Emin Milli at Internet Freedom Fellows Press Conference at UN
The Internet Freedom Fellows program funded by the U.S. Department of State and managed by the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, brings human rights activists from across the globe to Geneva, Washington, and Silicon Valley to meet with fellow activists, U.S. and international government leaders, and members of civil society and the private sector engaged in technology and human rights. A key goal of the program is to share experiences and lessons learned on the importance of a free Internet to the promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of assembly as fundamental human rights. The Fellows are in Geneva June 19-22 during the 20th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. This year’s Internet Freedom Fellows, all human rights activists and active practitioners of digital media, are from Syria, India, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Venezuela and Azerbaijan. In Geneva they will participate in a global conversation, webcast from the United Nations, on “Global Networks, Individual Freedoms” Wednesday, June 20 at 1000 EDT (14:00 UTC).
The 2012 Fellows are:
Dlshad Othman (Syria): Mr. Othman is a Syrian activist and IT engineer who provides Syrians with digital security resources and assistance so that they can utilize online communications and advocacy freely and securely in spite of increased online government repression in the form of censorship, sophisticated cyber attacks, and intense surveillance.
Pranesh Prakash (India): Mr. Prakash is a program manager at the Centre for Internet and Society in Bangalore. He works primarily in areas where technology and public policy intersect, engaging in research and policy advocacy on issues relating to online freedom of expression, access to knowledge, intellectual property rights reform, and Internet governance.
Koundjoro Gabriel Kambou (Burkina Faso): Mr. Kambou is a journalist-reporter at Lefaso.net and an animator of blogs. He campaigns for and promotes human rights and the values of democracy and freedom of the press. He publishes videos and articles to sensitize people to and educate them on human rights issues.
Sopheap Chak (Cambodia): Ms. Chak is the Program Director of the Cambodia Center for Human Rights (CCHR) and is one of Cambodia’s leading human rights bloggers. She mobilizes young activists around the country in civic engagement through the Cambodian Youth Network for Change. She is a contributing author for Global Voice Online, UPI Asia Online, and Furutre Challenges.
Andres Azpurua (Venezuela): Mr. Azpurua is committed to generating digital tools that empower Venezuelans to better exercise their human rights. He has contributed o the creation of a digital platform that promotes and defends voters’ rights. He is also the founder of a digital initiative that seeks to build a volunteer base from civil society to promote the right of association in Venezuela.
Emin Milli (Azerbaijan): Mr. Milli is a writer and a dissident who has actively used online networking tools to spread information about human rights violations in Azerbaijan. He was imprisoned for 16 months for his critical views about the government of Azerbaijan. He was conditionally released in 2010 and is currently writing his dissertation in London on “New Media and Arab Revolutions”.
U.S. Mission Photo by Eric Bridiers
Emin Milli at Internet Freedom Fellows Press Conference at UN
The Internet Freedom Fellows program funded by the U.S. Department of State and managed by the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, brings human rights activists from across the globe to Geneva, Washington, and Silicon Valley to meet with fellow activists, U.S. and international government leaders, and members of civil society and the private sector engaged in technology and human rights. A key goal of the program is to share experiences and lessons learned on the importance of a free Internet to the promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of assembly as fundamental human rights. The Fellows are in Geneva June 19-22 during the 20th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. This year’s Internet Freedom Fellows, all human rights activists and active practitioners of digital media, are from Syria, India, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Venezuela and Azerbaijan. In Geneva they will participate in a global conversation, webcast from the United Nations, on “Global Networks, Individual Freedoms” Wednesday, June 20 at 1000 EDT (14:00 UTC).
The 2012 Fellows are:
Dlshad Othman (Syria): Mr. Othman is a Syrian activist and IT engineer who provides Syrians with digital security resources and assistance so that they can utilize online communications and advocacy freely and securely in spite of increased online government repression in the form of censorship, sophisticated cyber attacks, and intense surveillance.
Pranesh Prakash (India): Mr. Prakash is a program manager at the Centre for Internet and Society in Bangalore. He works primarily in areas where technology and public policy intersect, engaging in research and policy advocacy on issues relating to online freedom of expression, access to knowledge, intellectual property rights reform, and Internet governance.
Koundjoro Gabriel Kambou (Burkina Faso): Mr. Kambou is a journalist-reporter at Lefaso.net and an animator of blogs. He campaigns for and promotes human rights and the values of democracy and freedom of the press. He publishes videos and articles to sensitize people to and educate them on human rights issues.
Sopheap Chak (Cambodia): Ms. Chak is the Program Director of the Cambodia Center for Human Rights (CCHR) and is one of Cambodia’s leading human rights bloggers. She mobilizes young activists around the country in civic engagement through the Cambodian Youth Network for Change. She is a contributing author for Global Voice Online, UPI Asia Online, and Furutre Challenges.
Andres Azpurua (Venezuela): Mr. Azpurua is committed to generating digital tools that empower Venezuelans to better exercise their human rights. He has contributed o the creation of a digital platform that promotes and defends voters’ rights. He is also the founder of a digital initiative that seeks to build a volunteer base from civil society to promote the right of association in Venezuela.
Emin Milli (Azerbaijan): Mr. Milli is a writer and a dissident who has actively used online networking tools to spread information about human rights violations in Azerbaijan. He was imprisoned for 16 months for his critical views about the government of Azerbaijan. He was conditionally released in 2010 and is currently writing his dissertation in London on “New Media and Arab Revolutions”.
U.S. Mission Photo by Eric Bridiers