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<H1
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Television Day: Satellite jamming and freedom of expression</STRONG></H1>
<DIV
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<P
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style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><FONT size=2>ARTICLE 19 is deeply concerned by the
growing number of cases where reception of television and radio services by
citizens in one country is deliberately prevented by the use of various
"jamming" mechanisms. One example is the ongoing satellite jamming of LuaLua TV
- a London-based Bahraini current affairs television station - which had its
satellite signal jammed only four hours after the channel was launched on 17
July 2011.</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>ARTICLE 19 is issuing this statement to bring renewed attention to
jamming, a practice thought to be confined to the cold war having disappeared
with the fall of the Berlin Wall. In fact, deliberate government intrusion
of broadcaster satellite signals (or “jamming”) is far more common than is
widely acknowledged and reported, and a growing cause of concern for
broadcasters around the world. The case of Lualua TV is just the tip of the
iceberg. The satellite signals of a number of media outlets, including BBC World
Service, Voice of America, Deutsche Welle and Al Jazeera have been persistent
targets for governments keen to censor critical reporting and
voices. </FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>ARTICLE 19 believes that the deliberate jamming of broadcasters such as
LuaLua TV is in clear violation of international human rights law regarding
freedom of expression and interferes with both the rights of individuals and
broadcasters to receive and impart information, as provided by Article 19 of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).</FONT></P>
<P
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size=2>To mark World Television Day, ARTICLE 19 calls on all governments and
international organisations to condemn this violation of the rights to freedom
of expression and information.</FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>ARTICLE 19 also calls on governments, broadcasters and satellite
providers to take all necessary measures to protect against and prevent the
deliberate jamming of foreign-based, satellite broadcasters. These are part and
parcel of a pluralistic and diverse media landscape particularly important in
national contexts characterised by high control over information flows and the
absence of an independent media</FONT></P>
<H3
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face=Verdana size=2>SATELLITE INTERFERENCE</FONT></H3>
<P
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size=2>There are a variety of ways to interfere with a satellite's
communications. One is to broadcast a stronger signal, either from the ground or
from another satellite, preventing people from receiving the communication.
Another is to blast a signal at the satellite itself so that it cannot receive
what the ground is trying to send it.</FONT></P>
<P
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size=2>In order to avoid the interference associated with satellite jamming,
media outlets have turned to internet broadcasting platforms. However, even
these come under threat as they are also being targeted by governments through
filtering or blocking. According to the BBC, the Iranian government is
among the world’s most pervasive filterers of internet content, and presents a
special challenge to global media. </FONT></P>
<H3
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face=Verdana size=2>BAHRAIN: THE CASE OF LUALUA TV</FONT></H3>
<P
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size=2>Founded by 15 members of the Bahraini opposition, LuaLua TV has
repeatedly been denied permission to broadcast out of Bahrain, and so relocated
to London, from where the channel continues to operate. The channel derives its
name from the Pearl roundabout in Manama, Bahrain, the focal point of the recent
wave of democracy protests that swept through the country. The station
broadcasts in Arabic and is aimed at members of the opposition inside Bahrain,
beaming via the satellite service Hotbird. The satellite jamming of LuaLua TV is
taking place despite the channel changing its frequency regularly.</FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>To circumvent the channel’s satellite jamming, LuaLua TV started a
partnership with the online streaming service, Livestation, on 12 August 2011.
