Fall ICANN meeting - Censorship issues..

Fri May 16 18:42:05 CEST 2008

I totally agree with Robert and I consider this one as a pivotal issue myself. The whole idea of ICANN conducting meeting around the world is also to address, directly or indirectly, matters such this one. I am aware of the sensitivity of the issue however I think that this is something that needs to be discussed at the NCUC meeting in Paris and find ways to tackle it.

Konstantinos

Dr. Konstantinos Komaitis,
Lecturer IT & T Law,
University of Strathclyde,
The Law School, The Stenhouse Building,
170 Cathedral Street,
Glasgow, G4 0RQ
UK

email: k.komaitis at strath.ac.uk
tel: +44 (0)141 548 4306

-----Original Message-----
From: Non-Commercial User Constituency on behalf of Robert Guerra
Sent: Fri 5/16/2008 16:37
To: NCUC-DISCUSS at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Fall ICANN meeting - Censorship issues..

Dear NCUC colleagues:

I am forwarding a message (see below) I posted earlier this week to  
the At-large (ALAC) list regarding the fall ICANN meeting in Egypt.  
Specifically, questions to ICANN staff regarding what - if any efforts  
will be undertaken to ensure 1. that the meeting will be open to those  
who wish to attend and 2. that the internet at the meeting will be  
open and uncensored.

As some of you might know - countries in the MENA region.. including  
Egypt ... actively censor the internet and arrest those who have even  
the minor disagreement with govt authorities. An open internet, one  
that makes it possible for people to communicate and share ideas in an  
uncensored fashion - is  a  KEY concern to "internet users" in the  
region.

With a well known and active blogging community, i believe that it  
will would in the interest of both at-large and NCUC to make sure that  
the key issue of "freedom of the internet" be highlighted at the fall  
egypt meeting.  To not do so, in my opinion - is to not take seriously  
what it means to engage, consult and promote "regional user input".

Though in theory at-large is supposed to represent "users", I don't  
think they will care enough to raise the issue. Perhaps i'm mistaken,  
but i highly doubt it.. I would - thus, like to add this issue to the  
items to discuss at the NCUC meeting in paris.

Should there be an interest for NCUC to organize one or more  
activities on "internet freedom" before or during the iCANN fall  
meeting - then please, count me in.

regards

Robert

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Robert Guerra <lists at privaterra.info>
> Date: May 13, 2008 8:51:39 AM GMT-04:00
> To: Khaled KOUBAA <khaled.koubaa at gmail.com>
> Cc: At-Large Worldwide <alac at atlarge-lists.icann.org>, NA Discuss <na-discuss at atlarge-lists.icann.org 
> >, icann-list at sorehands.com, aheineman at ntia.doc.gov,  
> mike at palage.com, Paul Twomey <twomey at icann.org>, carlton.samuels at uwimona.edu.jm 
> , Jeff Neuman <Jeff.Neuman at neustar.us>, Beau Brendler <Brenbe at consumer.org 
> >, CWallace at cygnacom.com
> Subject: Re: [At-Large] Middle East & North Africa Outreach
>
> Khaled:
>
> First, thanks for your comments.
>
> My original email was to assess, if ICANN/At-Large staff had  
> undertaken any efforts or is planning any such efforts to involve  
> and engage internet users from the middle east and/or north african  
> region for the upcoming fall public meeting in Egypt. I am well  
> aware of the geopolitical issues of the region - indeed they are  
> complex. However, it is a region with a growing and vibrant online  
> community of bloggers and internet governance specialists.
>
> Through my involvement and engagement with Diplo Foundation, Global  
> Voices, and many other organizations that I advise - I have a great  
> deal of contact with people in the region who are  active  on the  
> internet . They are experts in internet governance, journalists,  
> bloggers and yes, even user groups. In essence, they are active  
> internet users that happy to know the fall ICANN meeting will be in  
> their part of the world and seem to be keen to learn more, be active  
> in the meeting and share their perspective on key issues that affect  
> the region such as IDN, Multi-lingual internet, DNS security, etc.
>
> As you may know, one of the big issues discussed  among bloggers and  
> other users from the region is - of course - internet censorship and  
> other restrictions imposed by governments such as Tunisia, Egypt,  
> Syria and others. Reports from the Open Net Initiative, Global  
> Voices Online and others speak in dire terms about how internet  
> users are censored, blocked, arrested or worse.
>
> http://del.icio.us/internetfreedom/egypt
> http://del.icio.us/internetfreedom/syria
> http://opennet.net/
> http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/
>
> As such - a question to ICANN staff and upper management - who do  
> seem to be cc'd on the message... Can the organization guarantee  
> that the meeting will have open and unfiltered access to the  
> internet, and be open to  all internet users from the region who  
> wish to attend.
>
>
> regards
>
> Robert Guerra
>