[WSIS CS-Plenary] more on human rights in Tunisia

Fri Dec 5 14:57:47 GMT 2003

Hello all.

The Human Rights caucus will also be addressing the situation of human
rights in Tunisia in the Comunications Rights in the Information Society
Forum which takes place on December 11.     We are honoured to have Souhayr
Belhassen, the vice-president of the Tunisan Human Rights League with us,
in addition to several other facinating speakers, including Sharon Hom,
executive director of Human Right in China and our keynote,  Aminata
Traoré, former minister in Mali and distinguished author.

More information on this session can be found at
www.communicationrights.org.  Please note that there is English-French
-Spanish Interpretation and registration is required.

The human rights part of the day is reproduced here:

 4. Communication and Human Rights                                          

 Convenor: WSIS Civil Society Human Rights Caucus                           

 Host: Meryem Marzouki (IRIS, Imaginons un Réseau Internet Solidaire,       
 Paris)                                                                     

 Speakers: Aminata Traoré (Writer, Former Minister of Culture in Mali,      
 Founder of the Forum For Another Mali, Keynote), Sharon Hom (Human Rights  
 in China, USA), Souhayr Belhassen (Tunisian Human Rights League, Tunisia), 
 Art McGee (Media Alliance, USA), Amy West (Article 19, South Africa and    
 UK), Stefano Rodota (Chairman of the European Data Protection              
 Commissionners Working Group, Italy, to be confirmed)                      

 An often made presumption is that ICTs will necessarily have a beneficial  
 impact on human rights, democracy and development. However, in many cases, 
 their use is severely restricted, through the use of sophisticated         
 surveillance technologies, or by systematically stifling anyone who        
 attempts to exercise their right to freedom of expression and access to    
 information. The human rights forum will offer testimony from leading      
 human rights activists in two countries that have considerably expanded    
 the infrastructure and use of ICTs, at the same time as they have used     
 ICTs to restrict the human rights of their people : China and Tunisia. We  
 hope that by understanding the reality of citizens in these countries,     
 participants will get a broader understanding not only of the potential    
 ICTs hold for human rights, but also the threats posed to democracy and    
 rights when ICTs are used to undermine HR. Furthermore, the necessity of   
 freedom of information, for security and development, in protracted        
 refugee populated area will also be highlighted through the Tanzanian case 
 study. The full respect for human rights also imposes a delicate balance   
 between possibly conflicting rights: we will hear of the reality of racism 
 and the balance between fighting racism and upholding the principles of    
 freedom of expression; we will also discuss the right to privacy when      
 freedom of information is at stake, as well as when security is invoked.   

Diana Bronson
Rights and Democracy/Droits et Démocratie
www.ichrdd.ca

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                    rg                                                     

Hi all,

Below is an ENGLISH translation of the invitation to a meeting on TUNISIA
AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION that will be held in Geneva on 9th december 2003
from 6h30pm to 9h30pm.

I'm not sure volonteer translators from french to english have already been
found. So, if you feel comfortable enough to help them for the translation
- or if you know people who could do that for them - , please, contact
organizers at : info at verite-action.org

I'm sure you understand this meeting is very important in the context of
preparation of the second phase of WSIS that will take place in Tunisia in
november 2005.

Bye, PF.

--------------------------

Ladies  & Gentleman,

The 55 anniversary of International Declaration of Human Rights this year
will coincides with the first phase meeting of Information Community Summit
in Geneva10-12 December 2003. The Vérité-Action association take this
opportunity and organize:

Night debate under the title:

"Freedom of Expression in Tunisia: Evaluations and Testimonies"

Group of journalists will participate in the debates who come especially
from Tunisia, in addition with group of international organisations.

The meeting takes place in

La maison des associations
Salle Gandhi
Rue des Savoies 15
1205 Geneva

Free special Tunisians dissertations
And Tea will be served at the end of the cession

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