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INTERNET CONTROL IN QUESTION: RUSSIA'S LAW COULD BE PRECEDENT FOR ARMENIA
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
17.07.12 | 16:23
The draft bill on making amendments to the Law "On Information"
adopted at the State Duma of Russia last week will enable limiting
access to Internet content without judicial procedures.
The supporters of the draft amendments believe that it will be
possible to control materials of pornographic content, propaganda of
narcotics, etc.
Those who are against the draft bill believe that it will result in
censorship, because the control will be done by companies authorized
by the government.
Such websites as the Russian version of Wikipedia and Life Journal
bloggers' service are among the opponents of the draft bill.
The Armenian 'Internet Society' NGO is also against the draft law
and hopes that Armenia will not copy Russia.
"In 2006, Armenia along with 40 countries, signed the convention
against cyber crimes, according to which no limitation can be imposed
on a website without a court decision," says Grigor Saghyan, deputy
chairman of 'Internet Society' NGO, adding that blocking a website
without a court decision is against Armenia's Constitution, too.
According to Saghyan, control over Internet content has become a daily
issue, and the matter is being discussed on the international level,
and some countries even suggest passing the Internet content control
to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which is part of
the United Nations (UN).
Saghyan says that Armenia only once imposed limitations on Internet
content on March 3-20, 2008, when a state of emergency was declared
in Armenia. No other limitations have been imposed under state bodies'
order.
From: A. Papazian
By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow
17.07.12 | 16:23
The draft bill on making amendments to the Law "On Information"
adopted at the State Duma of Russia last week will enable limiting
access to Internet content without judicial procedures.
The supporters of the draft amendments believe that it will be
possible to control materials of pornographic content, propaganda of
narcotics, etc.
Those who are against the draft bill believe that it will result in
censorship, because the control will be done by companies authorized
by the government.
Such websites as the Russian version of Wikipedia and Life Journal
bloggers' service are among the opponents of the draft bill.
The Armenian 'Internet Society' NGO is also against the draft law
and hopes that Armenia will not copy Russia.
"In 2006, Armenia along with 40 countries, signed the convention
against cyber crimes, according to which no limitation can be imposed
on a website without a court decision," says Grigor Saghyan, deputy
chairman of 'Internet Society' NGO, adding that blocking a website
without a court decision is against Armenia's Constitution, too.
According to Saghyan, control over Internet content has become a daily
issue, and the matter is being discussed on the international level,
and some countries even suggest passing the Internet content control
to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which is part of
the United Nations (UN).
Saghyan says that Armenia only once imposed limitations on Internet
content on March 3-20, 2008, when a state of emergency was declared
in Armenia. No other limitations have been imposed under state bodies'
order.
From: A. Papazian