Tripoli, Libya (TML) - Libya\'s crackdown on YouTube, independent news sites and at least seven opposition websites based abroad is drawing criticism from human rights organizations.
The moves, which began last month, have been labeled a "disturbing step away from press freedom" and are being condemned by bloggers and activists alike.
"The Internet is the one area where there was real freedom of expression and was a new development over the last five years," Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch told The Media Line. "You could get news about the human-rights violations, the political situation, which you couldn\'t get at all in the print press."
"I think there was a political decision that it was getting out of control," she said. "This was an attempt to crackdown on that space."
Independent news sites such as Libya Al-Youm and Al-Manara and opposition websites such as Libya Al-Mustakbal and Akhbar Libya have been blocked from reporting developments in the country.
Most of the websites\' editors are based outside of Libya with journalists inside the country, and are known for publishing news on controversial political subjects, including human rights abuses by the Libyan government.
Hassan Amin, who is based in the United Kingdom and runs the popular opposition site Libya Al-Mostakbal (http://www.libya-al-mostakbal.org) said this is not the first time his website has been targeted by the regime in Tripoli since its establishment more than seven years ago.
"We have a huge following inside Libya itself," Amin told The Media Line. "Right now all those sites, including Libya Al-Mostakbal, are blocked. However, over the years people inside Libya have learned to get around things, so they\'re using proxies and other technical methods to break through and see the sites."
"The feedback we\'re getting through emails and phones is that quite a number are managing to get around the blockage," he said. "When this started we provided people through emails and mobile messages with proxy links to help them get through."
The organization also has a channel on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/libyaalmostakbal#p/u/1/BDoB7Irlhnc), which provides a wealth of information on the regime\'s human rights violation and opposition activity.
A group of Libyan bloggers, journalists, and rights defenders have started an online campaign on Facebook, which is still available to users in Libya, called "No to the Policy of Blocking Websites in Libya," and have shared proxy servers to allow access to the blocked web sites.
Since 2003, Libya has taken some significant measures in an attempt to thaw frosty relations with the international community.
Moves included abandoning its WMD (weapons of mass destruction) program in 2003; settling the case of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor who were accused of infecting Libyan children with HIV and imprisoned for eight years before their release in 2007; and accepting responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing.
But human-rights activists say these changes have not been accompanied by improvements in the country\'s human rights record.
"The real change in Libya\'s policies was primarily in their foreign policy," Morayef explained. "Their reintegration into the international community was because they gave up the WMD and settled a lot of the outstanding issues such as the Lockerbie case. But there hasn\'t been any parallel improvement or internal reforms in terms of human rights."
"That\'s something a lot of Western governments were happy to overlook, because of interest in Libya\'s oil and its impact as a counter terrorism partner," she continued. "For the EU, Libya is a main migration group and they\'re keen to get Libya to hold back the migrants. Because of those interests they were willing to overlook the fact that the human rights situation was so bad."
Amin said he did not believe recent moves in Libya to relax control of the media were genuine, and were largely cosmetic measures aimed at making Libya\'s freedom track record look more attractive.
In recent months, media outlets belonging to independent and opposition groups have focused on the scandals involving President Mu\'ammar Al-Qadhafi\'s sons, and have covered frequent demonstration at the Abu Sleem prison in Benghazi, where families of victims are demanding justice for inmates who disappeared or were killed in a prison crackdown in 1996.
"I think the regime now realizes that this is having an effect," Amin said. "There are many people trying to contact us and who are writing from Libya. A lot of information has been published by Libya Al-Mostakbal and other sites. They realize this is going too far and they want to do something about this."
In addition to the online clamp-down, Libya has refused to extend licenses for two private newspapers, Oea and Quryna, which will now appear online only. The General Press Authority (GPA) cited financial reasons for the decision, claiming the company that owns the papers is in debt and has not paid printing costs. The GPA has not given information about attempts to solve the financial dispute.
Oea and Quryna started publishing in 2007 and are the first two privately-owned newspapers in Libya since Mu\'ammar Al-Qadhafi came to power 40 years ago.
