[P2P-F] Fwd: [opennetcoalition] France's G8 Focuses on Control and Restrictions to Online Freedoms

Fri May 20 23:16:09 CEST 2011

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: La Quadrature du Net <jz at laquadrature.net>
Date: Fri, May 20, 2011 at 8:54 PM
Subject: [opennetcoalition] France's G8 Focuses on Control and Restrictions
to Online Freedoms
To: opennetcoalition at laquadrature.net

La Quadrature du Net - For immediate release

Permanent link:
http://www.laquadrature.net/en/frances-g8-focuses-on-control-and-restrictions-to-online-freedoms

France's G8 Focuses on Control and Restrictions to Online Freedoms

*** Paris, May 20th, 2011 – A detailed analysis of exchanges between the
French President and his former Minister of Foreign Affairs on G8 related
matters appears in tomorrow's edition of the Marianne magazine. La
Quadrature du Net has accessed sources that confirm the existence of a
control-oriented policy, explicitly hostile to the support to the freedom of
expression on the Internet, in blatant contrast with the farcical "eG8
forum" smokescreen. Governments must be made accountable for the positions
they take on these issues when they speak behind close doors. ***

** The Elysée (French Presidency) does not want to hear anything about
cyberdissidents or freedom of expression, it wants “control”. **

Frédéric Martel, Marianne, 21-27 May 2011 (about the reasons behind the
cancellation of a pre-G8 international conference on freedom of expression
online)

This conclusion, based on factual evidence, confirms what we have claimed
for months now: despite public statements that try to conceal it and the
staged smokescreen of the "eG8 forum", the French presidency of the G8 has
constantly tried to prevent any statement that would declare the Internet as
a universal space of freedom and an essential tool for democracy, or that
would promote adequate protection against online censorship and control.

This policy directly originated from the French presidency, and was imposed
on the Foreign Affairs Ministry [1]. Other G8 governments (and not just
Russia) also support control and restriction to free online communications,
though they have not be caught in the act in such an obvious manner.

"Citizens and all parties who care for fundamental rights and freedoms must
send a clear message to governments : the smokescreen debates among industry
representatives at the eG8 next Tuesday will not hide what is at stake in
the G8 that follows," declares Jérémie Zimmermann, spokesperson of La
Quadrature du Net.

"All the G8 documents must be made public, as well as positions of each
country on Internet freedoms or control issues. Freedom of expression and
democracy can not be sacrificed for the benefit of some economic or
political self-serving interests," concludes Philippe Aigrain, co-founder of
the citizen organization.

* Références *

1. See http://www.laquadrature.net/en/sarkozy-exports-repressive-internet

** About la Quadrature du Net **

La Quadrature du Net is an advocacy group that promotes the rights and
freedoms of citizens on the Internet. More specifically, it advocates for
the adaptation of French and European legislations to respect the founding
principles of the Internet, most notably the free circulation of knowledge.

In addition to its advocacy work, the group also aims to foster a better
understanding of legislative processes among citizens. Through specific and
pertinent information and tools, La Quadrature du Net hopes to encourage
citizens' participation in the public debate on rights and freedoms in the
digital age.

La Quadrature du Net is supported by French, European and international NGOs
including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Open Society Institute and
Privacy International.

List of supporting organisations :
http://www.laquadrature.net/en/they-support-squaring-net-la-quadrature-du-net

** Press contact and press room **

Jérémie Zimmermann, jz at laquadrature.net, +33 (0)615 940 675

http://www.laquadrature.net/en/press-room

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