TR: [CPI-UA] Survey accuses Arab governments of impeding internet growth

[Alain Ambrosi <ambrosia@web.ca>]

Survey accuses Arab governments of impeding internet growth
----------------------------------------------

Government restrictions and censorship are among the leading
reasons behind the slow growth of the Internet in the Middle East,
according to a new survey released by the Arabic Network for
Human Rights Information (HRINFO).

"Arab governments perceived this newly emergent means of
communication, with its promise of freedom from government
dominion, as constituting a threat and, accordingly, began to do
their best to control the Internet and its users," Gamal Eid,
HRINFO executive director, writes in "The Internet in the Arab
World: A New Space of Repression."

HRINFO launched the survey to determine the number of Internet
users, the number of Arabic language Web sites, and the reasons
why these numbers are typically low in comparison to other areas
of the world. Their initial analysis - from media sources, foreign
studies on the Internet use, and interviews - showed that
government policies were largely to blame.

Of the 11 countries surveyed, HRINFO says that only Jordan, the
United Arab Emirates and Qatar provide a relatively high degree
of freedom online. The other countries - Bahrain, Tunisia, Saudi
Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Egypt and Yemen - impose heavy
restrictions on Internet users, often charging them with defamation,
harming the state's reputation or violating the public morality.

"Arab governments typically use the protection of Islamic values
and public morals to justify banning Web sites of human rights
or political opposition groups that censure these governments,"
Eid adds.

HRINFO is particularly critical of the Tunisian government, which
will host the 2005 World Summit on Information Society despite
its poor record on freedom of expression.

The survey is available online in English at
http://www.hrinfo.net/en/reports/net2004/ and in Arabic at
http://www.hrinfo.net/reports/net2004/.

Hard-copies are available from HRINFO by contacting Gamal Eid
at telephone 020101936884, or Eman Herzallah at telephone
020124046573.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
http://www.ijnet.org/FE_Article/Region.asp?REgionID=1&UILang=1

--------------------------------------------------
--

---

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Via / By / Excerpted / From / Tip from / Thanks to:

***********************
Produced by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) 1616
H Street, N.W. - Third Floor - Washington, D.C. 20006.
Telephone: (1-202) 737-3700 - Fax: (1-202) 737-0530. E-mail:
editor@icfj.org - Web Site: http://www.icfj.org
*********************************
© 2004 International Center for Journalists.
All rights reserved.

IJNet grants permission for its material to be reproduced or
republished provided IJNet is credited. Failure to provide credit will
be considered a violation of copyrighted material.
© info
<http://members.tripod.com/~media002/disclaimer.htm>
Due to the nature of email & the WWW, check ALL sources.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
GEORGE LESSARD
Information & Media Specialist
Home E-mail <mailto:media@web.net>
MSN: MediaMentor (video cam & audio capable)
ICQ: 8501081
www.Skype.com P2PNetPhone: themediamentor
Home Pages / C.V. <http://media002.tripod.com/>
Online Activities: <http://www.web.ca/~media/index.html>
Member <http://www.carcc.ca/>  & <http://www.caj.ca>
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
(Gandhi)