Before the United Nations Security Council, Access Now explained proactive ways to address and counter hate speech online.…
Earlier this week, two foreign journalists for Vice working in southeastern Turkey were arrested, raising concerns about the journalists’ safety and security. In a dark reminder of the “Crypto Wars” of the 1990s, a Turkish official stated yesterday that the main reason that these journalists were detained is that they use encryption. This morning, the news surfaced that the journalists have been released and are free to leave the country, although the charges against them have not been dropped. A local translator who had been working with them remains in custody.
This incident raises serious issues for digital rights and digital security, and could cause a powerful chilling effect for freedom of expression — not just in Turkey, but in other conflict-prone regions around the world.
…3 September 2015
In January 2015, heads of state met at the 24th African Union Summit to discuss the “African Union Agenda 2063” with the goal of enabling “a continent on equal footing with the rest of the world as an information society.” While Access applauds the human rights protections enshrined in the convention, we are deeply troubled by draft legislation that has emerged across the continent that tramples rights in the name of implementing the convention. …
13 February 2015
Selon des rumeurs circulant depuis peu, les trois opérateurs de télécommunications tunisiens, Tunisie Telecom, Orange, et Ooredoo, pourraient conclure un accord limitant l’accès de leurs clients aux services de voix sur IP (également appelé VoIP). Si cette information se vérifie, ledit accord aurait un impact considérable sur la liberté d’expression des utilisateurs en ligne.…
1 October 2014
There are rumors circulating that Tunisia’s three telecommunications operators, Tunisie Telecom, Orange, and Ooredoo, might enter into an agreement limiting customers’ access to voice over IP (VoIP) services. If implemented, this agreement would dramatically impact users’ freedom of expression online.…
1 October 2014
Over June 20-27, the AU Heads of State will be meeting where they’re expected to adopt a new Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection. While Access and other partners criticized an earlier draft of the Convention, the rewritten draft has yet to be released to the public, even as it races closer to adoption.
…2 June 2014
The South Africa-based telco MTN, which operates in 21 countries across the Middle East and Africa, recently released its first Group Human Rights Policy. MTN announced its support for user rights to privacy, security, communication and information, using the Access “Telco Action Plan” as a guiding policy document.…
20 May 2014
CWG-Internet has the mandate to identify, study, and develop matters related to specific international internet-related public policy issues [1]. An ongoing issue CWG-Internet has sought to address is the question of the role of governments in internet governance. This issue is at the core of a questionnaire sent to all ITU member states on behalf of CWG-Internet on November 22, 2013.
The questionnaire was intended to launch a consultation among governments on their role in the internet-related public policy issues covered in Resolution 1305, the results of which were discussed at its March session. Among the 193 ITU member states that received the questionnaire, 54 were African governments. Responses included specific examples of actions to address internet policy issues as well as opinions on the general nature of the role of governments in internet governance and of the 37 Member States that responded, six were from Africa: Botswana, Mauritius, Morocco, Rwanda, Sudan and Zambia.…
19 May 2014
Our previous analysis of African stakeholders’ contributions to the initial NetMundial open submission process found that stakeholders from Africa emphasized human rights and role of governments in matters of internet governance.…
9 May 2014
Access reports back from its digital security workshop at the regional conference of the Pan Africa chapter of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association – Pan Africa ILGA, or PAI.…
18 April 2014
The internet affects every individual in this world whether directly or indirectly. For example, a medical professional somewhere in Goma, Congo might access the internet to read and post reviews to current medication available and this might have an impact on the kind of medication that he/she recommends to the patient, whether the patient has access to affordable internet or not. Since the internet affects everyone, Africans citizens who are aware of internet governance discussions, expect African stakeholders to engage in these discussions. …
14 April 2014
The military “interim government” in Egypt is cracking down on any meaningful form of assembly, association, or opposition. Following the passage of a November 2013 law banning peaceful protest, dozens of activists and organizers have been sent to prison. Among them is Alaa Abd El Fattah, software guru, blogger and political activist. We join dozens of other civil society organizations in calling for the release of Alaa and all those unjustly detained in Egypt.…
23 January 2014