30 November 2005
CIVIL SOCIETY CALLS FOR U.N. PROBE ON FREE EXPRESSION ATTACKS AT INTERNET SUMMIT
More than 140 civil society organisations, including 13 IFEX members, have signed a joint letter urging U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to launch an investigation into attacks on freedom of expression and other human rights during the World Summit on the Information Society which ended more than a week ago in Tunisia.
The groups said that in the run-up to, and during, the Summit, attacks included the harassment of delegates, assaults on Tunisian and international journalists and human rights defenders, denial of entry to the country, the blocking of websites, the censorship of documents and speeches, and the prevention and disruption of meetings (see: http://campaigns.ifex.org/tmg).
They said civil society participation in the WSIS had been severely disrupted by Tunisian officials, raising questions about the adequacy of U.N. mechanisms in ensuring civil society participation at U.N.-led summits.
"We believe it is essential that lessons are learnt from what has taken place [in Tunisia] and we therefore call upon you to launch a full investigation into the attacks on human rights and freedom of expression that we have witnessed in Tunisia," the letter stated. Annan was urged to closely monitor the follow-up period in Tunisia.
Annan was also urged to initiate a thorough review of the process for deciding which countries host U.N. summits and their responsibilities as hosts.
Read the letter here: http://www.citizens-summit.org/Letter-SecGen-241105.shtml
Visit:
- Tunisia Monitoring Group: http:/campaigns.ifex.org/tmg
- TMG Report on Free Expression in Tunisia:
http://www.wan-press.org/IMG/doc/TMG_Sept_2005_-_final-en.doc
- Hungry for Net Freedom in Tunisia: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4456332.stm
- Tunisia and the WSIS Aftermath: http://tinyurl.com/dazgs
- OpenNet Initiative Study on Internet Censorship in Tunisia:
http://www.opennetinitiative.net/studies/tunisia/index.htm
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