They have covered sensitive topics such as corruption, lack of independence of the judiciary and the Abu Sleem demonstrations.
Tripoli, Libya (TML) - Libya\'s crackdown on YouTube, independent news sites and at least seven opposition websites based abroad is drawing criticism from human rights organizations.
The moves, which began last month, have been labeled a "disturbing step away from press freedom" and are being condemned by bloggers and activists alike.
"The Internet is the one area where there was real freedom of expression and was a new development over the last five years," Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch told The Media Line. "You could get news about the human-rights violations, the political situation, which you couldn\'t get at all in the print press."
"I think there was a political decision that it was getting out of control," she said. "This was an attempt to crackdown on that space."
Independent news sites such as Libya Al-Youm and Al-Manara and opposition websites such as Libya Al-Mustakbal and Akhbar Libya have been blocked from reporting developments in the country.
Most of the websites\' editors are based outside of Libya with journalists inside the country, and are known for publishing news on controversial political subjects, including human rights abuses by the Libyan government.
Hassan Amin, who is based in the United Kingdom and runs the popular opposition site Libya Al-Mostakbal (http://www.libya-al-mostakbal.org) said this is not the first time his website has been targeted by the regime in Tripoli since its establishment more than seven years ago.
"We have a huge following inside Libya itself," Amin told The Media Line. "Right now all those sites, including Libya Al-Mostakbal, are blocked. However, over the years people inside Libya have learned to get around things, so they\'re using proxies and other technical methods to break through and see the sites."
"The feedback we\'re getting through emails and phones is that quite a number are managing to get around the blockage," he said. "When this started we provided people through emails and mobile messages with proxy links to help them get through."
The organization also has a channel on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/libyaalmostakbal#p/u/1/BDoB7Irlhnc), which provides a wealth of information on the regime\'s human rights violation and opposition activity.
A group of Libyan bloggers, journalists, and rights defenders have started an online campaign on Facebook, which is still available to users in Libya, called "No to the Policy of Blocking Websites in Libya," and have shared proxy servers to allow access to the blocked web sites.
Since 2003, Libya has taken some significant measures in an attempt to thaw frosty relations with the international community.
Moves included abandoning its WMD (weapons of mass destruction) program in 2003; settling the case of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor who were accused of infecting Libyan children with HIV and imprisoned for eight years before their release in 2007; and accepting responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing.
But human-rights activists say these changes have not been accompanied by improvements in the country\'s human rights record.
"The real change in Libya\'s policies was primarily in their foreign policy," Morayef explained. "Their reintegration into the international community was because they gave up the WMD and settled a lot of the outstanding issues such as the Lockerbie case. But there hasn\'t been any parallel improvement or internal reforms in terms of human rights."
"That\'s something a lot of Western governments were happy to overlook, because of interest in Libya\'s oil and its impact as a counter terrorism partner," she continued. "For the EU, Libya is a main migration group and they\'re keen to get Libya to hold back the migrants. Because of those interests they were willing to overlook the fact that the human rights situation was so bad."
Amin said he did not believe recent moves in Libya to relax control of the media were genuine, and were largely cosmetic measures aimed at making Libya\'s freedom track record look more attractive.
In recent months, media outlets belonging to independent and opposition groups have focused on the scandals involving President Mu\'ammar Al-Qadhafi\'s sons, and have covered frequent demonstration at the Abu Sleem prison in Benghazi, where families of victims are demanding justice for inmates who disappeared or were killed in a prison crackdown in 1996.
"I think the regime now realizes that this is having an effect," Amin said. "There are many people trying to contact us and who are writing from Libya. A lot of information has been published by Libya Al-Mostakbal and other sites. They realize this is going too far and they want to do something about this."
In addition to the online clamp-down, Libya has refused to extend licenses for two private newspapers, Oea and Quryna, which will now appear online only. The General Press Authority (GPA) cited financial reasons for the decision, claiming the company that owns the papers is in debt and has not paid printing costs. The GPA has not given information about attempts to solve the financial dispute.
