<div dir="ltr">While the joint statement mentions issues related to Privacy, Openness, and Access, they have neglected other important aspects such as Security and CIR.<br><br>Fahd<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Jul 31, 2012 at 11:26 PM, Fouad Bajwa <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:fouadbajwa@gmail.com" target="_blank">fouadbajwa@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><p dir="ltr">Shared elsewhere by a colleague, kindly find attached documents or simply the statement below as well as the endorser and issuer info. --Fouad</p>
<p dir="ltr">APrIGF 2012: Southeast Asian Civil Society Joint Statement<br>
From: john liu - <a href="http://forum-asia.org" target="_blank">forum-asia.org</a><br>
Date: 31 July 2012</p>
<p dir="ltr">Please find attached a joint statement released today by Southeast Asian<br>
civil society delegates to the recently-concluded APrIGF in Tokyo. The<br>
statement includes our positions on issues of concern relating to the<br>
Internet that we have highlighted during the APrIGF, as well as<br>
recommendations to the MSG on improvements to the APrIGF process.</p>
<p dir="ltr">We hope that this statement will help in your work, and that some of the<br>
points will be reflected in the report to the Global IGF in Baku, as well<br>
as in discussions for the next APrIGF.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Please feel free to get back to us should you have any questions. All<br>
signatories of this statement are copied on this email.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Thank you.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Best wishes,<br>
John Liu<br>
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)</p>
<p dir="ltr">-----</p>
<p dir="ltr">Statement of Civil Society Delegates from Southeast Asia to</p>
<p dir="ltr">2012 Asia-Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF)<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">31 July 2012</p>
<p dir="ltr">* *</p>
<p dir="ltr">*Southeast Asian Civil Society Groups Highlight Increasing Rights<br>
Violations Online, Call for Improvements to Internet Governance Processes<br>
in the Region*</p>
<p dir="ltr">* *</p>
<p dir="ltr">We, the undersigned civil society delegates from Southeast Asia who<br>
attended and participated in the 2012 Asia-Pacific Regional Internet<br>
Governance Forum (APrIGF) <<a href="http://2012.rigf.asia/" target="_blank">http://2012.rigf.asia/</a>> on 18-20 July 2012 in<br>
Tokyo, Japan, make this statement upon the conclusion of the meeting to<br>
highlight the concerns that we raised throughout the forum.<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">We engaged in this meeting with the objective of raising human rights<br>
concerns in relation to the Internet, particularly on issues of freedom of<br>
expression and access to information online, as well as the role of civil<br>
society in Internet governance and policymaking. We organised two panel<br>
discussions, namely “Internet in Asia: Space for Free Expression and<br>
Information”<<a href="http://2012.rigf.asia/session-c4-internet-for-asia-space-for-free-expression-information/" target="_blank">http://2012.rigf.asia/session-c4-internet-for-asia-space-for-free-expression-information/</a>><br>
and “Civil Society in Internet<br>
Governance/Policymaking”<<a href="http://2012.rigf.asia/session-b5-civil-society-in-internet-governance-policy-making/" target="_blank">http://2012.rigf.asia/session-b5-civil-society-in-internet-governance-policy-making/</a>><br>
during<br>
the 2012 APrIGF. Through these panel discussions, as well as in other<br>
sessions that we participated in, we raised the following human rights<br>
concerns in relation to the Internet:<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">*Increasing censorship and attacks to online expression*<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">The space for free expression on the Internet is shrinking. Many<br>
governments are extending censorship and control of traditional media to<br>
the Internet. In most cases, censorship measures are implemented in a<br>
non-transparent manner, which makes it difficult to determine whether the<br>
measures taken are in accordance with international laws and standards.<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">In some countries, citizens who make use of the free space on the internet<br>
as bloggers, citizen journalists or social media users become targets of<br>
attacks, arrest, and/or threats by state security agents. These actions by<br>
