Human Rights: What’s Your Argument? Part 3: How to defend human rights with limited freedom of expression?

In cooperation with the Dutch Ministry for Foreign Affairs (BZ) and the Netherlands Platform for Human Rights (BMO)

13Nov2014 20:00 - 21:30

Event

In many places today civil society and human rights defenders are facing more and more challenges and restrictions. How can we explain this development? What can we do about it? How is the internet a part of this: does it create more freedom, or is it a powerful tool for repercussion? With: Claire Beston and an Ethiopian blogger from Zone 9. Moderator: Petra Stienen.

This is the final evening in our series on the shrinking space for civil society and the challenges faced when defending human rights, organised together with the Dutch Ministry for Foreign Affairs (BZ) and the Netherlands Platform for Human Rights (BMO). In part one, the general issue has been introduced: the ways in which NGO’s and individual human rights defenders are being limited in their work, and how this worldwide trend of shrinking space is related to the anti-terrorist measures taken since 9/11. In part two of the series, the consequences of strict measures for lawyers and human rights defenders, in particular in Turkey, have been explored.

In part three, the focus will be on ways in which freedom of expression is being limited, especially on the internet. The situation in Ethiopia will be taken as a starting point to explore this issue. Claire Beston, Ethiopia researcher at Amnesty International will talk about the current situation as regards the law and and limitations for civil society. An Ethiopian blogger representing Zone 9 will share experiences regarding limitations of freedom of expression and repercussions towards journalists and an expert on digital freedom will add to the discussion. We will also explore ways in which governments can contribute to enhancing space for civil society and journalists, in particular the Dutch government.

About the speakers

Claire Beston is Amnesty International's researcher on Ethiopia and Eritrea, based in Nairobi, Kenya. She researches and has published reports on a number of human rights issues, with particular focus around freedom of expression and association, arbitrary detention, torture and restrictive legislation. In this role she has conducted research in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somaliland, Uganda, and Egypt.

Zone 9 is a collective of bloggers and social media activists from Ethiopia, established by journalists and intellectuals. The name refers to the ‘virtual imprisonment’ of Ethiopians, the ninth zone of the Kaliti Prison in the capital Addis Ababa that extends well beyond its walls. With the slogan ‘we blog, because we care’, a public conversation about the future of the country is initiated. However, this initiative is not welcomed by the government, and six of them were arrested in April 2014, together with three other independent journalists. They are charged with terrorism. At this moment, Atnaf Berahane, Befekadu Hailu, Abel Wabela, Mahlet Fantahun, Natnael Feleke, and Zelalem Kibret, (and the three journalists, Tesfalem Waldyes, Edom Kassaye, and Asmamaw Hailegiorgis) are still being detained. Their trial should start at the 4^th of November (after being re-adjourned ten times).

Bethel Tsegaye is a project officer for Free Press Unlimited, a media development NGO working to improve freedom of speech and expression in fragile states. She has worked on issues of press freedom and media development in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and North Africa. She has experience implementing media development projects in Ethiopia and is interested in how to improve access to information in the country. Currently, she is working with journalists, HRD´s and bloggers to use ICT for freedom of expression and digital freedoms in the Middle East and North Africa.

Girma Tesfaw is an Ethiopian journalist, writer and poet based between Kampala, Uganda and Ljubljana, Slovenia. In 2007, he co-founder the independent weekly political newspaper Addis Neger. From that moment, he has been under threats, warnings and harrasment from the Ethiopian state security agents. In 2009, he fled to Uganda, and the newspaper was closed down by the government. At this moment, he is participating in the City of refuge project in the Slovenian Capital Ljubljana.