[governance] FW: URGENT : Open Letter of the Expression Online Initiative to Secretariat and Delegates of the 7th IGF

Tue Nov 6 16:28:22 EST 2012

Thank you Cynthia.

Dear All - Now would be a great time to release the Statement that we
worked earlier in the year.

Sala

On Wed, Nov 7, 2012 at 10:26 AM, Cynthia Wong <wongc at hrw.org> wrote:

>  All: see below a press release from the Expression Online Initiative,
> the consortium of Azerbaijan freedom of expression groups:****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* Expression Online [mailto:info at expressiononline.net<info at expressiononline.net>]
>
> *Sent:* Tuesday, November 06, 2012 5:39 AM
> *Subject:* URGENT : Open Letter of the Expression Online Initiative to
> Secretariat and Delegates of the 7th IGF[MARKETING EMAIL] ****
>
> ** **
>
>  ****
>
> *Open Letter of the Expression Online Initiative to Secretariat and
> Delegates of the 7th Internet Governance Forum*****
>
>  ****
>
> The Expression Online Initiative is writing to express serious concerns
> regarding violations of UN main principles that continue to take place
> during the seventh annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Baku. These
> violations have included: restrictions on freedom of expression and freedom
> of association; failure to guarantee equal rights for every participant;
> and discriminatory practices against local civil society organizations and
> their representatives.****
>
>  ****
>
> The Expression Online Initiative is a consortium of Azerbaijani freedom of
> expression organizations including the Human Rights Club, the Azerbaijan
> Media Center and the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety.****
>
>  ****
>
> In early July 2012, the coalition sent an official request to the IGF
> Secretariat to make arrangements for a booth at the IGF village. Despite
> the fact that we sent several follow-up emails, the Secretariat failed to
> respond until the week before the IGF. At that stage, the Secretariat
> agreed to provide a booth for the Expression Online Initiative. Then, two
> days before the event, the Secretariat informed Expression Online that no
> booth would be available, stating that “preference is given to
> international organizations.” This statement contradicts the IGF main
> principle that guarantees equal participation of all stakeholders. As
> stated in the “IGF Background Note” from 2010, “the IGF serves as a
> laboratory, a neutral space, where all actors can table an issue. (…) Its
> UN mandate gives it convening power and the authority to serve as a neutral
> space for all actors on an equal footing.”****
>
>  ****
>
> Furthermore, the Secretariat tried to prevent distribution of the
> Expression Online Initiative’s reports *Searching for Freedom: Online
> Expression in Azerbaijan<http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=23879198&msgid=86020&act=D2LC&c=1203606&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fexpressiononline.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F11%2FReport_EO_1.pdf>
> * and The Right to Remain Silent: Freedom of Expression in Azerbaijan
> ahead of the 7th Internet Governance Forum<http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=23879198&msgid=86020&act=D2LC&c=1203606&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fexpressiononline.net%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F11%2FIRFS-REPORT.pdf>.
> The IGF coordinator told our representatives “You are not allowed to
> distribute these reports within IGF premises.” Our attempt to distribute
> these reports, which examine issues in Azerbaijan which are directly
> relevant to the IGF, were perceived by the Secretariat as an attempt to
> “attack one of the stakeholder group,” i.e. the Azerbaijani government.***
> *
>
>  ****
>
> It is worth mentioning that Secretariat staff did attempt to assist the
> Expression Online Initiative. They suggested that we seek permission from
> the Azerbaijani government, specifically the Ministry of Communications and
> Information Technologies (ICT Ministry), to distribute the report. The
> Secretariat’s IGF Coordinator said “If your government does not find the
> content insulting we will provide you with the booth and allow distribution
> of those two reports.” The Expression Online Initiative considers this
> requirement to seek permission from the authorities to be an undue exercise
> of influence from the IGF host country.****
>
>  ****
>
> The matter of the booth was not an isolated incident. Expression Online
> representatives faced other instances of discriminatory treatment. For
> example, one representative experienced particular difficulty in attempting
> to register for the IGF. A representative of UN security subjected him to
> extensive questioning about his motives for attempting to register and
> handed his personal ID card to the local authorities. In particular, they
> asked him whether he planned to stage a protest at the IGF, a question
> which was again asked by the host country-appointed registration staff.***
> *
>
>  ****
>
> Representatives of the online television station Obyektiv TV, which is
> affiliated with the Expression Online Initiative, also experienced
> discriminatory treatment in seeking to register its correspondents for the
> IGF. Although they were eventually registered, the host country-appointed
> registration staff attempted to prevent their registration. As grounds for
> potential refusal, they claimed that the Azerbaijani ICT Ministry did not
> consider Obyektiv TV to be a media outlet.****
>
>  ****
>
> It should be noted that the registration staff are members of an
> Azerbaijani pro-governmental youth organization which has a vested interest
> in interfering with who can attend the IGF.****
>
>  ****
>
> The Expression Online Initiative calls for an immediate investigation into
> these and other reports of violations of rights and discriminatory
> treatment, and public clarification about the relevant procedures for
> registration and dissemination of materials.****
>
>  ****
>
>
> Expression Online Initiative****
>
>  ****
>
> Address:****
>
> 8 R. Behbudov St., Apt. 85/86, Baku, Azerbaijan****
>
> e-mail: info at expressiononline.net****
>
> phone : ****
>
> (+99450) 398 48 38****
>
> (+99450)  508-78-87****
>
>  ****
>
> ** **
>
>  ****
>
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> Expression Online Initiative | R.Behbudov 8, apt 85/86 | Baku, Sabael
> AZ1000, Azerbaijan****
>
> Email Marketing by [image: iContact - Try It Free!]<http://www.icontact.com/a.pl/144186>
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> *Update Profile *<http://app.icontact.com/icp/mmail-mprofile.pl?r=23879198&l=985&s=D2LC&m=86020&c=1203606> |
> *Send To a Friend *<http://app.icontact.com/icp/core/message/forward?m=86020&s=23879198&c=D2LC&cid=1203606>
> ****
>
> ****
>
> ____________________________________________________________
> You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
>      governance at lists.igcaucus.org
> To be removed from the list, visit:
>      http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing
>
> For all other list information and functions, see:
>      http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
> To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
>      http://www.igcaucus.org/
>
> Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t
>
>

-- 
Salanieta Tamanikaiwaimaro aka Sala
P.O. Box 17862
Suva
Fiji

Twitter: @SalanietaT
Skype:Salanieta.Tamanikaiwaimaro
Fiji Cell: +679 998 2851
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.igcaucus.org/pipermail/governance/attachments/20121107/601aaff9/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
____________________________________________________________
You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
     governance at lists.igcaucus.org
To be removed from the list, visit:
     http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing

For all other list information and functions, see:
     http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
     http://www.igcaucus.org/

Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t