APC stands by WikiLeaks

8 Dec 2010

JOHANNESBURG: The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) has expressed its concern over the recent attempts by governments to limit access to online content recently published by whistleblower website WikiLeaks.

APC is also troubled by actions taken by private companies such as EveryDNS.net which disabled the domain name system services for WikiLeaks.org, Amazon which repealed web hosting services and Paypal which restricted access to WikiLeaks' account to prevent supporters from donating money.

Rejecting online content control

The organisation has appealed to all governments and the internet community to explicitly reject any form of online content control that limits freedom of expression and information, particularly information that contributes to more transparent governance, and that empowers citizens to hold their governments accountable. The APC has called for assurance of the uninterrupted online presence of the WikiLeaks website.

APC believes that the ability to share information and communicate freely using the internet is vital to the realisation of human rights and to efforts to use the internet to contribute more accountable and transparent governance at global and national levels. A site like WikiLeaks can also play a vital role in aiding the fight against corruption in governments and corporations.

The APC Internet Rights Charter states:

The internet must be protected from all attempts to silence critical voices and to censor social and political content or debate.
Organisations, communities and individuals should be free to use the internet to organise and engage in protest.
All information, including scientific and social research, that is produced with the support of public funds should be freely available to all.

The APC has expressed its concern by trends over the last decade that show that such rights are increasingly violated and believes that the recent attempts to censor WikiLeaks provide additional reasons for concern.