3 Jun 2011 | Index Index, minipost, News and features
The United Nations special rapporteur for free expression Frank La Rue has called for the abolition of criminal defamation laws. Guatemalan lawyer La Rue also condemned the use of “national security” reasons to curb free expression:
In a report released today, LaRue comments:
The Special Rapporteur reiterates the call to all States to decriminalize defamation. Additionally, he underscores that protection of national security or countering terrorism cannot be used to justify restricting the right to expression unless it can be demonstrated that: (a) the expression is intended to incite imminent violence; (b) it is likely to incite such violence; and (c) there is a direct and immediate connection between the expression and the likelihood or occurrence of such violence.
Criminal defamation cases are frequently brought to silence criticism of authorities. Recent examples include actions brought against journalist Art Troitsky in Russia and anti death penalty campaigner Alan Shadrake in Singapore.
3 Jun 2011 | Egypt, Middle East and North Africa
Take the time to watch the outrageous Vodafone ad that has sparked public outrage in Egypt this week. Vodafone, the company that complied with the Mubarak regimes demands to shutdown communications networks is taking credit for what happened in Tahrir Square.
If I were a Vodafone customer, I promise you I would’ve switched networks after watching their latest commercial. The film created by advertising agency JWT, takes credit for the Egyptian revolution.
You read that right. Vodafone and JWT are telling us, in a 3:59 spot, that “we’re not trying to take credit for the revolution but really, we totally inspired it with our crappy ad from last year. You’re welcome, Egypt”.
Because the tag line was something along the lines of “Our power isn’t that we’re number one — our power is in each one of us”. Whatever that means.
Apparently this tag line inspired people to take the streets. I mean, never mind the years of activism, the protests, the decades of cumulated grievances, the terrible economic situation, the trampled political freedoms, the police brutality, the torture, etc. Nah.
We just watched a Vodafone Ad, and thought: “Hey! We’re powerful! Let’s topple the president!”
Vodafone Egypt JWT Ad Taking Credit For #Jan25… by andreasudo
Watch it and then check out the hilarious IHateVodafoneEgypt.com. The PR backlash forced Vodafone Egypt to put out a public statement about the video, claiming it was “produced by JWT company for its internal use and not for public display”.
Now what about this about a lawsuit against them for disconnecting their phone and internet services?
3 Jun 2011 | Index Index, minipost
Former motorsport chief Max Mosley has applied to appeal the European Court decision last month that ended his efforts to change Britain’s privacy laws. The court in Strasbourg threw out the Mosley’s bid for the subjects of newspaper stories to be given “prior notification” of publication. Mosley launched the case after the News of the World printed intimate details about his sex life in 2008. The appeal filed by Mosley’s lawyers to the Grand Chamber before will be the last opportunity for the case to be heard.
2 Jun 2011 | Uncategorized
Courageous Bahraini free expression campaigner Nabeel Rajab finally got to make his contribution to this week’s IFEX General Meeting in Beirut on Thursday evening, not in person as planned, but via skype and laptop. (more…)