Oea and Quryna started publishing in 2007 and are the first two privately-owned newspapers in Libya since Mu\'ammar Al-Qadhafi came to power 40 years ago.
They have covered sensitive topics such as corruption, lack of independence of the judiciary and the Abu Sleem demonstrations.
Egypt Rachelle Kliger - An Egyptian cleric has issued a religious decree banning the use of Facebook, on the grounds that it encourages adultery.
Sheikh Abd Al-Hamid Al-Atrash, former head of the fatwa council at the influential Al-Azhar Institution, based his ruling on a sociological study linking the use of Facebook and other forms of new media with moral corruption.
He called the site a destructive tool that helps form "forbidden relations."
"When one side in a relationship is working hard, if the other side has lots of free time and hasn\'t got much of a conscience, they form illegitimate relationships," the cleric said.
Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch said Facebook is used extensively in Egypt, both for social networking and for political purposes.
"It\'s a relatively conservative society," Morayef told The Media Line. "For a lot of people, meeting people online is a way to date. What\'s interesting about it is that it\'s heavily used by activists to organize demonstrations and share information."
Your average young Egyptian who wants to learn about politics will go onto Facebook," she added. "I think the security services still view this activism as something that is dangerous."
Nevertheless, Morayef does not believe that this fatwa was sanctioned by the government as a way to silence opposition activists.
"For the most part, the government will only issue fatwas through the mufti who is closely aligned with government policy, to the extent that he will issue things that are criticized by the rest of the religious institutions," she said. "I don\'t think the government uses other low-level sheikhs because they are keen to monopolize the religious authorities in Al-Azhar."
Kareem El-Behirey, an Egyptian blogger, said the ban was part of a government tactic to employ religious people against channels of communication such as Facebook.
"[The Sheikh] says that Facebook isn\'t good because it pits the woman against her husband," he told The Media Line. "But I think this is an attempt to stop people from using Facebook, blogs and certain websites. I think you can\'t stop them and it\'s a good way for activists to be heard on the streets so I don\'t think they will stop using Facebook."
El-Behirey said he did not think there was any basis to the claim that Facebook encourages cheating in marriages.
"I think that if a woman wants to cheat on her husband, she won\'t do it through Facebook," he said. "They know very well that the Facebook management has copies of all the accounts, even after they\'re deleted."
"If a man and a woman want to engage in a relationship they won\'t just use Facebook or chat," El-Behirey added. "They can meet in the street or at work or any other place. I believe that the only way to stop people from cheating on each other is if the couple has a good relationship and love each other."
"The sheikh should look at the real reasons that people cheat on each other," he argued. "The government has made people poor, the man can no longer provide for his family so he and his wife have to work long hours. This makes things difficult for their relationship."
A fatwa is an opinion and is not binding, unless the government makes it law. They can be issued by anyone who is seen to have sufficient Islamic scholarly training for the task, usually a Muslim with high standing in his community.
Morayef said that the adoption rate of the fatwa depended on his influence and the size of the his following.
A study carried out by the National Center for Social and Criminological Research said that one in every five divorces in Egypt is caused by extra-marital affairs through the Internet.
The report on which Al-Atrash partly based his ruling, found that if one partner feels their life is boring or monotonous, Facebook helps them find someone else, outside the legitimate framework.
"One must not go into this website," he said. "Moral corruption has spread among young men and women and it\'s used to destroy homes and break down families, which could herald the end of Arab and Islamic societies."
"This website and other means of communication such as satellite television are a double-edged sword," Al-Atrash continued. "They can be used for preaching about Allah and strengthening bonds of affection that Islam encourages, but it can also be used for forbidden love and illegitimate relationships."
While some clerics have voiced similar objections to those of Al-Atrash, other opinion makers are more skeptical.
Muhammad Shukr, a journalist with the opposition paper Al-Wafd said claims that Facebook allowed more space for couples to cheat on each other was "illogical".
He said he was active in several positive activities on these sites and added that anyone seeking a forbidden relationship can do it easily without Facebook.
"Facebook first and foremost serves social networking and supports opposition activists," he told the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi. "Making an Islamic ruling to forbid it only serves dictatorial regimes."
