[Infowarrior] - Iraq to impose controls on Internet

[Richard Forno]

Iraq to impose controls on Internet


Aug 4 11:45 AM US/Eastern
By SINAN SALAHEDDIN
Associated Press Writer
http://www.breitbart.com/print.php?id=D99S5FA80&show_article=1


BAGHDAD (AP) - The Iraqi government has decided to crack down on  
Internet service providers and ban sites that incite violence or carry  
pornography, officials said Tuesday, a move that has been strongly  
criticized by freedom of speech advocates as a dangerous first step  
toward political censorship.
The plan to strengthen government control of content and usage will  
require Internet cafes—and later the service providers as well—to  
obtain licenses that are subject to government review and cancellation  
if compliance requirements are not met.

"All Web sites that glorify terrorism and incite violence and  
sectarianism, or those that violate social morals with content such as  
pornography will be banned," communications ministry spokesman Sameer  
al-Hasoon told The Associated Press by phone Tuesday.

Al-Hasoon refused to divulge further details of the committee's  
recommendations, but said he expected them to be approved by the  
Cabinet next week. The next step would be for the government to send  
the draft legislation to parliament.

Another official said the ministry is planning to license five of the  
10 wireless Internet service providers currently operating in Iraq. He  
refused to say why the five were chosen, but said the tightened  
restrictions will implemented in coordination with the Interior  
Ministry's anti-Internet crimes directorate.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized  
to make statements to the media.

The plan to tighten government controls has raised concerns about the  
protection of constitutional freedoms. Since the fall of Saddam  
Hussein in 2003, Iraq has had relatively lax restrictions on Internet  
providers compared with some of its Muslim neighbors.

The officials said their concern is primarily over sites that promote  
violence. They also say they want to ensure that the online fare  
readily available at Internet cafes does not get too far out of step  
with Iraq's social mores.

But the Baghdad-based independent Journalistic Freedom Observatory  
denounced the step as an "attempt to control the flow of free  
information on the Internet and limit the knowledge of the citizens."

The JFO also claimed the plan violates the Iraqi constitution, which  
guarantees the freedom of mail, telegrams, phone and electronic  
communications. The constitution, enacted in 2005, says such  
communications cannot be "monitored, tabbed or revealed."

"Excuses of protecting national security or moral standards are  
unacceptable," the JFO said in a statement. "It is only being used to  
censor Internet service and control freedom of expression."

The group said the plan opens the door for tighter controls,  
particularly over political discussions, dissent or debate on issues  
that are sensitive to the government.

It says the controls are a throwback to the days of Saddam, when  
access to the Internet was limited to just one provider and e-mail and  
phone calls were monitored and censored by the Ministry of  
Communications and security agencies.

After Saddam was toppled in the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, dozens of  
wireless Internet providers started business and hundreds of Internet  
cafes were opened in the capital, Baghdad, and other provinces.

"No one opposes blacking out web sites that offer pornography because  
of the damage such sites bring to society," said Hassan al-Kaabi, the  
26-year-old owner of an Internet cafe in Baghdad's eastern Shiite  
neighborhood of Sadr City. "But the government decision that deals  
with web sites that incite violence and terrorism is vague and needs  
more clarification."

Al-Kaabi, who has 12 computers and offers wireless service to about 80  
subscribers, said he is worried about his future and the gains Iraq  
has made since Saddam's ouster.

"This is just like a trap to me," he said. "This will definitely  
affect our business."
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