China #1 in RWB awards
p2pnet.net News:- Today, France, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Madagascar and the province of Quebec in Canada started the Reporters Without Borders Internet Festival to mark the winners of its awards for online repression.
And as they do so, “72 cyber-dissidents around the world will spend the day in their prison cells for posting criticism of their governments online,” RWB points out.
The top Golden Palm award goes to China, but eight other countries are also listed for their “outstanding performances”.
Golden Palm: China – An easy choice this year for its 60 cyber-dissidents in prison, hundreds of thousands of websites censored and strict censorship of e-mail. The Best Actor award was won by Chinese President Hu Jintao for his regular statements about the country’s progress in human rights.
First Prize for Censorship: Saudi Arabia – Well deserved for its more than 400,000 online items censored, ranging from political websites to unauthorised Islamist organisations and of course anything remotely concerning sex.
Chief Jailer Award: Vietnam – With seven cyber-dissidents in jail, Vietnam is the world’s second biggest prison (after its neighbour China) for those who want to surf the Internet in freedom.
Public (sector) Prize: Cuba – This goes to the Cuban government for using the state telecommunications body, ETEC SA, to restrict access to the Internet and for its complete control of all information.
Best Scenery Award: the Maldives – Three cyber-dissidents are in prison in this country, better known for its stunning beaches. Two of them have been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Critics’ Prize: Syria – The government is holding two Internet users in secret for posting criticism of the regime online.
Special Media Prize: Zimbabwean – President Robert Mugabe This honours the winner’s career as a predator of press freedom and recognises his growing determination to stifle use of the Internet..
Grand Prize for Hypocrisy: The United Nations and its World Summit on the Information Society – Won the special place reserved at this major Internet summit for countries that have most harshly repressed the Internet, such as China and Cuba.
Special Jury Prize: French industry minister Nicole Fontaine – For her proposed law on the digital economy which threatens freedom of expression online.
