Timeline: Campaign against Internet Censorship in Pakistan
As we continue the campaign against internet censorship, we feel it is crucial to inform supporters in order to maintain momentum. Civil society groups both within and outside Pakistan have been working collectively against the impending internet censorship in Pakistan.
We still have not heard back from the Government, Ministry of IT or ICT Rnd Fund
The timeline below enlists statement and media coverage the issue has received thus far.
Day one press release:
Day two press release:
- Electronic Frontier Foundation issued a statement: https://www.eff.org/
deeplinks/2012/02/not-a-hoax- pakistan-requests-proposals- national-filtering-and- blocking-system - An online petition for national audience to demand an end to censorship ( http://bolobhi.org/
activities/petitions/pakistan- )stop-the-firewall/ - We issued letters to CEO’s of international companies likely to apply ( http://bolobhi.org/pakistan-
anti-censorship-campaign-get- ) started online campaign and also a petition ( http://bolobhi.org/the-ceos-to-commit/ activities/petitions/ )censorship-is-big-business-it- should-not-be/ - Bushra Gohar raised issue with the ministry of IT and spoke to relevant.
- Business Human Rights Centre Committed to send our letter to the CEO’s and petitions to the organizations directly
- Websense issued a statement saying they will not sell the technology and asked others to do the same ( http://bolobhi.org/press-
release-public-statements/ ) statement (http://community.websense.civil-society-thank-websense/ com/blogs/websense-insights/ )archive/2012/03/02/say-no-to- government-censorship-of-the- internet-in-pakistan.aspx? cmpid=pr - GNI issued a statement ( http://www.
globalnetworkinitiative.org/ ) They are huge and have a lot of impact.newsandevents/GNI_Statement_ on_Pakistan_s_Request_for_ Proposals_for_an_Internet_ Filtering_and_Blocking_System. php - Electronic Frontier Foundation issued a statement, lauding our efforts and asking other companies to take websense lead ( https://www.eff.org/
deeplinks/2012/03/filtering- )software-companies-should- follow-websenses-lead - Human rights first issued statement ( http://www.humanrightsfirst.
org/2012/03/02/websense- )applauded-for-response-to- pakistans-call-for-censorship- partner/ - Reporters without borders issued a statement citing our petition and a letter to the Prime Minister and ICT RnD board ( http://en.rsf.org/pakistan-
government-wants-to-create-02- )03-2012,41977.html
Media Coverage:
- New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/
2012/03/03/technology/ pakistan-builds-web-wall-out- in-the-open.html?_r=1&smid=tw- nytimes&seid=auto - Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/
sites/davidthier/2012/03/02/ pakistans-open-war-on-the- internet/ - TIMES: http://www.time.com/
time/quotes/0,26174,2108224, 00.html - Global Voices: http://
globalvoicesonline.org/2012/ 02/28/pakistan-fighting-the- great-firewall/ - Express Tribune: http://tribune.com.pk/story/321958/the-futility-of-censorship/
- Firewall Looming: http://speakforchange.org/firewall-looming-in-pakistan/
[...] number of other local and international groups including Bolo Bhi, Bytes for All, Human Rights First, Electronic Frontier Foundation andWebsense have also issued [...]
[...] RFP. Numerous Pakistani free speech groups including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Bolo Bhi and Bytes for All joined in protest. Bytes for All put out the call, “Let’s join hands to stop [...]
[...] the spotlight on companies that are in a position to bid on the filtering project, check out the website of Pakistan-based NGO Bolo [...]