[AfrICANN-discuss] ?2014 African Internet Policy and Media Law Roundup

[Ephraim Percy Kenyanito]

I noticed that on the mailing list it breaks the text so please find the link here: http://cgcsblog.asc.upenn.edu/2014/04/25/african-internet-policy-and-media-law-roundup/

Ephraim.

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>   1.  ?2014 African Internet Policy and Media Law Roundup
>      (Ephraim Percy Kenyanito)
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> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2014 17:41:10 +0300
> From: Ephraim Percy Kenyanito <ekenyanito at gmail.com>
> To: kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke, isoc at orion.my.co.ke,
>    africann at afrinic.net
> Subject: [ISOC_KE] ?2014 African Internet Policy and Media Law Roundup
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>    <CAHwnKeE3ypLCUyavObN8UwaW-tC3fHg=Fo=-PuRTChjGeGd77g at mail.gmail.com>
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> FYI
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> --
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> Best Regards,
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> *Ephraim Percy Kenyanito*
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> *Website:*http://about.me/ekenyanito
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> *Twitter:* https://twitter.com/ekenyanito
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> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: The Center for Global Communication Studies (CGCS) <
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> Date: 26 April 2014 15:01
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> ??<http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CGCSMediaWire/~3/ZjUW_pfyWbw/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email>
> African Internet Policy and Media Law
> Roundup<http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/CGCSMediaWire/~3/ZjUW_pfyWbw/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email>
> 
> Posted: 25 Apr 2014 03:27 PM PDT
> 
> *Welcome to the first African Internet Policy and Media Law Roundup
> compiled by Ephraim Percy Kenyanito
> <http://cgcsblog.asc.upenn.edu/2014/04/18/spotlight-on-african-contributions-to-internet-governance-discussions-part-1-netmundial/>.
> This
> edition of the roundup explores notable events affecting, or affected by,
> African internet policies from January through April 2014.*
> 
> *JANUARY*
> 
> *Zambia:* On January 1, 2014, Miles Sampa, Zambia?s Junior Minister of
> Commerce, Trade, and Industry, declared
> war<http://zambiareports.com/2014/01/01/miles-sampa-declares-war-with-zambian-watchdog/>
> on
> the Zambian Watchdog <https://www.zambianwatchdog.com/>, an independent
> media website which published photos that point to Sampa?s alleged
> extramarital affair. The Minister then decided to offer $2000
> USD<http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2014/01/06/minister-offers-2000-reward-to-unmask-zambian-watchdog-editors-attack-independent-press-freedom/>
> to
> anyone who could reveal the identity of the people behind the website.
> 
> *Somalia:* The extremist Somali militia Al-Shabab issued an
> ultimatum<http://allafrica.com/stories/201401090117.html>to Somalia?s
> internet service providers on January 8, 2014. On January 11,
> 2014, the Somali Minister of Interior and National Security downplayed the
> threats <http://mad.ly/d71464> and urged the upholding of the right to free
> expression enshrined in the country?s constitution.
> 
> *Somalia:* On January 12, 2014, telcos operating in Al-Shabab controlled
> areas caved in to pressure <http://allafrica.com/stories/201401241187.html>from
> Al-Shabab <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Shabaab_(militant_group)>, an
> extremist militia group, and shut down internet
> access<http://www.itnewsafrica.com/2014/01/telecom-operators-comply-with-al-shabaab-order/>.
> It is speculated<http://www.itnewsafrica.com/2014/01/telecom-operators-comply-with-al-shabaab-order/>
> that
> Al-Shabab was pressuring the telcos to shut down the internet in order to
> prevent the government from  tracking down to extremist group.
> 
> *Sudan:* On January 14, 2014, Tech President, released a
> report<http://techpresident.com/news/wegov/24667/sudan-civil-society-struggles-tech-us-sanctions>which
> showed that US Sanctions against Sudan are preventing Sudanese
> citizens, including civil society organizations, from protecting themselves
> against international and national cyber threats.
> 
> *Zambia:* On January 17, 2014, operators of the independent news site
> theZambian Watchdog<http://www.zambianwatchdog.com/>came under policy
> scrutiny after an online journalist on the site published
> a draft of the new Zambian constitution that politicians had drafted
> butdid not want releasedto the general
> public<http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2014/01/17/zambian-police-go-after-watchdog-for-publishing-draft-constitution/>
> .
