Compared to the contents of Madagascar Law n°2014-006, article 20, concerning cyber-criminality, please read below : the Declaration of Internet Freedom and the postion of U.S. Department on Internet Freedom and Human Rights.
Jeannot Ramambazafy – August, 1st 2014
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Internet freedom
Internet freedom is a foreign policy priority for the United States, and has been for many years. Our goal is to ensure that any child, born anywhere in the world, has access to the global Internet as an open platform on which to innovate, learn, organize, and express herself free from undue interference or censorship. Indeed, during his time in Congress, Secretary Kerry worked closely with then-Secretary Clinton to make certain that we could effectively promote long-standing values of openness and human rights in a networked world.
To do so, we are supporting the efforts of Americans and committed partners worldwide to bring down the walls that are denying the people of the world connection and access to each other's ideas and services on the Internet. We do this in part because the Internet helps fuel the global economy, increases productivity, and creates jobs built on the unprecedented global reach that the platform provides for our businesses and innovators. Just as importantly, we are champions of Internet Freedom because the Internet serves as a powerful platform to bring information and resources to people who historically have been isolated, or their human rights repressed, so they, too, have the chance to become active, prosperous, and engaged participants in the world community.
The State Department has advances U.S. initiatives to preserve the open Internet and promoted the worldwide deployment of broadband communications through the World Telecommunication Policy Forum. We are an active member in the Freedom Online Coalition, a forum for like-minded governments -- over 20 and growing -- committed to collaborating to advance Internet freedom. This has provided us and others an opportunity to coordinate efforts and work with civil society to support the ability for individuals to exercise their universal human rights and fundamental freedoms online. For example, the State Department joined with other Freedom Online Coalition members to launch the Digital Defenders Partnership, an unprecedented collaboration among government donors to provide emergency support for Internet users under threat in repressive environments.
In 2013, the State Department and USAID awarded $25 million to groups working to advance Internet freedom -- supporting counter-censorship and secure communications technology, digital safety training, and policy and research programs for people facing Internet repression. This funding is the most recent addition to our investment of over $100 million in innovative Internet freedom programs globally.
We do this work every day and it is a top priority. The Internet is an endless resource of information. Respect for the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and association has the ability to enhance lives in ways we can’t even imagine, as long as we extend the same respect for these fundamental freedoms to the online world.
Human Rights
The protection of fundamental human rights was a foundation stone in the establishment of the United States over 200 years ago. Since then, a central goal of U.S. foreign policy has been the promotion of respect for human rights, as embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United States understands that the existence of human rights helps secure the peace, deter aggression, promote the rule of law, combat crime and corruption, strengthen democracies, and prevent humanitarian crises.
Because the promotion of human rights is an important national interest, the United States seeks to:
- Hold governments accountable to their obligations under universal human rights norms and international human rights instruments;
- Promote greater respect for human rights, including freedom from torture, freedom of expression, press freedom, women's rights, children's rights, and the protection of minorities;
- Promote the rule of law, seek accountability, and change cultures of impunity;
- Assist efforts to reform and strengthen the institutional capacity of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Commission on Human Rights; and
- Coordinate human rights activities with important allies, including the EU, and regional organizations.
The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Human Rights and Labor (DRL) applies three key principles to its work on human rights:
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First, DRL strives to learn the truth and state the facts in all of its human rights investigations, reports on country conditions, speeches and votes in the UN, and asylum profiles. Each year, DRL develops, edits, and submits to Congress a 5,000-page report on human rights conditions in over 190 countries that is respected globally for its objectivity and accuracy. DRL also provides relevant information on country conditions to the Immigration and Naturalization Service and immigration judges in asylum cases. Second, DRL takes consistent positions concerning past, present, and future abuses. With regard to past abuses, it actively promotes accountability. To stop ongoing abuses, the bureau uses an "inside-outside" approach that combines vigorous, external focus on human rights concerns (including the possibility of sanctions) with equally robust support for internal reform. To prevent future abuses, it promotes early warning and preventive diplomacy. Each year DRL ensures that human rights considerations are incorporated into U.S. military training and security assistance programs; promotes the rights of women through international campaigns for political participation and full equality; conducts high-level human rights dialogues with other governments; coordinates U.S. policy on human rights with key allies; and raises key issues and cases through diplomatic and public channels. Third, DRL forges and maintains partnerships with organizations, governments, and multilateral institutions committed to human rights. The bureau takes advantage of multilateral fora to focus international attention on human rights problems and to seek correction. Each year, DRL provides significant technical, financial, or staff support for U.S. delegations to the annual meetings of several international human rights organizations; conducts regular consultations with Native American tribes and serves as the Secretary's principal advisor on international indigenous rights issues; maintains relations with the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights; and supports the creation of effective multilateral human rights mechanisms and institutions for accountability. |
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE