Dear colleagues, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Freedom and security on the Internet have evolved into some of the greatest global challenges. I would like to thank the Dutch Minister for calling a conference on this important issue and appreciate the interventions by all the distinguished colleagues around the table.
I, first of all, very much agree that freedom of expression has to apply regardless of the medium used to convey the message. Safeguarding the freedom of expression and opinion on the Internet is an inseparable part of fundamental rights, dignity and worth of the human person. It forms an essential part of XXI century human rights. The UN Special Rapporteur Mr. Frank La Rue’s special report for the UN Human Rights Council clearly states that freedom of opinion and expression is as much a fundamental right on its own accord as it is an “enabler” of other rights. These, of course, include economic, social and cultural rights.
In many respect, information has never been as free as it is today. In the digital era it is increasingly more difficult, even for authoritarian regimes, to deny the freedom of expression. Information networks are helping people across the globe to discover new facts and to communicate their ideas to the rest of the world. This makes also governments more accountable.
Moreover, new technologies encourage citizens to take a more active role in the governance of their country. E-governance, online social networks, search engines, Youtube – to name just a few – are all irreplaceable tools for the promotion of democracy. This Spring’s events in the Arab world are a good example of the role that the Internet and modern information and communications technology can play in promoting participation in politics.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In this context, we are extremely concerned at growing attempts to abuse information technology and to use it to limit the free exchange of opinions. Unfortunately, at this very moment there are countries where the political content of the Internet is systematically filtered. Even worse, often bloggers and journalists are imprisoned. Democratic societies should make sure that their non-violent struggle is not only noticed but also recognised and supported.
According to Freedom House Estonia is among countries with the highest Internet freedom. We feel that we have an obligation to raise the issue as part of our human rights agenda. Internet freedom is something that Estonia would like to develop further in the UN’s Human Rights Council should we be elected for 2013-2015.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Estonia has undertaken various initiatives, both at home and abroad, that use new technologies for promoting human rights and democracy. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the project called Tiger Leap, which allowed our educational institutions to have access to computers and the Internet. It was instrumental in enhancing the skills of technology-savvy Estonians and ultimately led to development of the concept e-Estonia. Today we are known for our e-voting, e-Cabinet, e-Health service and many others. We have shared our experience with our development co-operation partners and beyond. Some 40 countries around the world use Estonian e-solutions, including a number of post-conflict countries where they have become important tools for the transition to democracy.
Freedom on the Internet is strongly linked to security and user integrity. There have been alarming attempts to misuse the lack of security on the Internet to threaten or block the freedom of users. There are different views on whether the international community needs a new set of rules for regulating Internet related activities that are largely privately owned. We look forward for different studies on this issue and are open for further discussions. For the time being, however, we should probably focus more on how to promote the high ethical standards and the sensibility of service providers. They are the most important elements in keeping the delicate balance between security and freedom.
I would also like to say a couple of words about cyber crime. The 2001 Council of Europe’s Convention on Cyber Crime is the only legally binding international instrument open for all the states that addresses cyber crime. The Convention should become the legal framework of reference for fighting cyber crime at the global level. Estonia urges all countries that have not yet done so to sign and ratify or accede to it.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In conclusion, allow me once more to thank the organizers for this conference and to stress the importance of the follow-up. The world needs a strong and global partnership for addressing this XXI century challenge. We need to coordinate our activities better and share the information in order to avoid the fragmentation. We need to pool our resources and support those individuals that are operating in repressive environments. We need to co-operate more with each other in appropriate international and regional organizations, particularly at the United Nations. We need to engage with information and technology businesses across the globe on their responsibility to protect human rights on the Internet.
Thank You.