However, after only two weeks, LuaLua TV received reports that the website that
carries their live stream was also being blocked within Bahrain.</FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>Upon learning from Eutelsat that the jamming hailed from Bahrain,
Executive Director of Lualua TV said “<EM style="FONT-STYLE: italic">A lot of
hard work has gone into this channel and we are extremely disappointed that we
have had trouble broadcasting our message. It comes as no surprise that the
source of the jamming is Bahrain, it is as we had expected. We have followed all
regulations in the creation of this station and we will not allow this setback
to stop us from broadcasting permanently. We are hoping that the interference
has now ended, but if it returns we will just have to find other ways to
reinforce our message.”</EM></FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>Although it is not known who in particular in Bahrain is responsible for
both the channel’s satellite jamming and internet blocking, there are strong
indications that it can be traced to within the country. The Bahraini government
has a long legacy of limiting media freedom and censoring critical voices in the
country as well as harassment of and violence against human rights defenders and
journalists. During the wave of populist protests that swept through the
MiddleEast and North Africa, dissidence in Bahrain was met with a violent
government crackdown on the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of
assembly. Since February 2011, over 100 protestors have been arrested and jailed
and at least 30 were killed.</FONT></P>
<P
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size=2>But repression of voices critical of the government is unfortunately not
confined to Bahrain.</FONT></P>
<H3
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face=Verdana size=2>IRAN: THE CASE OF BBC PERSIAN SERVICE</FONT></H3>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>As a result of repeated satellite interference, the BBC has increased the
number of satellites that carry its BBC Persian television service for
Farsi-speakers in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The recent increase comes as
a result of the persistent interference of the Hotbird 6 satellite, which
carries the BBC's international television and radio services in various
languages, as well as services from other broadcasters.</FONT></P>
<P
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size=2>BBC Persian television first suffered interference in mid-2009 and since
then has been subject to interference on many occasions, particularly in
September 2011. The satellite operator has traced the interference and has
confirmed it is coming from within Iran.</FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>From 2009 to 2011, the BBC worked with Psiphon on a series of trials
designed to test how readily content could overcome Chinese and Iranian blocking
efforts, using a range of delivery methods, including social networking sites
like Twitter, traditional radio broadcasts, and special email lists.</FONT></P>
<H3
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face=Verdana size=2>JAMMING: A VIOLATION OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION</FONT></H3>
<P
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size=2>ARTICLE 19 finds very worrying the increase in deliberate jamming of
specific broadcasters by governments, especially in countries with severe
censorship and frequent violations of freedom of expression, which hinders
freedom of information.</FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>ARTICLE 19 observes that despite clear international rules, action
against jamming of foreign-based broadcasters remains difficult. The
question was extremely constrained by international geopolitics during the Cold
War years, when the countries of the Eastern block and developing countries
emphasised strong preferences in international law to protect the sanctity of
borders and state sovereignty.</FONT></P>
<P
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size=2>States resorting to jamming foreign broadcasters justify it on the ground
of national sovereignty and maintain that their aim is to prevent unwanted
foreign broadcasts “propaganda” from reaching their citizens.</FONT></P>
<P
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size=2>However, ARTICLE 19 believes that the jamming of foreign-based
broadcasters in circumstances such as those of Lualua TV and the Persian Service
of BBC violate international human rights law as it relates to freedom of
expression.</FONT></P>
<H3
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.38em/20px 'Trade Gothic W02 Bold 2', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: uppercase; COLOR: rgb(240,81,51); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
face=Verdana size=2>THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL
RIGHTS</FONT></H3>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>Article 19 of the ICCPR, ratified by Bahrain in September 2006 and Iran
in June 1975, stipulates that everyone has a right “to seek, receive and impart
information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. In
particular, the ICCPR states that people can exercise their right to freedom of
expression “regardless of frontiers”, in other words, the exercise is not
limited by national borders.</FONT></P>
<P
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size=2>International human rights standards allow, under Article 19(3), for
narrowly defined restrictions to freedom of expression: first, the interference
must be in accordance with a law; second, the legally sanctioned restriction
must protect or promote an aim deemed legitimate in international law; and
third, the restriction must be necessary for the protection or promotion of the
legitimate aim. This is known as the three-part test.</FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>For jamming to be legitimate it should therefore be:</FONT></P>
<OL
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<LI
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size=2>Prescribed by law. The law should specify who, how and in what cases
can jam frequencies. The law should include safeguards against abuse of power.
For example, independent courts or bodies should authorise the jamming and
supervise how it is performed</FONT></LI>
<LI
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 1.23em; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; LINE-HEIGHT: 24px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; LIST-STYLE-TYPE: decimal"><FONT
size=2>Pursue legitimate purposes; for example, national security, protection
of public order, etc</FONT></LI>
<LI
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 1.23em; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; LINE-HEIGHT: 24px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; LIST-STYLE-TYPE: decimal"><FONT
size=2>Be strictly necessary to achieve these purposes. The authorities should
provide relevant and sufficient reasons demonstrating that without jamming it
will not be possible to protect national security or public order. The context
is important to justify jamming. Therefore it is difficult to justify
jamming<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><EM
style="FONT-STYLE: italic">per se</EM>.</FONT></LI></OL>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>None of these conditions are met in the cases of Lualua TV or BBC