Egypt Rachelle Kliger - An Egyptian cleric has issued a religious decree banning the use of Facebook, on the grounds that it encourages adultery.
Sheikh Abd Al-Hamid Al-Atrash, former head of the fatwa council at the influential Al-Azhar Institution, based his ruling on a sociological study linking the use of Facebook and other forms of new media with moral corruption.
He called the site a destructive tool that helps form "forbidden relations."
"When one side in a relationship is working hard, if the other side has lots of free time and hasn\'t got much of a conscience, they form illegitimate relationships," the cleric said.
Heba Morayef, a researcher with Human Rights Watch said Facebook is used extensively in Egypt, both for social networking and for political purposes.
"It\'s a relatively conservative society," Morayef told The Media Line. "For a lot of people, meeting people online is a way to date. What\'s interesting about it is that it\'s heavily used by activists to organize demonstrations and share information."
Your average young Egyptian who wants to learn about politics will go onto Facebook," she added. "I think the security services still view this activism as something that is dangerous."
Nevertheless, Morayef does not believe that this fatwa was sanctioned by the government as a way to silence opposition activists.
"For the most part, the government will only issue fatwas through the mufti who is closely aligned with government policy, to the extent that he will issue things that are criticized by the rest of the religious institutions," she said. "I don\'t think the government uses other low-level sheikhs because they are keen to monopolize the religious authorities in Al-Azhar."
Kareem El-Behirey, an Egyptian blogger, said the ban was part of a government tactic to employ religious people against channels of communication such as Facebook.
"[The Sheikh] says that Facebook isn\'t good because it pits the woman against her husband," he told The Media Line. "But I think this is an attempt to stop people from using Facebook, blogs and certain websites. I think you can\'t stop them and it\'s a good way for activists to be heard on the streets so I don\'t think they will stop using Facebook."
El-Behirey said he did not think there was any basis to the claim that Facebook encourages cheating in marriages.
"I think that if a woman wants to cheat on her husband, she won\'t do it through Facebook," he said. "They know very well that the Facebook management has copies of all the accounts, even after they\'re deleted."
"If a man and a woman want to engage in a relationship they won\'t just use Facebook or chat," El-Behirey added. "They can meet in the street or at work or any other place. I believe that the only way to stop people from cheating on each other is if the couple has a good relationship and love each other."
"The sheikh should look at the real reasons that people cheat on each other," he argued. "The government has made people poor, the man can no longer provide for his family so he and his wife have to work long hours. This makes things difficult for their relationship."
A fatwa is an opinion and is not binding, unless the government makes it law. They can be issued by anyone who is seen to have sufficient Islamic scholarly training for the task, usually a Muslim with high standing in his community.
Morayef said that the adoption rate of the fatwa depended on his influence and the size of the his following.
A study carried out by the National Center for Social and Criminological Research said that one in every five divorces in Egypt is caused by extra-marital affairs through the Internet.
The report on which Al-Atrash partly based his ruling, found that if one partner feels their life is boring or monotonous, Facebook helps them find someone else, outside the legitimate framework.
"One must not go into this website," he said. "Moral corruption has spread among young men and women and it\'s used to destroy homes and break down families, which could herald the end of Arab and Islamic societies."
"This website and other means of communication such as satellite television are a double-edged sword," Al-Atrash continued. "They can be used for preaching about Allah and strengthening bonds of affection that Islam encourages, but it can also be used for forbidden love and illegitimate relationships."
While some clerics have voiced similar objections to those of Al-Atrash, other opinion makers are more skeptical.
Muhammad Shukr, a journalist with the opposition paper Al-Wafd said claims that Facebook allowed more space for couples to cheat on each other was "illogical".
He said he was active in several positive activities on these sites and added that anyone seeking a forbidden relationship can do it easily without Facebook.
"Facebook first and foremost serves social networking and supports opposition activists," he told the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi. "Making an Islamic ruling to forbid it only serves dictatorial regimes."
New Delhi, India (AHN) - India has sought Ghana\'s help in fighting cyber crime in order to prevent innocent people from being duped by lucrative job offers.
