Jurisprudence 2
Filter by...
-
Unesco round table
In the UNESCO high-level round table ‘Shaping the Future through Knowledge’ on Thursday 18 November 2005 director-general Koïchiro Matsuura presented the four main pillars of knowledge societies: respect for human rights, especially for freedom of speech, universal access to information, respect for cultural and linguistic diversity and quality education for all. Those pillars have been […]
Read more
-
General disappointment in WSIS-host Tunisia
As host country of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), Tunisia has not lived up to the optimistic expectations of some UN officials, but in stead exceeded the worst expectations of civil society. Many individuals searched their souls whether to attend the Summit or not. But the promise of a Citizens Summit, dedicated […]
Read more
-
Tunisian government blocks citizens counter summit
While the Tunisian authorities did all they could to prevent civil society events outside the Kram exhibition centre, on Wednesday 16 November civil society activists succeeded in getting the upper hand against state repression. A press conference to announce the cancellation of the Citizens Summit transformed into a major human rights event. When civil society […]
Read more
-
Civil Society Tunis declaration
APC, the association for progressive communication, reports on the civil society press conference on 18 November. Civil society representatives from all continents lined up on a panel to deliver a stark closing statement. The civil society statement was not finalised, but four points are addressed: internet governance, human rights, financing and development, and follow-up. The […]
Read more
-
Citizens' Summit on the Information Society
A broad coalition of human rights organisations has announced they will organise a Citizens’ Summit on the Information Society in Tunis, from 16 to 18 November 2005, to coincide with the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). Citizens groups, civil society organisations, national, regional and international institutions, government delegations and all other interested parties […]
Read more
-
International jurists on human rights and (counter-)terrorism
Today the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has launched a new 18 month panel on terrorism, counter-terrorism and human rights. “The legal community worldwide must now take a leadership role in articulating how the rule of law can be respected in addressing terrorism in its many complex global and local forms.” The ICJ has formulated […]
Read more
-
Civil society urges Kofi Annan to protect human rights in Tunis
A number of civil society groups present at the WSIS PrepCom in Geneva have written an open letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. “Since we learned that the second phase of the Summit would take place in Tunisia, we have expressed serious concerns over the violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Tunisian […]
Read more
-
Report on WSIS PrepCom III
The third Preparatory Committee (PrepCom-3) of the Tunis phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) closed its doors Friday night 30 September 2005 after what ITU describes as “two weeks of day and night sessions that saw agreement on large sections of the Summit text, but ultimately disappointing progress on a raft […]
Read more
-
Spanish game programmer acquitted
Only twenty minutes were needed in the Spanish court of Seville in order to acquit the Spanish game programmer who was facing up to one year in prison for making a video-game that made fun of religious practices (see EDRI-Gram 3.19). After showing repent, and stating that his intention was not really to offend anyone, […]
Read more
-
Data Protection Commissioners Conference in Montreux
The 27th international conference of data protection commissioners took place in Montreux/Switzerland from 13 to 15 September 2005. The meeting with the title “The protection of personal data and privacy in a globalised world: A universal right respecting diversities” saw several hundred data protection authorities (DPA) officials, industry, cyberrights groups and other stake-holders for three […]
Read more
-
Spanish gaming programmer faces prison sentence
A Spanish gaming programmer may face up to one year prison charges for developing a video-game which makes fun of religious practices. ‘Matanza Cofrade’ is a video-game, a first person shooter Doom-like game in which the player shoots participants to the famous Holy Week procession. The participants are zombies and in the background, images of […]
Read more
-
Human rights in the information society on CoE agenda
On 12 and 13 September the Council of Europe convened a Pan-European Forum on “Human Rights in the Information Society: Responsible Behaviour by Key Actors” with representatives from state, industry and civil society. The Forum was a follow-up to the recent Declaration of the Committee of Ministers on Human Rights and the Rule of Law […]
Read more