Over a couple of days of discussions and exchanging viewpoints about probable cooperation between human rights activists, bloggers, journalists and media professionals, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information held a workshop titled "Internet & Human Rights – Mechanisms of Mutual Support" where participants from 12 Arab countries contributed, representing "Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Tunisia, UAE, Jordan, Oman, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Libya and Bahrain".
The workshop was held within the frame of a project performed by the Arabic Network tilted "Internet & Human Rights". Participants paid attention in the first day to many experiences of various Egyptian and Arab bloggers in regards to raising the ceiling of freedom of expression in the Arab world, besides highlighting causes of the Arab citizens' interest such as torture, freedom of religion and defending prisoners of conscious, in addition to extending use of free software among youth and activists, as well as discussing the issue of relation between traditional press and electronic media.
Participants in the second day listened to the experiences of activists from the Gulf countries explain the internet role in disclosing a number of widespread violations in the Gulf region, and also illustrating their success in birthing a human rights movement despite of the oppression attempts to eradicate human rights culture over there.
Human rights activists also discussed obstacles preventing them of expanding their use of internet in spite of the great abilities available compared to traditional means which are controlled by Arab governments. Also, the participants discussed the issue of the use of internet by human rights & freedom of expression defenders enabling them to gain supporters and convey their massages and causes to a larger audience.
During a session regarding legal protection regarding crimes of publication, participants discussed a number of cases and punishments directed to those in charge of electronic publishing and vague articles in the law that they are usually accused by such as "fault, insult, disrupting tranquility, libel & defamation, lies and fake news, instigation…etc" & all these charges used against governments critics, journalists or activists.
Here is a list of participants in the workshop (in alphabetical order):
- Abdou Abdul-Aziz: Researcher in the Arabic Network, Egypt.
- Abdullah Al-Reyami: Writer and Internet activist, Oman.
- Abdul-moneim Mahmoud: "Ana Ikhwan" blog and a journalist, Egypt.
- Ahmed Al-Omran: Saudi Jeans blog, Saudi Arabia
- Ahmed Gharbia: Technology and information expert, Egypt
- Ahmed Mansour: Human rights activist, UAE
- Ahmed Nagy: "Set your Imagination free" or (Was'aa Khayalak) blog and a journalist, Egypt.
- Alaa Abdul-Fattah: Manal & Alaa blog, Egypt.
- Amale Khyr-Allah: journalist, Lebanon.
- Amera abdul-Fattah: Coordinator of Regional Programs in Frederich Nauman's Institution.
- Amr Magdy: Tarqaet Keyboard blog, Egypt.
- Anas Fouda: Al-Arabia website – UAE, Egypt
- Gamal Eid: Director of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information.
- Hamdy Al-Assuity: Activist and lawyer, Egypt.
- Hisham Al-Sharqawy: Human rights activist, Morocco.
- Ismail Mohammed Al-Koraietly: head of Research and Studies in Al-Jazeerah.net Qatar, Libya.
- Kamel Al-Abeidi: Representative of Committee for Protecting Journalist CPJ, Tunisia.
- Karem Yahia: Journalist and Press Syndicate activist, Egypt.
- Khaled Al-Sergany: Editorial manager of Al-Doustor Egyptian newspaper, Egypt.
- Magdy Said: Islam-online website, Egypt.
- Maged Saleh: Human rights activist from Mada Center, Palestine.
- Manal Hassan: Manal & Alaa blog, Egypt.
- Mina Zekri: Blogger and human rights activist, Egypt.
- Mohammed Said: Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Bahrain.
- Moneir Edeibes: Aman website, Jordan.
- Noura Younis: Noura Younis blog, Egypt.
- Rawda Ahmed Sayed: Lawyer in the Arabic Network, Egypt.
- Violet Daguerre: Arabic Committee for human Rights, France.
- Wael Abbas: of "Al-Waei Al-Masry" or Egyptian Awareness blog, Egypt.
- Wessam Fouad: Islam-online website, Egypt.
