Internet Repression ( irrepresible.info )

The birth of the internet was cutting edge technology for many of us; it gave us a new platform to share our thoughts, views and in some cases, our most personal feelings that has been suppressed within us, sometimes by ourselves and sometimes by others. In this sense, the internet has become a platform for those who are seeking to establish their right to existence, expression, etc in this world. But sadly, autocratic regimes, like in the Maldives, have chosen to block our access to those websites that exposes the repressive regimes and our calls for freedom.

Irrepressible.info is an Amnesty International campaign, (with the support of The Observer UK newspaper), to show that online or offline the human voice and human rights are impossible to repress.

In the Maldives, President Gayoom (in power for the last 28 years) had managed to silence any voice of dissent quite successfully until the birth of the internet which gave people a new way of showing the abuse that they have suffered at his hands. The pioneering e-magazine Sandhaanu was the first of its kind that was able to highlight the brutal practices of this regime. Others soon followed such as the popular "Dhivehi Observer" .

How did Gayoom (or Golhaabo as he is now popularly known as) react? By hunting down the owners of Sandhaanu, imprisoning them and torturing them. He now blocks Dhivehi Observer and all other websites critical of his regime (although we are able to access them through mirror sites)

But he must know that his days of repressing his people are numbered. He cannot stop us now.

Blogger Prison Sentence a slap in the face for freedom of expression

"Amnesty International today (22 February) condemned the four-year sentence handed down by an Egyptian court against blogger Karim Amer, and called for his immediate and unconditional release.

Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said:

"This sentence is yet another slap in the face of freedom for expression in Egypt.

"Karim Amer is a prisoner of conscience who is being prosecuted on account of the peaceful expression of his views.

"The Egyptian authorities must repeal laws which allow people to be thrown in prison just for exercising their right to free speech, be it online or offline.

'We are deeply worried that the Egyptian authorities are now targeting bloggers in their attempts to stifle free speech.

'Sadly this is not confined to Egypt. In countries around the world, governments are targeting bloggers, closing websites and censoring internet searches. The internet is the new front in the battle between those who want to speak out and those who would stop them.'

Karim Amer is the first Egyptian blogger to be tried for writing blogs criticizing Egypt's al-Azhar religious authorities, President Husni Mubarak and Islam. Charges against him included "spreading information disruptive of public order and damaging to the country's reputation", "incitement to hate Islam" and "defaming the President of the Republic".

Sounds familiar? No wonder my friend was worried about the blogging. Golhaabo studied in Egypt after all. Remember what he did to the Sandhaanu people?

Amnesty International

Sandhaanu