The interior minister of Ghana, Cletus Avoka assured his government\'s willingness to extend cooperation in the matter to India\'s overseas Indian affairs minister Vayalar Ravi who was in the West African country Ghana as part of his tour of African countries from Jan. 29 to Feb. 6.
Ravi expressed his satisfaction to Avoka over the prompt action taken by Ghana in addressing the security concerns of the Indian community living in Ghana.
During his Ghana visit, Ravi also held a meeting with John Evans Atta Mills, president of Ghana and discussed various bilateral issues between the two countries.
Ravi also attended an event organized by the Indian Association of Ghana where he elaborated on the measures that the Indian government was taking in order to strengthen the cultural and economic bond between India and its diaspora around the world.
New Delhi, India (AHN) - India has sought Ghana\'s help in fighting cyber crime in order to prevent innocent people from being duped by lucrative job offers.
The interior minister of Ghana, Cletus Avoka assured his government\'s willingness to extend cooperation in the matter to India\'s overseas Indian affairs minister Vayalar Ravi who was in the West African country Ghana as part of his tour of African countries from Jan. 29 to Feb. 6.
Ravi expressed his satisfaction to Avoka over the prompt action taken by Ghana in addressing the security concerns of the Indian community living in Ghana.
During his Ghana visit, Ravi also held a meeting with John Evans Atta Mills, president of Ghana and discussed various bilateral issues between the two countries.
Ravi also attended an event organized by the Indian Association of Ghana where he elaborated on the measures that the Indian government was taking in order to strengthen the cultural and economic bond between India and its diaspora around the world.
Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) - Google is partnering with the National Security Agency to fight corporate espionage attacks, according to a report from the Washington Post.
The Internet search engine is finalizing an agreement with the NSA to investigate cyber attacks that it said originated from China. Google said last month that email accounts of Chinese human rights activist had been hacked, and that it may stop its operations in China. The attack had also targeted more than two dozen tech, financial and media companies.
China, which has repeatedly defended online censorship, has denied any involvement in the cyber attacks and once more called on the international community to respect its local laws. It has also warned that the issue may affect ties with the United States.
The partnership with the NSA will also help Google defend against future attacks, said the Post, citing anonymous cyber security experts.
The report comes a day after Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair testified before the House Intelligence Committee that the United States is should work rapidly to protect its information infrastructure from threats.
"Neither the US Government nor the private sector can fully control or protect the country\'s information infrastructure," said Blair. "Yet, with increased national attention and investment in cyber security initiatives, I am confident the United States can implement measures to mitigate this negative situation."
"Malicious cyber activity is occurring on an unprecedented scale with extraordinary sophistication. While both the threats and technologies associated with cyber space are dynamic, the existing balance in network technology favors malicious actors, and is likely to continue to do so for the foreseeable future," he added.
The Obama administration conducted a 60-day review of the federal government\'s cyber security last year. Upon the conclusion of the review in May, Obama ordered the creation of a "presidential cyber security policy official and supporting structures" as part of his administration\'s efforts to protect the nation from growing cyber threats.
More than 100 foreign intelligence organizations are trying to hack into the U.S. government\'s 15,000 networks, which connect 7 million computers, according to the Pentagon.
Howard Schmidt, vice chairman of the President\'s Critical Infrastructure Protection Board during the Bush administration and previously director of the cyber crime special investigations unit of the Air Force, was appointed the nation\'s cyber czar in December.
Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) - Google is partnering with the National Security Agency to fight corporate espionage attacks, according to a report from the Washington Post.
The Internet search engine is finalizing an agreement with the NSA to investigate cyber attacks that it said originated from China. Google said last month that email accounts of Chinese human rights activist had been hacked, and that it may stop its operations in China. The attack had also targeted more than two dozen tech, financial and media companies.
China, which has repeatedly defended online censorship, has denied any involvement in the cyber attacks and once more called on the international community to respect its local laws. It has also warned that the issue may affect ties with the United States.