state authorities produce a chilling effect on internet users resulting in<br>
widespread self-censorship of social and political expression for fear of<br>
reprisals from the government or its agents.<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">We thus call upon all governments to ensure that any measure to limit<br>
freedom of expression and the right to information are in accordance with<br>
international human rights laws and standards, particularly Article 19(3)<br>
of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which<br>
allows for limitations only on narrow and clearly-defined grounds, by<br>
passing the “three-part, cumulative<br>
test”<<a href="http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/17session/A.HRC.17.27_en.pdf" target="_blank">http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/17session/A.HRC.17.27_en.pdf</a>><br>
following<br>
the principles of necessity, proportionality (ensuring that it is the least<br>
restrictive measure) and transparency. Furthermore, any limitation to<br>
freedom of expression, including censorship measures, must be determined by<br>
an independent judicial body, and not left to the arbitrary powers of<br>
governments or intermediaries. These parameters must apply in all<br>
circumstances including during state of emergency and in name of national<br>
security or public order.<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">*New laws and legislative amendments that curb freedom of speech online*<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">We are further alarmed by the growing number of laws and policies in<br>
Southeast Asia that negatively impact freedom of expression on the<br>
Internet. While we recognise the need to address cybercrime and legitimate<br>
national security concerns, we are concerned that such laws seek to extend<br>
media censorship and criminal defamation to the internet, and are also<br>
being used to criminalize individuals or organizations expressing or<br>
sharing legitimate social or political critique.<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">We reiterate that any restriction to freedom of expression on the Internet<br>
must not risk citizens’ rights to hold opinions without interference and to<br>
freedom of thought, conscience and religion as stipulated in Article 18 of<br>
the ICCPR, and it must not be subject to lawful derogation as outlined in UN<br>
General Comment No. 34<<a href="http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/gc34.pdf" target="_blank">http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/gc34.pdf</a>>.<br>
We stress that any introduction of new laws or legislative amendments,<br>
particularly those that could potentially impact human rights, must involve<br>
extensive, inclusive and meaningful public consultations. We further urge<br>
all governments in Southeast Asia to decriminalise defamation both online<br>
and offline.<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">Additionally, we emphasize that the rule of law and the independence of the<br>
judiciary remain among the key challenges to democracy in Southeast Asia.<br>
Law-enforcement agencies and justice systems must presume innocence until<br>
defendants are proven guilty, regardless of whether or not defamation is<br>
criminal. Certain legislation, including those laws that criminalize<br>
online speech and expression, are worth noting here as examples of<br>
legislation in Southeast Asia that warrant close monitoring of their<br>
enactment or enforcement:<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">· Burma – The 2004 Electronic Transactions Act</p>
<p dir="ltr">· Cambodia – The 2012 Draft Cyber-Law, the 1995 Press Law, and the<br>
2010 Penal Code</p>
<p dir="ltr">· Malaysia – The 2012 Amendment to the Evidence Act and the 2011<br>
Computing Professionals Bill</p>
<p dir="ltr">· Indonesia – The 2008 Law on Information and Electronic<br>
Transaction and the 2008 Law on Pornography</p>
<p dir="ltr">· The Philippines – The 2012 Data Privacy Act</p>
<p dir="ltr">· Thailand – The 2007 Computer Crimes Act, the Article 112 of the<br>
Penal Code, and the 2004 Special Case Investigation Act</p>
<p dir="ltr">· Vietnam – The 1999 Penal Code, the 2004 Publishing Law, the 2000<br>
State Secrets Protection Ordinance, and the 2012 Draft Decree on Internet<br>
Management<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">*Intermediary liability*<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">We express our deep concern over the increasing pressures by governments on<br>
internet service providers and content hosts to monitor, regulate and<br>
censor online content. Consequently, such intermediaries are increasingly<br>
being held legally and criminally liable for online content, including<br>
content posted by other users.<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">We reiterate that the regulation of content on the Internet should be<br>
determined by an independent judicial body, and not be left to<br>
intermediaries. We further echo the call by the UN Special Rapporteur on<br>
the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and<br>
expression that intermediaries should not be held liable for online content.<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">*Violations by non-State actors, including those employed by governments*<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">Finally, we are alarmed at the rise of internet vigilante groups acting on<br>
behalf of governments or powerful institutions to help monitor sensitive<br>
information posted over the Internet through personal websites and social<br>
media. Such groups often target persons expressing unpopular opinions and<br>
subject them to abusive behaviour and threats. In some cases, such threats<br>
have been carried out off-line in the form of discriminatory treatment,<br>
physical attacks and even state prosecution of these targets. In addition,<br>
critical and independent websites are frequently being targeted for hacking<br>
and DDoS attacks.<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">We strongly remind all governments that it is their primary obligation to<br>
promote and protect human rights, and this includes protecting its<br>
citizens’ exercise of the right to freedom of opinion and expression from<br>
violations by non-state actors online.<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">*Improving the APrIGF Process*<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">While we support and uphold the multi-stakeholder process of the IGF, and<br>
value the opportunity to contribute to the global dialogue around these<br>
crucial issues, several aspects of the APrIGF are in need of improvement:</p>
<p dir="ltr"> - Participation by governments across Asia was minimal despite the<br>
multi-stakeholder framework that this forum purports to promote. This has<br>
inevitably limited the dialogues between the different stakeholders on<br>
Internet governance in the Asia-Pacific region.<br></p>
<p dir="ltr"> - Similarly, there was also inadequate civil society participation at<br>
the APrIGF 2012. One of the reasons to this is that there is a perception<br>
that the APrIGF is a largely ineffective forum in making needed efforts to<br>
advance human rights in cyberspace.<br>
- Multi-stakeholder discussions on and approaches to emerging human<br>
rights issues concerning the Internet were largely limited at the APrIGF<br>
2012.<br>
- Finally, there was a marked absence or lack of critical assessment of<br>
the progress with regard to the implementation of recommendations made at<br>
the previous APrIGF. This has contributed to the perception of the APrIGF’s<br>
ineffectiveness.<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">*Recommendations to the APrIGF Multi-stakeholder Strategy Group*<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">In view of these shortcomings and with the hope of improving upon the 2012<br>
APrIGF, we offer the following recommendations to the APrIGF<br>
Multi-stakeholder Strategy Group for future iterations of this event:</p>
<p dir="ltr">● To facilitate more robust dialogue and more engagement of those<br>
participants who are not speaking on panels, we recommend *a more<br>
participatory process for sessions*, with fewer time spent on panel<br>
presentations, and more time dedicated to questions and comments from those<br>
in the audience.</p>
<p dir="ltr">● In the interest of more a diverse dialogue, we recommend that<br>
efforts be made to enlarge and broaden the spectrum of attendees at the<br>
event. Special effort should be made to *encourage government and civil<br>
society participation*, especially in view of the rare opportunity to<br>
discuss such issues within the host country. Additionally, *the<br>
affordability of the host city and the need for financial assistance *should<br>
be taken into account as a factor that may make civil society participation<br>
more or less likely.</p>
<p dir="ltr">● To encourage broader participation in session dialogues and bolster<br>
engagement of civil society, we recommend that strong efforts be made<br>
