Stories about Middle East & North Africa from September, 2012
Netizen Report: Halal-net Edition
This week's Netizen Report starts in Iran, which appears to have made major strides toward launching its own national Internet network. It's unclear as of yet what the network will look like, but some speculate it will be similar to China's Great Firewall.
Open Letter to Governments: Protect Human Rights at the ITU
This December in Dubai, the International Telecommunication Union—a UN agency—will decide whether it should have regulatory authority over the Internet. This move could pose grave risks to the exercise of human rights online. Civil society can influence the process by signing an open letter calling on governments to reject expansion of ITU regulatory authority to the Internet.
In Censoring Anti-Islam Video, Did Google Do the Right Thing?
This past week, a video apparently made with the sole purpose of inciting Muslim anger by an American Coptic Christian was shown on Egyptian television, sparking protests outside the US Embassy in Cairo that have been replicated throughout several countries in the region. The response to the video caused several...
UN Conference Live Stream Blocked in Bahrain
According to activists in Bahrain, a United Nations Human Rights Council live stream has been blocked. Authorities in #Bahrain put obstacles to access #UN website for live stream because of my intervention in the #HRC21twitpic.com/aucktm — Mohammed Al-Maskati(@MohdMaskati) September 14, 2012 Mohamed Al-Maskati, president of Bahrain Youth Society for...
Protecting the Open Internet at the ITU: Civil Society Takes Action
This December in Dubai, the International Telecommunication Union—a UN agency—will decide whether it should have regulatory authority over the Internet. This move could pose grave risks to the exercise of human rights online. Until now, the ITU has been dedicated to setting technical standards for interoperability of international telecommunications, radio,...
