre for Information, has also been threatened.

ARTICLE 19 calls on the interim Honduran government to fully protect the right to freedom of expression and to ensure the free flow of information. This includes respect for the Honduran people's political expression and for the rule of law, and for the media to report freely on unfolding events.

"The current situation in Honduras constitutes a grave threat to human rights, including the right to freedom of expression," states ARTICLE 19 Executive Director, Dr Agnès Callamard. "This is a serious setback for democracy in Latin America."

ARTICLE 19 calls on those in power to guarantee the safety of media workers and journalists, to respect the right to freedom of expression, and to protect the free flow of information both into and out of Honduras.

ARTICLE 19 reminds the interim government of Honduras that the Preamble of the Inter-American Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expressions states:

Freedom of the press is essential for the full and effective exercise of freedom of expression and an indispensable instrument for the functioning of representative democracy, through which individuals exercise their right to receive, impart and seek information.

"It is of the utmost importance that the current situation be addressed through peaceful means, respectful of, and based on, freedom of expression and the free flow of information," says Callamard. "History has shown us the importance of free and independent reporting to expose abuses and chronicle events, and it is a vital tool in strengthening democracy and the rule of law."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

• For more information please contact: Ricardo González, Official of Program for Freedom Expression at ricardo@article19.org or +52 55 1054 6500.

mini logo ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 19 is an independent human rights organisation that works globally to protect and promote the right to freedom of expression. It takes its name from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees free speech. For more information on ARTICLE 19 please visit www.article19.org

Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3GA, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7324 2500 - Fax: +44 20 7490 0566 - info@article19.org - www.article19.org

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FIJI: Censors gag speakers at youthfestival

 


From: pacific_media_watch-bounces@lists.apc.org.au [mailto:pacific_media_watch-bounces@lists.apc.org.au] On Behalf Of Pacific Media Watch nius
Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 5:18 PM
To: <Pacific Media Watch
Subject: [Pacific_media_watch] 6334 FIJI: Censors gag speakers at youthfestival

Title - 6334 FIJI: Censors gag speakers at youth festival
Date - 30 June 2009
Byline - None
Origin - Pacific Media Watch
Source - Herald Sun (Aust), 30/06/09
Copyright - HS
Status - Unabridged
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
* Pacific Media Watch Online - check the website for archive and links:
www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz
* Post a comment on this story at PMW Right of Reply:
www.pacificmediacentre.blogspot.com
pmc@aut.ac.nz

FIJI CENSORS SPEAKERS AT YOUTH FESTIVAL
www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25712506-5012752,00.html

SUVA (
HS Online/Pacific Media Watch): The fight to return free speech to Fiji has suffered another setback after the government banned several critics from addressing an international youth congress in the troubled nation.

The military regime has blocked speakers at the Pacific Youth Festival  
 
--snip--
 
Organiser of the youth festival, Jacque Koroi, said Fiji's Ministry of Information vetted all speeches and selected "several people who will be unable to make their presentations".

Koroi would not say who they were but it is understood most are involved in organisations that support a return to democratic rule in Fiji.

Also banned is Fiji Times associate editor Sophie Foster, who last month openly criticised the government's heavy public and media censorship.
She publicly attacked the regime's "systematic attempt to erase any trace of disaffection" by installing censors in newsrooms.

The festival, backed by UNESCO, is not the first to be scrutinised by the government.

Several speakers were also banned from addressing a recent Society of Accountants meeting and another annual religious conference was cancelled altogether.

 --snip--
 
* Comment on this item www.pacificmediacentre.blogspot.com
+++niuswire

PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE
www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz

PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is a media and educational resource compiled by the
AUT Pacific Media Centre for the Pacific region.

(c)1996-2009 Creative Commons
http://creativecommons.org

Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit
educational service. Copyright remains the property of the original 
producers as indicated in the header. Recipients should seek permission
from the copyright owner for any publishing. Copyright owners not 
wishing their materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The
views expressed in material listed by PMW are not necessarily the views
of PMW or the Pacific Media Centre.

For further information on joining the Pacific Media Watch listserve,
Or unsubscribing, go to:
http://lists.apc.org.au/listinfo.cgi/pacific_media_watch?apc.org.au

Email:
pmc@aut.ac.nz
Fax: (+649) 921 9987
SnailMail: Pacific Media Centre, School of Communication Studies, AUT
University, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142, Aotearoa/New Zealand

Website:
www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz
_______________________________________________
Pacific_media_watch mailing list
Pacific_media_watch@lists.apc.org.au