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Communication Rights
Source: APC
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Different rationales have been expressed to support formulation of a new or emerging right to communicate. In a broad sense, its advocates appear to act out of a concern that increasingly, the media are becoming homogenized and minority or dissenting voices are rarely heard.
Globalisation and commercialization of the media is one of the chief concerns: it is argued that in countries around the world, threats from the private sector—such as large media corporations—are as harmful to the right to freedom of expression as traditional state threats. Whilst in many African countries, it is the state which is the problem by imposing restrictive rules and regulations on freedom of expression or by itself dominating the media sector while failing to reflect the diversity that exists within its territory.
The formulation at the international level of a right to communicate, it is said, would remedy both of these problems. Legal recognition of a right to communicate would additionally help bridge the growing digital divide by empowering those currently left behind in the communications revolution.
However, there appears to be little agreement on the precise definition or content of the right to communicate. How is it different from the right to freedom of expression or to what extent such a right or a Declaration would fit in the existing international Bill of Rights (formed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights)?
Source: J Barker and P Noorlender, FreePress magazine(April 2003) of the Media Institute of Southern Africa.
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On Communication Rights in the APC Monitor
View all news on Communication Rights
 Activists condemn curbs on internet 
08/03/2006 (IRIN News) --
Rights groups have condemned several Arab governments - including Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia - for blocking websites devoted to freedom of speech on political and social issues. But some governments have denied they're to blame.
Egypt | Communication Rights, Media
Egypt: Arrest of bloggers condemned
12/06/2006 (APC) --
APC condemns the unjust detention of free speech bloggers and journalists in Egypt. Alaa Seif Al-Islam, a seasoned blogger and APC colleague, is one of four Egyptian online diarists being held in detention for criticising the current regime since May 7. In addition, APC has heard disturbing reports about violent actions taken by state security against several of the bloggers who were released from custody last week, only to be subsequently re-arrested. Authorities prevented human rights lawyers from visiting the bloggers who had been beaten and tortured on Thursday May 25.
Egypt | Communication Rights, Media
Egyptian blogger released
27/06/2006 (The Independent Online) --
Egyptian authorities have released an award-winning blogger and activist, imprisoned over 45 days ago, on charges including insulting the country's president. Alaa Seif al-Islam, who was arrested at a pro-reform demonstration in May, drew the ire of the authorities for his provocative weblog, and taking part in banned street protests.
Egypt | Communication Rights, Media
NGOs call for WIPO reform
21/09/2006 (IPJustice) --
Non-governmental organisations from across the globe have signed a statement urging the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to adopt a development agenda. WIPO is an international treaty-making body within the United Nations that aims to stardardize intellectual property laws across the globe. Led by Brazil and Argentina, the NGOs say WIPO is too focused on maximizing intellectual property rights.
International | Communication Rights, Content and Language, Freedom of Expression, Intellectual Property, Laws and Regulation
Logging onto Libya and Cote d'Ivoire
05/04/2007 (HANA) --
Libya, Cote d'Ivoire and Russia are the latest countries to acquire top-level domain names. Internet users will soon be logging on .ly for Libya and .ci for Cote d'Ivoire, writes Remmy Nweke.
Côte d'Ivoire, Libya | Access, Communication Rights, Internet Governance
South Africa: Thought police target new media
10/07/2007 (ITWeb) --
Lawyers say changes made to South Africa's Film and Publications Act have placed onerous obligations on new media. Once the law takes effect, any internet or mobile content that contains representations of sexual conduct, advocacy of hatred, incitement to violence or propaganda promoting war - including descriptions - must be submitted for classification. ITWeb's Leon Engelbrecht has the story.
South Africa | Communication Rights, Media
States clamp down on internet
30/07/2007 (IOL) --
State restrictions on the use of the internet have spread to more than 20 countries that use catch-all and contradictory rules to help keep people off line, and stifle feared political opposition. That's according to a report by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
Dem. Rep. of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe | Communication Rights
South Africa, DRC: IFJ calls for state action
09/08/2007 (IFJ) --
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has reacted with concern at the continued detention of two journalists in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as well as to an attack on an exiled Zimbabwean news editor in South Africa.
