Title

THE PROMISES WE KEEP ONLINE: INTERNET FREEDOM IN THE OSCE REGION

Friday, July 15, 2011
210 Cannon House Office Building
Washington D.C., DC 20515
United States
Members: 
Name: 
Hon. Chris Smith
Title Text: 
Chairman
Body: 
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Statement: 
Name: 
Hon. Benjamin Cardin
Title Text: 
Co-Chairman
Body: 
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Name: 
Hon. Phil Gingrey
Title Text: 
Commissioner
Body: 
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Witnesses: 
Name: 
Dr. Daniel Baer
Title: 
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Body: 
Department of State
Statement: 
Name: 
Dunja Mijatovic
Title: 
Representative on Freedom of the Media
Body: 
OSCE
Name: 
Hon. David Kramer
Title: 
President
Body: 
Freedom House
Name: 
Rafal Rohozinski
Title: 
Senior Scholar of Canada Center for Global Security Studies and the Citizen Lab
Body: 
University of Toronto
Name: 
Dr. Charles Lee
Name: 
Ivan Sigal
Title: 
Executive Director
Body: 
Global Voices
Statement: 

This hearing covered the online dimension of human rights- freedom of expression and of media. Intrusive infringement of online material, such as blogs and other social media, among OSCE members: Turkey, Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan have been the newest to use intimidation.  Witnesses who testified in front of the commission stressed the importance of the Helsinki process of safeguarding human dignity, civil society and democratic government in the digital age. The hearing focused on the efforts conducted by the U.S. government and what else may be needed to address repressive laws aimed against online communication.