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HUMAN RIGHTS DAY (10 DECEMBER) 每 A GLOBAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST INTERNET CENSORSHIP AND THE LONG-TERM IMPRISONMENT OF CYBER-DISSIDENTS IN ASIARECOMMENDED ACTIONS Background to this Campaign Reference: PEN WiPC document ※Human Rights Day (10 December) 每 A global Campaign against Internet censorship and the long-term imprisonment of cyber-dissidents in Asia As described in the accompanying background paper, the growing use of the Internet as a means of circumventing censorship has led to a corresponding rise in the numbers of writers and journalists using this medium coming under attack. Also, in November 2005, the World Summit on Information Society will be held in Tunis, Tunisia. The aims of the summit are to adopt a declaration on the ethical principles and codes of conduct surrounding ※information society§ and to devise a Plan of Action so that all can benefit from the new opportunities linked to information society. For more click: www.itu.int/wsis These two factors have led the International PEN WiPC to focus on the theme of the repression of on-line writers and journalists. As the majority of Internet writers who are serving long prison terms are held in Asia 每 notably China, Vietnam and the Maldives - it was decided that the campaign on the theme of the Internet should start in this region, using 10 December International Human Rights Day as the focus. A draft timetable of events on the Internet repression theme has been drawn up. PEN members may choose to participate in all or some of the actions. Centres will be informed of the details of each stage of the campaign in advance. Relevant documents will be made available. The WiPC HQ is also working with the International Freedom of Expression Exchange Tunisia Monitoring Group with which it will work to monitor events linked to the WSIS and take action as appropriate. WiPCs will be kept informed of developments. Also please note that this is a draft plan that will run alongside other actions not related to the Internet as agreed at the WiPC meetings in Barcelona and Troms?. The WiPC reserves the right to change of agenda as necessary. Internet related actions 2004-05 December 2004 International Human Rights Day 每 Internet suppression in Asia January 2005 Written submission to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights 每 focus on internet repression in Iran March 2005 8 March Women＊s Day 每 focus on on-line women writers March/April 2005 UN Commission on Human Rights 每 joint International Publisher＊s Association/PEN Round Table on Free Expression in Tunisia May 2005 3 May International Press Freedom Day 每 focus on on-line journalists June 2005 International PEN Congress 每 Bled 每 resolution and other action November 2005 World Summit on Information Society, Tunis Key features of the campaign Throughout 2004-05, PEN members will be invited to take action on internet repression through: ? Lobbying governments that hold on-line writers in prison or otherwise suppress their right to freedom of expression FOCUS ON ASIA 每 DECEMBER 2004 PEN Centres are asked to take action on and around 10 December International Human Rights Day. Minimum action: ? Appeals to Chief Executive Officers of Internet Service Providers For the first time PEN members will be asked to write to the Chief Executive Officers of Internet Service providers to alert them to the extent of internet repression world wide. As described in the background paper accompanying this campaign, some Internet Service Providers (Yahoo! and Cisco, for example) have been accused of acceding to government pressure to restrict access to their services. See Appendix I below for a draft letter that gives guidance to letter writing and addresses. ? Government appeals 每 China, Maldives, Vietnam Reference: case studies accompanying this campaign Centres are asked to send one letter of appeal to each to the governments of China, Vietnam and the Maldives:
See Appendix II for Government Addresses ? DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIONS ? PUBLICITY ? ON-LINE APPEALS ? REPORTING BACK MATERIAL PROVIDED
Useful web-links: Reporters Sans Frontiers is staging a similar campaign 每 Internet Under Surveillance. Click www.rsf.org For an overview of free expression issues 每 International Freedom of Expression Exchange www.ifex.org For general human rights issues: Amnesty International www.amnesty.org and Human Rights Watch www.hrw.org For more information on China: www.HRIChina.org (Human Rights in China), www.penchinese.net (Independent Chinese PEN Centre); For more information on Vietnam: Amnesty International reports on Vietnam http://web.amnesty.org/library/eng-vnm/index. See also Reporters Sans Frontiers (www.rsf.org) and Committee to Protect Journalists (www.cpj.org) APPENDIX I: Writing to the Chief Executive Officers of Internet Service Providers The following are the contact details of the Chief Executive Officers of three of the international ISPs. Note that, despite this being a campaign on the use of electronic media, we recommend that your appeals to these ISPs be sent by mail, not electronic mail. The offices of each of these individuals receive 100s of emails daily and appeals are likely to be deleted. A traditional print letter may have more success in reaching the recipient. Suggested text: Dear xx, I am writing as a concerned (writer/journalist/member of the xx PEN Centre) about the wide-scale repression of the right to freedom of expression of my colleagues world wide who have attempted to use the internet as a means of practising their profession. Recent figures suggest that over 70 writers and journalists are in prison for having used the internet as a means of expressing their dissenting views. This number is rising. Of particular concern to is the large number of writers detained in Asia. Among them are: >> here refer to one or more of the cases highlighted in the campaign The world association of writers, International PEN sees the detention of writers solely for the peaceful expression of their views as a direct attack on the internationally recognised right to freedom of expression. I/PEN Centre join PEN in its call for an end to the detention of writers, whether they have used traditional print media or the internet, wherever they may be. As (title) or (organisation), you will have a particular interest in ensuring free access to your service. I/we therefore call on you to use your influence on governments who arrest and imprison those who use the internet. I am/we are also concerned by reports that some Internet Service Providers have acceded to pressure from some governments to allow access to their services to be curtailed. In some cases this is linked to attempts to overcome the use of the internet by criminal and terrorist elements. However, there is alarm within the freedom of expression community that some of these restrictions are used to silence those who express legitimate dissenting views. By yielding to such pressure, ISPS have been accused of complicity in government attempts to silence dissent. I/we therefore urge that [your company] ensures that any limitation it places on access to its services does not have a negative impact on the legitimate practice of the right to freedom of expression and information, as guaranteed by international human rights standards, notably Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Yours sincerely, Addresses of International ISPs MICROSOFT For local Microsoft offices addresses try: GOOGLE For regional headquarters addresses click: http://www.google.com/corporate/address.html YAHOO! For local Yahoo offices try: www.yahoo.com APPENDIX II 每 GOVERNMENT ADDRESSES Socialist Republic of Vietnam Republic of Maldives Please note that there are no fax numbers available for the Chinese or Vietnamese authorities, so you are encouraged to ask the diplomatic representative for Vietnam in your country to forward your appeals. Please note that letters sent by fax or post are more likely to be officially recognised by governments, therefore email addresses have not been included. Last updated: December 6, 2004 |
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