The partnership with the NSA will also help Google defend against future attacks, said the Post, citing anonymous cyber security experts.
The report comes a day after Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair testified before the House Intelligence Committee that the United States is should work rapidly to protect its information infrastructure from threats.
"Neither the US Government nor the private sector can fully control or protect the country\'s information infrastructure," said Blair. "Yet, with increased national attention and investment in cyber security initiatives, I am confident the United States can implement measures to mitigate this negative situation."
"Malicious cyber activity is occurring on an unprecedented scale with extraordinary sophistication. While both the threats and technologies associated with cyber space are dynamic, the existing balance in network technology favors malicious actors, and is likely to continue to do so for the foreseeable future," he added.
The Obama administration conducted a 60-day review of the federal government\'s cyber security last year. Upon the conclusion of the review in May, Obama ordered the creation of a "presidential cyber security policy official and supporting structures" as part of his administration\'s efforts to protect the nation from growing cyber threats.
More than 100 foreign intelligence organizations are trying to hack into the U.S. government\'s 15,000 networks, which connect 7 million computers, according to the Pentagon.
Howard Schmidt, vice chairman of the President\'s Critical Infrastructure Protection Board during the Bush administration and previously director of the cyber crime special investigations unit of the Air Force, was appointed the nation\'s cyber czar in December.
Cambridge, United Kingdom (AHN) - British and Belgian researchers said some patients in vegetative states showed signs of consciousness on recent brain-imaging scans.
Scientists at Cambridge University and with the University of Liege tested 54 patients using MRIs and found that five were able to willfully modulate their brain activity.
In three of the five patients, the scientists detected some signs of awareness. One of these patients was even able to answer yes or no to questions using a technique developed by the scientists.
But no voluntary behavior was observed in the other two patients, the researchers said. Nevertheless, the researchers said their communication technique may be used in the future to establish basic communication with otherwise unresponsive patients.
The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Cambridge, United Kingdom (AHN) - British and Belgian researchers said some patients in vegetative states showed signs of consciousness on recent brain-imaging scans.
Scientists at Cambridge University and with the University of Liege tested 54 patients using MRIs and found that five were able to willfully modulate their brain activity.
In three of the five patients, the scientists detected some signs of awareness. One of these patients was even able to answer yes or no to questions using a technique developed by the scientists.
But no voluntary behavior was observed in the other two patients, the researchers said. Nevertheless, the researchers said their communication technique may be used in the future to establish basic communication with otherwise unresponsive patients.
The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (AHN) - Next to the Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Vancouver is one of the first Canadian gateways to use the new full body scanners at its airport.
According to a spokesman of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, the first full body scanner was installed on Jan. 25 and the second a few days after. A third unit has arrived and it will be installed in the coming days.
However, since the scanners are for U.S.-bound passengers only, the high-tech equipment will be used for air travelers at the end of the winter games after Feb. 28.
Transport Canada had placed airspace restrictions around the Vancouver International Airport and the Whistler Athletes\' Village since Jan. 29 when the Olympic Village opened. The restrictions will be in place until the Paralympic Village closes on March 24.
The restrictions limit operation of aircraft in the vicinity to emergency and security planes only. However, humanitarian and safety-related aircraft would be allowed to use the restricted airspace during the sport festival as part of the special arrangement made by Transport Canada.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (AHN) - Next to the Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Vancouver is one of the first Canadian gateways to use the new full body scanners at its airport.
According to a spokesman of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, the first full body scanner was installed on Jan. 25 and the second a few days after. A third unit has arrived and it will be installed in the coming days.
However, since the scanners are for U.S.-bound passengers only, the high-tech equipment will be used for air travelers at the end of the winter games after Feb. 28.
Transport Canada had placed airspace restrictions around the Vancouver International Airport and the Whistler Athletes\' Village since Jan. 29 when the Olympic Village opened. The restrictions will be in place until the Paralympic Village closes on March 24.
The restrictions limit operation of aircraft in the vicinity to emergency and security planes only. However, humanitarian and safety-related aircraft would be allowed to use the restricted airspace during the sport festival as part of the special arrangement made by Transport Canada.