Dem. Rep. of Congo, South Africa, Zimbabwe | Communication Rights, Media
It's official: Mugabe sorts the mail
10/08/2007 (Jurist) --
Zimbabwe's president Robert Mugabe has signed off on the controversial Interception of Communications Bill, which establishes a government communications surveillance agency and authorizes the government to intercept communications across the telephone, the internet, and other electronic communication devices.
Zimbabwe | Communication Rights, Security and Privacy
Kenya: Silent demonstration against Media Bill
13/08/2007 () --
Kenyan journalists are staging a 'Silent Demo' to protest a clause in the country's new Media Bill. The clause forces journalists to reveal their sources in court.
Kenya | Communication Rights, Media
See all documents on Communication Rights
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Social networks: Activists move in...
06/03/2009 --
Facebook is not just a way to get back in touch with old classmates from school or see what your “friends” are up to. Activists around the world are taking advantage of this new virtual space to expand their reach and establish more immediate and interactive contact with individuals and organisations from an ever wider range of backgrounds. ITeM, an APC member in Uruguay, talked with APCNoticias about how it is using this web-based tool, and shared some practical advice for others who are experimenting with social networks and other Web 2.0 tools.
Dem. Rep. of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe | Communication Rights
Survey of e-learning in Africa
03/03/2009 --
According to this 10-page report, e-learning is in its infancy in Africa; but the evidence suggests that there is nevertheless considerable enthusiasm for the potential that it offers across the educational spectrum, not only for universities and schools, but also for vocational training, for lifelong learning, and for marginalised groups such as street children and those with disabilities.
Dem. Rep. of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe | Communication Rights
Will Africa ever own her share of space?
20/10/2008 --
The stage is already set because not a single equatorial country in Africa has a satellite to its name, logically locking them out of the global outer space ownership debate, writes Othieno Joseph.
Dem. Rep. of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe | Access, Communication Rights, Media
Information Society or Knowledge Societies? Unesco in the Smart State
18/10/2005 --
The chapters in this volume canvasses the dialogue emerging from discussions about the WSIS Statement of Principles and Plan of Action in the context of local, national and international communication policies. It also offers some insights to WSIS participants, which may be helpful when it comes to evaluating the process in Tunis and beyond. The various authors discuss the WSIS Statement of Principles and Plan of Action from multiple perspectives, offering insights into the key challenges facing the process and offering alternative frameworks for the management of communication rights.
International | Communication Rights, WSIS
So what is 'net neutrality'?
21/02/2008 --
So what is 'net neutrality'? A case example from the United States puts you in the picture.
Dem. Rep. of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe | Access, Communication Rights, Internet Governance
The denial of women’s right to communicate
11/11/2005 --
Silencing women’s voices is one of the oldest methods in history of keeping women in their place. The denial of women’s right to communicate or to put it plainly, a right to voice and free speech, is one of the strongest political weapons in the armory of patriarchy. When the voices of women have been silenced, there are many things they cannot do. They cannot participate effectively in democratic debates and discourses; they cannot tell policy-makers (the majority of whom are men) what they think of the economic, education..
Zambia | Communication Rights, Gender
Human rights in the global information society
01/08/2006 --
International organizations, governments, academia, industry, and the media have all begun to grapple with the information society as a global policy issue. The contributors to this timely volume examine the links between information technology and human rights from a range of disciplinary perspectives.
International | Communication Rights
Kenya: Policy watch - key documents
11/06/2007 --
Kenya's new Media Bill and amended Communications Bill is stirring up a hornet's nest in a country otherwise praised for its transparent and inclusive ICT and communications policy processes. Activists say the Kenyan government has not consulted the people it should have properly, and that consumers are getting a raw deal. The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANeT), a multi-stakeholder network in that country, has collected some of the key texts for you to browse. And it is asking for your input.
Kenya | Communication Rights, Media, Telecommunications
Zimbabwe: Submissions to new Interceptions Bill
20/09/2006 --
Kubatana.net is keeping a close watch on developments surrounding Zimbabwe's new Interception of Communications Bill. The latest submission posted on its website is from the Zimbabwe Internet Service Providers Association (ZISPA). ZISPA says legislation designed to protect national security has to strike a balance between unfettered monitoring and allowing criminals to roam free, and between what is reasonable in a democratic society and what is not. Read this and other submissions.
Zimbabwe | Communication Rights, Security and Privacy
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