Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/94585506@N05/8621040759/
Many groups of NGOs, activists in the Arab region are coming together online and offline in the last two years to protest and react against specific laws that is affecting negatively their rights as Internet users. We witnessed many campaigns to expose and postpone these unjust law.
Legislative process takes time, not months but years, especially if it deals with the Internet, which is a new topic to the legislation process in the Arab region.
Knowing that this process is not short, we are starting to map the existing laws in 6 Arab countries where we focus the most: Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Tunisia. We are working with local researchers from each of the mentioned countries, but also looking forward to collaborate with other Organizations who would like to be part of the process and contribute with valuable information. The research will consist of:
1- Latest version of any laws related to Internet users directly/indirectly in Arabic, e.g: Communication, Media/new media, cybercrime, E-transaction, eavesdrop, terrorism, and whatever laws that could be linked.
2- Links to local organizations, groups, activists who are actively fighting these laws, and latest analysis for potential change that has been written.
We are working on this research with our partner Hivos. Please send me an email if you are interested to help mohamad{AT}smex{DOT}org