to*facilitate<br>
inbound remote participation via video conferencing*. In addition to the<br>
valuable service of live web-casting, remote participants should be<br>
empowered to ask questions and make comments within a panel. This could be<br>
facilitated with greater integration of social media, within the APrIGF<br>
website.</p>
<p dir="ltr">● To ensure that all issues are well-represented within the<br>
conversations at the APrIGF, we recommend that *at least one plenary<br>
session be dedicated to social issues in internet governance*, such as<br>
online freedom of expression, access to information and digital divide.</p>
<p dir="ltr">● To ensure that progress is made on issues discussed at the APrIGF<br>
from one year to another, we recommend that *one plenary session be<br>
dedicated to looking back at the issues raised and recommendations made at<br>
the previous APrIGF*, and critically assessing progress made on those<br>
issues.<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">*Recommendations to Southeast Asian governments*</p>
<p dir="ltr">* *</p>
<p dir="ltr">In addition, we make the following specific recommendations to our<br>
respective governments in Southeast Asia:</p>
<p dir="ltr"> - ASEAN governments must ensure that *the ASEAN Human Rights<br>
Declaration* explicitly<br>
and unequivocally protects the right to freedom of expression and freedom<br>
of information in accordance with international human rights laws and<br>
standards.<br>
- ASEAN governments should issue a joint statement to *pronounce their<br>
commitment to uphold Internet freedom*.<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr"> - All regional governments should *involve civil society meaningfully<br>
and inclusively in Internet policymaking*, especially in drafting laws<br>
and policies that potentially impact human rights, including in<br>
regional-policy arena that involve the issues related to ICT and internet<br>
governance, such as:<br>
- Regional economic integration by 2015 under the ASEAN Economic<br>
Community (AEC). <<a href="http://www.aseansec.org/18757.htm" target="_blank">http://www.aseansec.org/18757.htm</a>>The AEC’s areas<br>
of cooperation include a focus on internet governance, such as: “enhanced<br>
infrastructure and communications connectivity”; and “development of<br>
electronic transactions through e-ASEAN”. Currently, the AEC encourages<br>
only business sector participation and not civil society.<br>
- The ASEAN CIO Forum <<a href="http://www.aseancioforum.com/Home.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.aseancioforum.com/Home.aspx</a>> under the<br>
ASEAN ICT Master Plan<br>
2015<<a href="http://www.aseansec.org/documents/ASEAN%20ICT%20Masterplan%202015.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.aseansec.org/documents/ASEAN%20ICT%20Masterplan%202015.pdf</a>><br>
also<br>
opens participation only to business sectors. The forum focuses on<br>
CIO16 <<a href="http://www.aseancioforum.com/AboutUs/CIO16.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.aseancioforum.com/AboutUs/CIO16.aspx</a>> and its<br>
objective is to “Taking leadership in collaboration and<br>
transformation for<br>
a competitive, highly productive and envisage a<br>
concrete/positive ASEAN ICT<br>
community.” The master plan aims to minimize digital divide and<br>
make ICT in<br>
the region be empowering, transformational, inclusive, vibrant, and<br>
integrated for the people by 2015.<br>
- All regional governments should attend and engage in regional IGFs to<br>
dialogue with other stakeholders, including civil society, on regional<br>
issues concerning the Internet.<br><br><br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">Signed by:<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">Arthit SURIYAWONGKUL</p>
<p dir="ltr">Coordinator</p>
<p dir="ltr">Thai Netizen Network <<a href="https://thainetizen.org/" target="_blank">https://thainetizen.org/</a>></p>
<p dir="ltr">Bangkok, Thailand</p>
<p dir="ltr">E-mail: <a href="mailto:arthit@gmail.com" target="_blank">arthit@gmail.com</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Tel: <a href="tel:%2B66%2087%20504%202221" value="+66875042221" target="_blank">+66 87 504 2221</a><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">Pirongrong RAMASOOTA</p>
<p dir="ltr">Thai Media Policy Center <<a href="http://thai-mpc.org/" target="_blank">http://thai-mpc.org/</a>> Bangkok, Thailand</p>
