[liberationtech] Pakistan's Firewall: Need your help and support

[Sana Saleem]

Hi all, 

Access now has just started a campaign against the URL filtering and blocking system announced by ministry of IT Pakistan, the anti-censorship campaign is addressed to international companies that haven't respond to requests made by several civil society organizations within and outside of Pakistan.

Please share the link widely, within the your circle and get people to sign:

http://bit.ly/wKCfis

We are using #stopcensoringpk as the hashtag for the campaign. We've until Friday to built pressure. Please help, sign & share! 

Best,
Sana

On 8, مار چ 2012, at 23:31, Sana Saleem <sana at bolobhi.org> wrote:

> Hi all, 
> 
> There's been significant media coverage of the impending internet censorship plans by Pakistan's Government. The anti-censorship campaign has been able to garner support from national and international organizations. The positive news is that, we were able to push the government to extend the tender closing date, for URL filtering and blocking system, from 1st of March to the 16th of March. Our partners in the campaign, Business Human Rights Resource Centre, were able to forward our petition and letter to company CEO's  and we received commitments form:
> 
> -Websense
> - Cisco
> -Verizon
> -Sandvine
> 
> They have committed not to bid for the URL filtering system. However, Mcafee,ZTE , Huawei, Bluecoat has not responded. We are now getting very close to the tender closing date and have entered a crucial phase in the campaign. We believe at this point it would be most beneficial to keep building pressure. 
> 
> - Getting businesses with investments in Pakistan to speak up and write to the Ministry of IT 
> - Getting media to focus on various aspects of the issues, including how this could effectively turn online spaces as tools for surveillance, how this would hurt the economy, academic paralysis and halt innovation. 
> 
> We have put together a Press Kit, it is comprehensive and has basic info that most of you might already be aware of, to inform journalists within and outside of Pakistan about the situation and it's repercussions. Please feel free to share, amongst your contacts: http://bolobhi.org/press-release-public-statements/press-kit/national-url-filtering-blocking-system/ 
> 
> Here is a timeline for the campaign so far: http://bolobhi.org/timeline-campaign-against-internet-censorship-in-pakistan/ 
> 
> Thank you and I would really appreciate your suggestions, feedback and help, 
> Best, 
> Sana
> 
> -- 
> Chief Operating Officer
> Bolo Bhi 
> Privacy-Advocacy-Research 
> http://bolobhi.org
> 
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