Persian.</FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>It can be assumed that apart from state-sovereignty claims, the
governments of Bahrain and Iran – if engaged in jamming - would claim that
foreign-based broadcasters can be prevented from transmitting their signals into
their national territories since their laws require broadcasters to obtain a
licence from a public body. If broadcasters operate without such license, they
are violating the law. Also, the governments might claim that they are
protecting public order, or prohibiting propaganda broadcasts. However, ARTICLE
19 suggests that these claims would not satisfy the third part of the test above
- requirement of necessity of the interference - which imposes several quality
requirements on any practice which abridges the right to freedom of
expression. </FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>In order to justify a measure which interferes with free speech, a
government must be acting in response to a pressing social need. In the
case of Bahrain and Iran, where freedom of expression is severely repressed and
the independent media is non-existent, foreign broadcasters aim to provide
independent information to the people of those countries. With deliberate signal
intrusion, the governments are preventing their populations from learning about
the situation in their own countries and about many human rights violations. At
the same time, these governments heavily censor and repress domestic media or do
not provide licenses to independent broadcasters. Democratic societies depend on
the free flow of information and ideas and in repressive regimes, such as
Bahrain and Iran, jamming undermines freedom of expression in a way that cannot
be justified.</FONT></P>
<H3
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.38em/20px 'Trade Gothic W02 Bold 2', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: uppercase; COLOR: rgb(240,81,51); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
face=Verdana size=2>OTHER STANDARDS</FONT></H3>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>There are other standards and sources asserting the illegitimate nature
of jamming of foreign-based broadcasting.</FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>ARTICLE 19 notes that already in 1950, the<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><EM style="FONT-STYLE: italic">General
Assembly Resolution 424 V) Freedom of Information: Interference with Radio
Signals</EM>, stated that deliberate<EM
style="FONT-STYLE: italic">interference</EM><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>by duly authorised radio operating
agencies of<EM style="FONT-STYLE: italic">radio signals</EM><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>originating beyond their territory
constitutes a violation of the accepted principle of<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><EM style="FONT-STYLE: italic">freedom
of information</EM><EM style="FONT-STYLE: italic">.</EM>The Resolution also
condemned the measure, such as radio jamming, as “a denial of the right of
all<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><EM
style="FONT-STYLE: italic">persons to be fully informed concerning news,
opinions and ideas regardless of frontiers”.</EM></FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2><EM style="FONT-STYLE: italic">The 1972 UNESCO Declaration of Guiding
Principles on the Use of Satellite Broadcasting for the Free Flow of
Information, the Spread of Education and Greater Cultural Exchange</EM><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>proclaims the necessity for states to
"reach or promote prior agreements concerning direct satellite broadcasting to
the population of countries other than the country of origin of the
transmission,” a position later reiterated in a General Assembly
resolution.</FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>The 1986<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><EM
style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Concluding Document of the Vienna Meeting</EM><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><EM style="FONT-STYLE: italic">of
Representatives of Participating States of the Conference on Security and
Cooperation in Europe</EM><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>required the participating states to
“ensure that radio services operating in accordance with the ITU Radio
Regulations can be directly and normally received in their states”. While the
provision does not expressly prohibit jamming, its intent was to send a signal
against jamming and it has been its effect.</FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>Further, ARTICLE 19 asserts that foreign-broadcast jamming of the type
experienced by Lualua TV is in breach of many of the International
Telecommunications Convention (ITU) foundational documents and agreements,
including its Constitution, Convention and Radio Regulations. For
instance, jamming of foreign-based broadcasting amounts to a violation of
Article 35 of the International Telecommunications Convention (ITC), which
prevents radio jamming even when a nation claims it has a right to protect its
sovereignty. </FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>ARTICLE 19 believes that the deliberate jamming of LuaLua TV in Bahrain
clearly interferes with both the rights of individuals and broadcasters to
receive and impart information, as provided by Article 19 of the ICCPR and
international standards and best practise around the world.</FONT></P>
<P
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px 0px 16px; WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 1.23em/24px Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; COLOR: rgb(30,30,30); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; orphans: 2; widows: 2; webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px"><FONT
size=2>------------------------------------------</FONT></P></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><BR><FONT face=Verdana size=2>_______________________<BR>AHM. Bazlur
Rahman-S21BR<BR>[MSS in Government & Politics, Legislative Development
Fellow- USA]<BR> <BR>Chief Executive Officer<BR>Bangladesh NGOs Network for
Radio and Communication<BR>[NGO in Special Consultative Status with the UN
Economic and Social Council]<BR> <BR>Lifetime Member : Asian Media
Information and Communication Centre
(AMIC)<BR>Member
: American Radio Relay League
(ARRL)<BR>Member
: Bangladesh Amateur Radio League
(BRAL)<BR>Member
: World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
(AMARC)<BR>Member
: Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) <BR>Member : Asia South
Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education
<BR> <BR>House : 13/1, Road: 2, Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207
Bangladesh<BR>Phone : 88-02-9130750, +88-02-9138501, Cell: +88
01711881647 <BR>Fax : 88-02-9138501-105<BR>E-mail :
</FONT><A href="mailto:ceo@bnnrc.net"><FONT face=Verdana
size=2>ceo@bnnrc.net</FONT></A><FONT face=Verdana size=2>, </FONT><A
href="mailto:bnnrcbd@gmail.com"><FONT face=Verdana
size=2>bnnrcbd@gmail.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Verdana size=2>
<BR>Web : </FONT><A href="http://www.bnnrc.net"><FONT face=Verdana
size=2>www.bnnrc.net</FONT></A></DIV>
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