[WSIS CS-Plenary] Re: CS Plenary statement condemning repression

[Sasha Costanza-Chock]

Hello all,
I wanted to be sure that those who were not present at the final plenary 
did have the chance to see the statement on repression we drafted and 
released after unanimous (except for World Press Freedom Committee) 
agreement that a statement had to be made:

--from http://hubproject.org/news/2003/12/420.php --

PRESS RELEASE
December 12, 2003

The Civil Society Plenary, meeting in its final session during the first 
phase of the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) taking 
place from December 10-12, 2003 in Geneva, unanimously condemns the 
undemocratic actions of the Swiss authorities and the Summit organisers 
in suppressing dissenting and alternative voices.

Over the past three days:

- The Polimedia Lab organised by Geneva 03 collective 
(http://www.geneva03.net), meant to be an open space for participatory 
communication, was shut down by riot police on Tuesday December 9th, 2003.

- Printed documents critical of the WSIS and of the media and IT 
corporate monopolies were confiscated and prevented from being 
circulated inside the Palexpo, the official venue of the WSIS on 
December 10th, 2003.

- A peaceful demonstration of 50 local and international people at the 
Gare Cornavin, Geneva, on December 12th, 2003, protesting the WSIS and 
the corporate control of information and supporting community media, was 
surrounded by about 40 civil police and several vans filled with riot 
police, and prevented from continuing. Demonstrators were detained, 
searched, identified and those refusing to be identified were taken to 
the police station.

These events continue the pattern of political repression that has been 
a constant feature of public life in Geneva since the G-8 meeting in 
June 2003.

We strongly condemn these violations of the right to assemble and 
freedom of expression that have cast a shadow of hypocrisy over the summit.

For more information on these incidents, please contact Geneva 03, 
telephone 079-757-4372

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