> 
> *Morocco:* On January 19, 2014, it was made
> public<http://7iber.org/2014/01/code-numerique-puts-the-wind-up-the-moroccan-online-community/>that
> the Moroccan government was contemplating the enactment of theCode
> Num?rique<https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/12/will-morocco-regulate-internet-interview-zineb-belmkaddem-and-ibn-kafka>,
> a new law that would allow Moroccan authorities to block websites deemed a
> threat ?public order, national security, necessities of public service, or
> public policy.?  The new law would also punish online statements considered
> to be in violation of those rules. Online freedoms activists responded by
> developing a crowdsourced
> document<https://docs.google.com/document/d/13XBnZ546vkO4aNA-cktklqC8nFLVno0pR6c6-fADY3o/edit>that
> provided suggestions on some of the repressive sections of the law.
> 
> *Kenya:* On January 21, 2014, Kenyan bloggers
> warned<http://techpresident.com/news/wegov/24688/kenya-bloggers-media-bill-vulnerable-prosecution>of
> the negative impacts and potential chilling effect of new media laws
> in
> Kenya. According to bloggers, the new laws left them open to prosecution
> due to some of its vague provisions. More information on these laws can be
> found here<http://thediaryofaglobalcitizen.wordpress.com/2014/03/04/lets-get-real-about-kenyan-media-laws/>
> .
> 
> *Egypt:* On January 31, 2014, the Egyptian Ministry of Interior submitted a
> new law which criminalises the use of online
> platforms<https://globalvoicesonline.org/2014/01/31/egypts-anti-terrorism-law-to-target-internet/>in
> the name of curbing terrorism. Such platforms that instigate terrorism
> could potentially be censored.
> FEBRUARY
> 
> *Uganda:* On February 6, 2014, Ugandan lawmakers enacted the Anti
> Pornography Act
> 2014<http://www.scribd.com/doc/207712031/Anti-Pornography-Act-2014>.Under,
> Section 17 (1) of the act, internet service providers (ISPs) whose systems
> are used to upload or download pornography can be imprisoned for five years
> and fined up to $4,000 USD. The law further requires all ISPs to install
> software<http://opennetafrica.org/poorly-drafted-ugandan-internet-act-seeks-to-ban-pornography-and-opens-the-door-to-arbitrary-government-action/>that
> implements Deep Packet Inspection (DPI), a form of filtering software
> that can identify who has been accessing what on the internet.
> 
> *Ethiopia:* On February 12, 2014, University of Toronto?s Citizen Lab
> revealed that that Ethiopian government was using Hacking Team?s RCS
> spyware<https://citizenlab.org/2014/02/hacking-team-targeting-ethiopian-journalists/>to
> surveil Ethiopian journalists abroad working at Ethiopian Satellite
> Television Service, a US-based news outlet that is frequently critical of
> the Ethiopian government.
> 
> *Sudan:* On February 17, 2014, Sudan Change Now, on its Facebook page,
> called
> <https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=675279215849333&set=a.205742952802964.50241.190461187664474&type=1&stream_ref=10>for
> the civil society community in Sudan to hold a peaceful sit-in on February
> 18, 2014, in front of the government-run Human Rights Commission (HRC), to
> demand the immediate release of Tajeldin
> Arja<http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2014/02/17/sudan-blogger-remains-in-detention-for-criticizing-presidents/>.
> Tajeldin Arja is a Sudanese blogger and activist who has been in detention
> since his arrest on December 24, 2013 at a joint press conference of the
> Sudanese and Chadian presidents in Khartoum, Sudan?s capital. Arja
> criticized the Sudanese and Chadian presidents for their alleged complicity
> in Darfur crimes.
> 
> *Egypt:* On February 18, 2014, an Egyptian youth group launch an ?internet
> revolution?<http://english.alarabiya.net/en/business/telecoms/2014/02/18/-Down-with-slow-internet-A-new-Egyptian-revolution-.html>to
> protest what they consider a slow and overpriced internet service.
> *MARCH*
> 
> *Zambia:* On March 12, 2014, the son of Michael Sata, Zambia?s President,
> allegedly beat up and
> threatened<http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2014/03/13/zambia-presidents-son-warns-journalist-we-will-kill-you/>a
> journalist affiliated with the controversial investigative news
> website
> the Zambia Watchdog <https://www.zambianwatchdog.com/>.
> 
> *South Africa:* On March 16, 2014, the South African communications
> regulator ICASA raised the idea of introducing ?net neutrality?
> regulations<http://www.techcentral.co.za/icasa-moots-net-neutrality-probe/46968/>that
> would stop operators from discriminating against traffic carried
> across their networks.
> 
> *Gambia:* On March 21, 2014, Gambia was without internet
> access<http://sidisanneh.blogspot.com/2014/03/gambia-without-internet-service-for-48.html>
> for
> 48 hours. Economist Sidi Sanneh, who served as the country?s foreign
> minister in the mid-2000s, said the blackout resulted from government
> efforts to block chat and call apps including Viber and other VoIP
> internet-based messaging and phone services. Gambia?s Ministry of
> Information Technology
> denied<http://standard.gm/site/news/3011-Government-has-not-blocked-Viber.html>blocking
> access to Viber, blaming the problem instead on poor network
> connectivity.
> 
> *Ethiopia:* On March 25, 2014, Human Rights Watch released ?They Know
> Everything We Do: Telecom and Internet Surveillance in
> Ethiopia<http://www.hrw.org/node/123977>
> ,? a 137-page report detailing government acquisition of surveillance tools
> from foreign companies, cooperation with mobile service providers, and
> sufficient testimony from journalists, activists, and others who have been
> targeted by surveillance practices.
> APRIL
> 
> *Mozambique:* On April 3, 2014, that Mozambican lawmakers began considering
> a new law<http://globalvoicesonline.org/2014/04/03/mozambique-wants-to-criminalize-insulting-texts-emails-and-internet-posts/>that
> would criminalize text messages, emails, and other online
> communications deemed ?insulting? or ?threatening to the security of the
> state.?
> 
> On April 3rd, Mozambique also joined The Alliance for Affordable
> Internet<http://a4ai.org/> (AA4I),
> a global coalition working to make broadband affordable. Mozambique is the
> first Southern African Development Community (SADC) country and the third
> developing country (including Nigeria and Ghana) to
> join<http://allafrica.com/stories/201404030687.html> A4AI.
> A4AI?s coalition is made up of more than 50 private sector, public sector,
> and civil society organizations, working to reach the UN Broadband
> Commission Broadband target of entry-level broadband services priced at
> less than 5% of average monthly income.
> 
> *Zambia:* On April 6, 2014, Zambian Information Permanent Secretary Bert
> Musahala disclosed<http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=47323>that
> the media policy the government is currently drafting will address
> internet abuse and cybercrime. To the
> disappointment<http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2014/04/08/zambia-will-draft-internet-law-to-control-gossiping-media/>of
> some activists, the law is also intended to deal with prevention of
> gossip within online discussion platforms.
> 
> *Nigeria:* On April 10, 2014, an engineer who tweets as
> @ciaxon<https://twitter.com/ciaxon>allegedly disappeared after
> tweeting<http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2014/04/10/freeciaxon-nigerian-netizen-missing-after-reporting-on-deadly-clashes/>about
> an attempt by members of the Boko Haram terrorist group to escape a
> state detention facility.
> 
> *Ethiopia:* On April 25, 2014, Ethiopian government officials are reported
> to have arrested <http://inagist.com/all/459792326844751872/> at least six
> bloggers and one journalist. The bloggers and journalists are part of a
> movement known as
> Zone9<http://ecadforum.com/News/bloggers-and-activists-are-arrested-in-ethiopia/>which,
> though inactive for the past seven months, has been operating since
> 2012. Members of the movement had been writing critical articles about the
> regime and managed to conduct online campaigns,which raised public
> awareness about the repression in the country. The bloggers and journalist
> recently resumed their online activism on April 23, 2014.
> 
> 
> 
> Featured Photo Credit:[image:
> Attribution]<https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/>Some
> rights reserved <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/> by
> Abri_Beluga <https://www.flickr.com/photos/beluga/>
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