IRHR - News
Southern Africa reclaims freedom of expression online
On 20-21 September, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) held a regional dialogue and workshop on “Freedom of expression in cyberspace” in Johannesburg. The event explored how to empower human rights defenders in Southern Africa using the internet. Discussion brought to light issues of intermediary liability, surveillance, human rights, and internet governance.
NGOs at the Human Rights Council: Apply human rights law to state surveillance
Civil society organisations today called upon the members of the Human Rights Council (HRC) to assess whether national surveillance laws and activities are in line with their international human rights obligations.
Cyber Martial Law year one: Full stop, no mere pause
The Philippine Internet Freedom Alliance (PIFA), integrated by APC member Foundation for Media Alternatives, released a statement in commemoration of the 1st year of the passage of the repressive Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 in the Philippines into law. PIFA is developing a week-long online campaign to make sure that netizens will not forget that even though the law was temporarily halted, vigilance should remain to ensure that the law is completely junked.
APC at the 24th Human Rights Council
Against the backdrop of the recent Snowden revelations, APC and other civil society organisations are participating the 24th session of the HRC, which is taking place from 9-27 September 2013 in Geneva.
Human Rights Council: Launch of international principles on human rights and surveillance
The event, co-organised by APC, will take place on Friday in Geneva. Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Frank La Rue, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, will provide some introductory remarks.
Lavabit shuts up shop to avoid ‘big brother’ encroachments
Some email providers and other internet intermediaries have opted to shut down operations before “big brother’’ interferences gather more momentum.
Latin America debates internet governance: APC at the LAC IGF regional preparatory meeting
The Argentinian city of Córdoba hosted this year’s regional preparatory meeting for the Latin America and Caribbean Internet Governance Forum. APC was an organisers of the event with Lacnic, Ageia Densi, Internet Society, ICANN, NIC.br, CGI.br and Google, and also provided comprehensive news coverage.
Small grants for activism and advocacy
The Web We Want, a global campaign of which APC is part, has announced a round of small grants for 2013. The categories currently available are rapid response, surveillance action research, and capacity-building and outreach. The first deadline is September 9, and applications from non-profit groups in the Global South will be prioritised.
Bangladesh: Proposed legislative amendments violate human rights
VOICE, an APC member in Bangladesh, denounces new legislation that will increase punishment for destroying computer data with malicious intent, transferring data without proper authority, hacking, and releasing vulgar and defaming information, thereby seriously endangering citizens’ right to privacy and human rights at large.
PRESS RELEASE: Civil society coalition urges the US government to respect and promote the human rights of non-US persons
APC and other civil society organisations that are part of the Best Bits coalition have submitted a comment to the US Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, to denounce the different treatment that the United States gives to non-U.S. persons, who are excluded from existing protections against surveillance targeting.
Take action! Dangerous threats to freedom of expression and information in Macedonia
The government of Macedonia is proposing two media bills that, if approved, will severely impact Macedonians’ freedom of information and freedom of expression. Take action and ask the Minister of Information Society and Administration to reconsider the bills.
Internet Intermediary Liability in Nigeria: New legislation threatens internet freedom
Maureen Nwobodo, a Google policy fellow supporting APC’s work on intermediary liabilities from Nigeria, analyses how new legislation is using the private sector to police the flow of information online.
APC statement on Bradley Manning: Guilty verdict a new low for US human rights
APC stands in solidarity with Bradley Manning, a whistleblower who has been convicted in a military court on Espionage Act violations after leaking intelligence information on the Iraq War, where he worked in information systems as an intelligence analyst.
Obama, protect whistleblowers and journalists
APC has joined other 150 organisations in their appeal to US President Obama to drop charges against whistleblower Edward Snowden, update the Whistleblower Protection Act and pass a media shield law.
Ecuador’s communications law: With a view toward a more democratic regulation
APC wrote an analysis of the latest communication’s law in Ecuador for the newsletter Digital Rights, focusing on both problems and opportunities that its implementation will imply.
Surveillance in the US: Stop discrimination against non-US persons
APC and other civil society organisations are concerned about the different treatment that the United States gives to non-U.S. persons, who are excluded from existing protections against surveillance targeting. Join them and sign the petition.
Coalition launches alternative to secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership
The Fair Deal Coalition has launched “Your Digital Future”, a new initiative that will give internet users a platform to discuss what copyright should look like under the TPP.
Jordan, “Silicon Wadi,” censors 304 websites under new media law
Jordanians speak up and take action against the government’s attempts to regulate and licence online “news websites”. Internet freedom activists have stressed the law’s restriction on freedom of expression and have called the licencing scheme that the law proposes obsolete and undemocratic.
Facebook's secret censorship deal with the Pakistan government - an open letter
Responding to claims made by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), that Facebook is assisting the government to filter and block “undesirable” content, Bytes for All, Pakistan has written an open letter to the Global Network Initiative (GNI), of which Facebook is a member, seeking support to investigate these claims.
Human rights watchdog just doing its job
The New Zealand Human Rights Commission’s funding is under threat after the Commission commented on the human rights issues proposed in the new surveillance law.
