[WSIS CS-Plenary] Why WSIS-05 May Not Hold in Tunisia

[Fullsack Jean-Louis]

Thanks Ralf for these very serious information.
This stresses the close and continuous attention CS has to pay for the
tunisian phase of the Summit, and even envisage its boycott. Anyway, CS has
to maintain a permanent pressure on tunisian officials as well as WSIS
organisers having in mind human rights respect and freedom of expression as
unconditional prerequisites to its participation.
However our decision should be made in accordance with the tunisian NGOs and
mainly those involved in defending human rights and basic liberties.
After all, there are some african countries that do their best in terms of
HR respects. So let's give them the chance to organise the final Summit.
Jean-Louis Fullsack
CSDPTT - France


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ralf Bendrath" <ralf.bendrath at sfb597.uni-bremen.de>
To: "wsis-cs-plenary" <plenary at wsis-cs.org>
Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 12:05 PM
Subject: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Why WSIS-05 May Not Hold in Tunisia


> http://allafrica.com/stories/200401220684.html
>
> Why WSIS-05 May Not Hold in Tunisia
>
> Daily Champion (Lagos)
> January 22, 2004
> Remmy Nweke, Lagos
>
> AS the campaign to cushion the lapses witnessed in the first-phase of
> World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) hots up, and the Tunisian
> Government warms up for the preparation of the second phase of WSIS in
> 2005, press freedom groups may scuttle the plans.
>
> This is coming in the wake of alleged human rights and press freedom
> abuses by the government of Tunisia.
>
> The Press Freedom groups under the aegis of World Association of
> Newspapers (WAN), Journaliste en danger (JED), along with World Press
> Freedom Committee, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Inter American
> Press Association, International Association of Broadcasting,
> International Federation of the Periodical Press, International Press
> Institute and the North American Broadcasters Association are urging
> summit organizers to cancel plans to hold the 2005 follow-up summit in
> Tunisia.
>
> According to them, "The second phase of the WSIS should not be held
> there because of the country's serious human rights abuses," a statement
> issued by the groups said.
>
> "The Tunisian press is censored, journalists are jailed along with
> hundreds of other political prisoners, and organsiation of the Tunis
> summit has been assigned to a military general alleged to be responsible
> for the torture of political prisoners," the groups added.
>
> They also called for the 2005 meeting to be either held in a country
> known for respecting press freedom or be put-off.
>
> WAN which is leading the campaign, added that unless the Tunisian
> government improves its human rights records, holding WSIS-05 in the
> country would bring the WSIS process into disrepute.,This, the groups
> maintained would "completely undermine WSIS declaration's reaffirmation
> on the principles of free information and free expression".
>
> Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) last weekend, accused the
> Tunisian authorities of blocking the development of an independent press
> in the country after journalist Sihem Bensedrine failed in her attempt
> to register the weekly newspaper "Kalima".
>
> Bensedrine was turned away when she tried to begin the registration
> process for the bilingual publication at the Interior Ministry's offices
> on 13 January 2004.,"This latest unsuccessful attempt to publish the
> newspaper 'Kalima' provides additional evidence of the Tunisian
> authorities' determination to keep the press under control," said RSF
> Secretary-General, Mr. Robert Ménard.
>
> "President Ben Ali has publicly declared his support for freedom of
> information but deliberately prevents the creation of an independent
> press. Against this backdrop, the holding of the second phase of the
> World Summit on the Information Society in Tunis in 2005 is a scandal,"
> Ménard added.,This is the third time since 1999 that Bensedrine has
> attempted to file a "preliminary statement" for "Kalima" with the
> Interior Ministry. A home-produced version of the newspaper is currently
> published on an irregular basis and distributed unofficially. "Kalima"'s
> website, which is hosted abroad, continues to be blocked within Tunisia.
>
> Anticipating a setback at the ministry's offices, Bensedrine decided to
> invite witnesses to observe her request for registration. "Kalima"'s
> editorial committee, her lawyer, Member of Parliament Mokhtar Djalali
> and Tunisian Human Rights League President Mokhtar Trifi accompanied the
> journalist.
>
> She was once again able to show proof of President Zine el-Abidine Ben
> Ali's refusal to liberalise the press in Tunisia, RSF noted. On January
> 14, Bensedrine was subjected to a particularly thorough search at Tunis
> airport before boarding a flight to Germany, while a copy of "Kalima"
> was confiscated from her as well as three CD-ROMs containing personal
> data.
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