<p dir="ltr">E-mail: <a href="mailto:pirongrong.r@gmail.com" target="_blank">pirongrong.r@gmail.com</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Tel: <a href="tel:%2B66%2089%20770%208911" value="+66897708911" target="_blank">+66 89 770 8911</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Triana DYAH</p>
<p dir="ltr">Head, Information & Documentation Division</p>
<p dir="ltr">The Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy<br>
(ELSAM)<<a href="http://www.elsam.or.id/new/index.php" target="_blank">http://www.elsam.or.id/new/index.php</a>></p>
<p dir="ltr">Jakarta, Indonesia</p>
<p dir="ltr">E-mail: <a href="mailto:office@elsam.or.id" target="_blank">office@elsam.or.id</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Tel: <a href="tel:%2B62%2021%207972662" value="+62217972662" target="_blank">+62 21 7972662</a> , 79192564</p>
<p dir="ltr">Fax: <a href="tel:%2B62%2021%2079192519" value="+622179192519" target="_blank">+62 21 79192519</a><br><br><br><br><br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">Edgardo LEGASPI</p>
<p dir="ltr">Alerts & Communication officer</p>
<p dir="ltr">Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) <<a href="http://www.seapabkk.org/" target="_blank">http://www.seapabkk.org/</a>></p>
<p dir="ltr">Bangkok, Thailand</p>
<p dir="ltr">E-mail: <a href="mailto:epl@seapa.org" target="_blank">epl@seapa.org</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Tel: <a href="tel:%2B66%208%201116%205137" value="+66811165137" target="_blank">+66 8 1116 5137</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Fax: <a href="tel:%2B66%202%202448749" value="+6622448749" target="_blank">+66 2 2448749</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Sean ANG</p>
<p dir="ltr">Executive Director</p>
<p dir="ltr">Southeast Asian Centre for e-Media (SEACeM) <<a href="http://seacem.com/" target="_blank">http://seacem.com/</a>></p>
<p dir="ltr">Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia</p>
<p dir="ltr">E-mail: <a href="mailto:sean@seacem.com" target="_blank">sean@seacem.com</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Tel: <a href="tel:%2B60%203%202284%203367" value="+60322843367" target="_blank">+60 3 2284 3367</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Fax: <a href="tel:%2B60%203%202289%202579" value="+60322892579" target="_blank">+60 3 2289 2579</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Victorius (Ndaru) EPS</p>
<p dir="ltr">Jakarta, Indonesia<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">NGETH Moses</p>
<p dir="ltr">Communication Coordinator</p>
<p dir="ltr">Community Legal Education Center (CLEC) <<a href="http://www.clec.org.kh/" target="_blank">http://www.clec.org.kh/</a>></p>
<p dir="ltr">Phnom Penh, Cambodia</p>
<p dir="ltr">E-mail: <a href="mailto:Moses@clec.org.kh" target="_blank">Moses@clec.org.kh</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Tel: (855) 66 777 010<br>
Fax: (855) 23 211 723</p>
<p dir="ltr">Sovathana (Nana) NEANG</p>
<p dir="ltr">Phnom Penh, Cambodia<br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">YAP Swee Seng</p>
<p dir="ltr">Executive Director</p>
<p dir="ltr">Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development<br>
(FORUM-ASIA)<<a href="http://www.forum-asia.org/" target="_blank">http://www.forum-asia.org/</a>></p>
<p dir="ltr">E-mail: <a href="mailto:yap@forum-asia.org" target="_blank">yap@forum-asia.org</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Tel: <a href="tel:%2B66%2081%20868%209178" value="+66818689178" target="_blank">+66 81 868 9178</a><br>
Fax: <a href="tel:%2B66%202%206379128" value="+6626379128" target="_blank">+66 2 6379128</a><br><br><br><br><br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">Endorsed by:<br><br><br><br><br></p>
<p dir="ltr">ICT Watch (Indonesian ICT Partnership Association)</p>
<p dir="ltr">Jakarta, Indonesia</p>
<p dir="ltr">Email: <a href="mailto:info@ictwatch.com" target="_blank">info@ictwatch.com</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">Tel: (021) 98495770</p>
<p dir="ltr">Fax: (021) 8280691<br>
--<br>
John Liu<br>
East Asia (Southeast and Northeast Asia) Programme Officer<br>
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development<br>
(FORUM-ASIA)<<a href="http://www.forum-asia.org/" target="_blank">http://www.forum-asia.org/</a>><br>
66/2 Pan Road, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok, 10500 Thailand<br>
Tel: <a href="tel:%2B66%202%20637%209126" value="+6626379126" target="_blank">+66 2 637 9126</a> | Fax: <a href="tel:%2B66%202%20637%209128" value="+6626379128" target="_blank">+66 2 637 9128</a><br>
</p>
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