IRHR - News
Getting ready for the internet's backstreets
While the internet is a powerful campaigning space, it’s got its obscure backstreets too. What are the specific threats and concerns to women human rights defenders in that space? This 5-minute survey tries to get a feel of your digital security readiness with a tour of 17 questions. Take the tour and learn about your privacy options.
Online Advocacy Summer University
Follow this intensive summer course designed to help both researchers and activists gain new insights into the role which civil society can play in advocating for free expression online and communication policy change.
Pakistan internet censorship - citizens must remain vigilent
When the Government of Pakistan announced that it would be filtering the internet, Bytes for All initiated a major campaign against what it called an unconstitutional decision. Supported by multiple national and international human rights organisations, news has been released that the plans to filter Pakistani internet have been cancelled.
Baluchistan: Bytes for All condemns communications siege
This year, Pakistan Day, held on 23 March 2012, was marred with oppression against the people of Baluchistan in the South of the country through province-wide communications blockages. All cellular phone networks were shut down throughout the day of celebration in the name of national security. Bytes for All strongly condemns the ban.
APC featured in Digital Rights Watch's inaugural "In focus" edition
From access-centred work to rights-based work, APC’s mission has been continually evolving in the past 21 years. In this premier edition of Digital Rights Watch’s “In Focus” series, Mark Boudreau interviews APC to find out more about the intersection of human rights, censorship and surveillance and APC’s ever-changing work.
APC submission to the special rapporteur on freedom of association and peaceful assembly
APC welcomes the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to peaceful assembly and association and makes recommendations for how these rights can be promoted and protected online.
Iran's new "clean" national internet will push many to exile, says Iranian activist
Surprising as it may be, the internet in Iran started out as comparatively open in the region. However, censorship and internet clampdowns noticeably increased when conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came to power in 2005. The internet had until then given activists, journalists and political dissidents a way to get around Iran’s restrictive media laws and communicate with the outside world.
The HRC expert panel on freedom of expression - How you can help
With the success of the recent expert panel on freedom of expression and the internet, now is the time to push for governments and international human rights organisations to commit to take concrete actions to promote and protect freedom of expression online.
The Human Rights Council panel on freedom of expression and the internet
On Wednesday February 29th 12:00-15:00 CET (11:00-14:00 UTC), the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) will convene an expert panel in Geneva to discuss the issue of freedom of expression on the internet. This will be the first time human rights on the internet has been specifically addressed by the HRC.
Locking up cyberspace could lead to undemocratic elections in Pakistan
The government of Pakistan currently has plans to filter the internet, which will affect freedom of expression, speech and opinion in the country. Bytes for All fears the internet will be further restricted as the 2013 general elections approach. Read the public statement by Bytes for All.
APC proposes human rights as the main theme of the 2012 IGF
Check out APC’s one-page brief on why human rights should be the main theme in 2012.
Indonesia bans website for the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
The website for the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission is the latest victim of censorship in Indonesia. It joins a number of other LGBT rights organisations which have been blocked by pornography filters.
AWID presents significant moments for women's rights in 2011
A list of the significant moments for women’s rights in 2011. AWID presents a visual overview of the year through a women’s rights lens. 
Make the Connection! First winner announced
The first winner of the Connect Your Rights: Make the Connection contest is Charlie Parra del Riego for his hilarious SOPA Guitar Solo. To learn how you can submit your own content, check out our call for submissions.
New gTLD Applicant Support Programme does not go far enough
APC welcomes the proposal, while noting that it does not go far enough in supporting developing country applicants. To be truly successful, the proposal must include provisions for greater capacity building, increased transparency and a more representative review panel which would include experts from developing countries.
Make the Connection
Where were you when you first “connected your rights”? The Connect your rights! campaign is calling for submissions of blogs, poems, digital stories, artwork and other visuals to help others make the connection. The top submissions will be featured on rights.apc.org
APC reviews the 2011 IGF
“There were very strong human rights themes across the main sessions, particularly around freedom of expression and freedom of association. However it is time for human rights to be the principal theme of the Seventh IGF,” says APC as the world’s oldest progressive network reflects on the progress of the UN conference on how the internet is run.
APC member Bytes for All condemns SMS keyword filtering in Pakistan
Bytes for All, APC’s member in Pakistan, has written an open letter to the Prime Minister and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority criticising the proposed plan to filter keywords in sms messages.
APC's submission to the Universal Periodic Review of Ecuador
APC’s submission for Ecuador to the Universal Period Review process, with support from CIESPAL and Radialistas Apasionadas y Apasionados, highlights the critical importance of the Internet for human rights, as well as social and economic development.
Panel identifies crucial link between online safety and social activism
A recent panel on “Social movements and data security” held at the University of Costa Rica highlights the crucial importance of information security to today’s activists.
