NEWS RELEASE
Tunis, 18 November 2005
“Never again” say freedom of expression groups.
Media and freedom of expression groups today, at the conclusion of the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society, called for a full investigation by the United Nations into attacks on human rights and freedom of expression that took place in Tunisia on the eve of and during the World Summit
on the Information Society.
Tunis, 18 November 2005
“Never again” say freedom of expression groups.
Media and freedom of expression groups today, at the conclusion of the second phase of the World Summit on the Information Society, called for a full investigation by the United Nations into attacks on human rights and freedom of expression that took place in Tunisia on the eve of and during the World Summit
on the Information Society.
Steve Buckley, President of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters and Chair of the Tunisian Monitoring Group of freedom of expression organisations said:
“Never again should a United Nations World Summit be held in a country that does not respect its international commitments to human rights and freedom of expression.
“This week in Tunis, both inside and outside the official Summit, we have witnessed serious attacks on the right to freedom of expression including harassment of delegates, attacks on Tunisian and international journalists and human rights defenders, denial of entry to the country, the blocking of websites, the censorship of documents and speeches, and the prevention and disruption of meetings.”
In the face of these attacks, it is with relief that we acknowledge the reaffirmation of human rights principles and the right to freedom of expression that is contained in the Tunis Commitment of the World Summit on the Information Society.
On 30 September 2005, 37 governments called on Tunisia to make the WSIS a “Summit in Tunisia, not a Summit on Tunisia”. This week’s events have put the spotlight not only on Tunisia but also on the central importance of human rights and freedom of expression in the information society throughout the world.
We call on all stakeholders to ensure that human rights and freedom of expression is mainstreamed into all follow-up mechanisms including the Internet
Governance Forum and we commit ourselves to working towards that objective.
This week has also reminded us of the importance of being constantly vigilant and of the courage of those who speak out in the face of repression and censorship. In this respect we welcome the decision of the Tunisian human rights defenders who agreed today to end their hunger strike. We commit ourselves to working with them and other brave defenders of human rights to continue to monitor freedom of expression in Tunisia.
-ends-
For more information, please contact:
Steve Buckley: + 216 95 703 827 or
Alexis Krikorian: + 41 79 214 55 30 and see:
http://campaigns.ifex.org/tmg
Note to editors:
The Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG) is a coalition of 14 organisations set up in 2004 to monitor freedom of expression in Tunisia in the run up to and following
the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The 14 organisations are all members of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), a global network of 64 national, regional and international organizations committed to defending the right to freedom of expression.
Members of the TMG are:
Article 19,
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ),
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA),
International Publishers Association (IPA),
Index on Censorship,
PEN Norway,
World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC),
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression,
World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC),
Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR),
International PEN Writers in Prison Committee,
Journalistes en Danger (JED),
Media Institute of South Africa (MISA),
World Association of Newspapers (WAN).
Contact details:
Tunisia Monitoring Group
c/o IFEX Clearing House
489 College Street, Suite 403
Toronto, Ontario M6G 1A5
Canada
Tel: +1 416 515 9622
Email: ifex (at) ifex.org
“Never again should a United Nations World Summit be held in a country that does not respect its international commitments to human rights and freedom of expression.
“This week in Tunis, both inside and outside the official Summit, we have witnessed serious attacks on the right to freedom of expression including harassment of delegates, attacks on Tunisian and international journalists and human rights defenders, denial of entry to the country, the blocking of websites, the censorship of documents and speeches, and the prevention and disruption of meetings.”
In the face of these attacks, it is with relief that we acknowledge the reaffirmation of human rights principles and the right to freedom of expression that is contained in the Tunis Commitment of the World Summit on the Information Society.
On 30 September 2005, 37 governments called on Tunisia to make the WSIS a “Summit in Tunisia, not a Summit on Tunisia”. This week’s events have put the spotlight not only on Tunisia but also on the central importance of human rights and freedom of expression in the information society throughout the world.
We call on all stakeholders to ensure that human rights and freedom of expression is mainstreamed into all follow-up mechanisms including the Internet
Governance Forum and we commit ourselves to working towards that objective.
This week has also reminded us of the importance of being constantly vigilant and of the courage of those who speak out in the face of repression and censorship. In this respect we welcome the decision of the Tunisian human rights defenders who agreed today to end their hunger strike. We commit ourselves to working with them and other brave defenders of human rights to continue to monitor freedom of expression in Tunisia.
-ends-
For more information, please contact:
Steve Buckley: + 216 95 703 827 or
Alexis Krikorian: + 41 79 214 55 30 and see:
http://campaigns.ifex.org/tmg Note to editors:
The Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG) is a coalition of 14 organisations set up in 2004 to monitor freedom of expression in Tunisia in the run up to and following
the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The 14 organisations are all members of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), a global network of 64 national, regional and international organizations committed to defending the right to freedom of expression.
Members of the TMG are:
Article 19,
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ),
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA),
International Publishers Association (IPA),
Index on Censorship,
PEN Norway,
World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC),
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression,
World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC),
Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR),
International PEN Writers in Prison Committee,
Journalistes en Danger (JED),
Media Institute of South Africa (MISA),
World Association of Newspapers (WAN).
Contact details:
Tunisia Monitoring Group
c/o IFEX Clearing House
489 College Street, Suite 403
Toronto, Ontario M6G 1A5
Canada
Tel: +1 416 515 9622
Email: ifex (at) ifex.org
