[WSIS CS-Plenary] Fwd: TUNISIA: ON EVE OF INFORMATION SUMMIT, UN RIGHTS EXPERT CALLS FOR PRISONER RELEASE

[Rik Panganiban]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "UN News Service" <UNNews at un.org>
> Date: October 17, 2005 10:00:24 AM EDT
> To: <news5 at list.un.org>
> Subject: TUNISIA: ON EVE OF INFORMATION SUMMIT, UN RIGHTS EXPERT  
> CALLS FOR PRISONER RELEASE
> Reply-To: <UNNews at un.org>
>
>
> TUNISIA: ON EVE OF INFORMATION SUMMIT, UN RIGHTS EXPERT CALLS FOR  
> PRISONER RELEASE
> New York, Oct 17 2005 10:00AM
> Citing reported violations of freedom of opinion and expression in  
> Tunisia as the North African country prepares to host the World  
> Summit on the Information Society next month, a United Nations  
> human rights expert has called on the Government to release  
> unconditionally all press- and opinion-related prisoners.
>
> “I have also been alarmed by the polarization of opinions and the  
> lack of dialogue with the Press, two elements which could seriously  
> jeopardize the progress of media freedom in the country,” the  
> Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and  
> expression of the UN Commission on Human Rights, Ambeyi Ligabo,  
> said in a statement, calling on the Government to allow the full  
> exercise of those rights.
>
> He noted that recent reported violations included the banning of a  
> ‘journalists’ union congress, the imprisonment of a lawyer for  
> publishing controversial articles and “smear campaigns” against  
> human rights activists, particularly in conjunction with their  
> right to freedom of expression and of association.
>
> Mr. Ligabo called on the Government to take effective measures for  
> the promotion of a real pluralism, including action related to the  
> increase of media freedom in the country and to guarantee full  
> access to information for media professionals as well as for the  
> ordinary citizen, in order to expand transparency and public  
> awareness.
>
> He also urged it to ensure that all media workers can exercise  
> their profession without any impediment and restriction and to  
> adopt legislation for the decriminalization of defamation and  
> related offences, including norms regarding fair criteria of  
> proportionality in imposing fines.
>
> The final phase of the World Summit is to be held in Tunis from 16  
> to 18 November and will be marked by “a crucial effort to ensure a  
> better future for less developed societies through the exploitation  
> of Internet resources,” Mr. Ligabo noted.
>
> “Agreements on Internet governance and its financing will be at the  
> core of decisive discussions and could initiate a new era for  
> freedom of opinion and expression through enhanced dissemination  
> and availability of information,” he added.
>
> The Summit’s first phase was held in Geneva in 2003.
>  2005-10-17 00:00:00.000
>
>
> ________________
>
> For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news

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