The Association for Progressive Communications, in coordination with local members and networks, successfully submitted UPR reports for India, Brazil, South Africa and Ecuador focused on internet-related human rights issues. We call on civil society groups and governments to lobby for internet-related rights issues to be on the agenda in their respective countries.

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 is pleased to announce the submission of country reports for India, Brazil, South Africa and Ecuador for the Universal Periodic Review process, which will convene at the UN in May 2012. These reports mark the first time that internet-related human rights issues have been raised as part of the UPR, and sets the stage for holding governments accountable.

The human rights records of forty-eight countries are under review this year as part of the Universal Periodic Review process. APC’s Joy Liddicoat and Henrik Almstrom explain the significance of the UPR and how APC is working for it to protect rights online.

The new edition of Global Information Society Watch 2011 focuses on internet rights and democracy. It features stories from almost 60 countries including on internet in prisons in Argentina and the role of social media during the Arab uprisings. GISW 2011 is out in December but you can read some chapters now online.

APC’s human rights expert Joy Liddicoat outlines the state of human rights online and the major challenges facing activists and human rights defenders. As levels of censorship and surveillance are increasing worldwide including in democratic countries threaten the lives of democracy activists, APC calls for the theme of the 2012 IGF to focus exclusively on human rights.