Dear All,

Below is a sign-on statement in support of the call to repeal Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and to end mass surveillance.

If you or your organization wants to sign, kindly email nicadumlao@yahoo.com.

Thanks!
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Nica Dumlao
Program Coordinator
Internet Rights
Foundation for Media Alternatives

Unit 209; No. 77 Xavierville Ave. cor B. Gonzales St.
Loyola Heights, Quezon City
Philippines 1108
+632 435 6684; +632 433 8581
Skype: nicadumlao

STATEMENT on #STOPCYBERMARTIALLAW and #THEDAYWEFIGHTBACK GLOBAL ACTION AGAINST MASS SURVEILLANCE
 
11 February 2014

We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, join the global call for the end to arbitrary and mass surveillance and collection of personal data, and support the struggle to repeal Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

In this age of the internet, the rights and freedoms that peoples’ struggles have long won are again facing imminent threats of repression and denial. Last year, through Edward Snowden, we learned of the massive and systematic digital surveillance perpetrated by the world’s governments, all without adequate public oversight and without citizens’ knowledge and consent. In many countries, from the United States and the United Kingdom to the Southeast Asian region, these fundamental rights and freedoms are in danger of being eroded and are being eroded by laws and policies extending censorship and control to the internet.

We assert that policies and actions of indiscriminate and arbitrary collection of personal data interfere with and violate the freedoms of expression and of association, and of access to and exchange of information and ideas—freedom and rights that are enshrined in international human rights laws and standards, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and that are essential to the preservation and perpetuation of democracy. Mass surveillance does not have a place in a free and democratic society.

We join the chorus of voices of peoples from all over the globe in calling upon all governments to uphold the right of all individuals to use information and communications technologies such as the Internet without fear of unwarranted interference.

To this end, we commit to the continuing struggle for the advancement of fundamental human rights, and support the calls of the movement for internet freedom in the Philippines for:

1. Repeal of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012;
2. Public Participation in crafting policies that seek to govern or regulate the internet, in order to safeguard internet freedom; and,
3. Recognition and respect of the private sector of human rights.

We express our solidarity with the united movements of human rights and internet freedom defenders across the globe. Today we #StopCyberMartialLaw! Today is #TheDayWeFightBack!

(initial signatories):

Asia-Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC)
Dakila Artist Collective
Foundation for Media Alternatives
Gender and Development Advocates (GANDA) – Filipinas
Human Rights Online Philippines
Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID)
Philippine Internet Freedom Alliance
Sanlakas
Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP)
Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau