Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Blogs without frontiers – (cyber)war without tears?

“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
Article 19, Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Us bloggers in the so-called free world can count ourselves lucky that we’ve got more or less carte blanche to say whatever we like about anything we like without fear of censorship or repression from the authorities. So spare a thought for bloggers and journalists who have the courage to stand up against repressive regimes in countries such as Iran, Egypt and China to name but a few. Bloggers who criticise the government in a country where free speech is limited often face the threat of imprisonement simply for standing up for what they believe in.
Paul over at the Northern Irish Magyar highlights up the case of Egyptian blogger Alaa who has been arrested for speaking out against his country’s government.

With the freedom we enjoy in the western world comes a sense of responsibility. It is our duty to bring these abuses of human rights to the world’s attention.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Human Rights is a strange phrase. I wonder if we really do have any right to claim rights since the human race after so many years of history still hasn't learned how to live without raping the planet and killing our own kind for the grand reward of some temporal power or wealth. Maybe human extinction is the only answer.

Human rights.... how far do they go and who sets the rules. Do western values apply thoughout the world just because they are accepted in our culture?

Opression at any level is a nasty system to live under.

Anonymous said...

Extinction?? Thats a bit harsh Caroline. It does seem to be part of the human condition that individuals and countries regularly fight each other and leaders become corrupt once they come to power. This is illustrated through history and no doubt will continue into the future. But I do think there is a lot of good in the world as well and it is only by experiencing evil that we can recognise what that is. After all we must be here for some purpose and be heading somewhere so all the horrible things that happen and the pain and suffering in the world is a part of that.

Paul said...

NorthernSole
You may want to read this on Yahoo which gives quite an optimistic picture of what's happening with Alaa
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060528/ap_on_hi_te/egypt_blogging_behind_bars
150,000 hits a day on the US sites alone which are fighting his case.
All this pressure has got to have an effect sooner or later.