Go, Icelanders, go!
"I am proud to advise the Icelandic Modern Media Initiative's proposal to create a global safe haven for investigative journalism. I believe this proposal is a strong way of encouraging integrity and responsive government around the world, including in Iceland. In my work investigating corruption I have seen how important it is to have have robust mechanisms to get information out to the public. Iceland, with its fresh perspectives and courageous, independent people seems to be the perfect place to initiate such an effort towards global transparency and justice."- Eva Joly MEP
ICELAND TO BECOME INTERNATIONAL TRANSPARENCY HAVEN
On June 16th the Icelandic Parliament unanimously passed a proposal tasking the government to intoduce a new legislative regime to protect and strengthen modern freedom of expression, and the free flow of information in Iceland and around the world. The unanimous vote included all government members.
Birgitta Jonsdottir, the chief sponsor in parliament of the IMMI proposal said: "Iceland will become the inverse of a tax haven; by offering journalists and publishers some of the most powerful protections for free speech and investigative journalism in the world. Tax havens aim is to make everything opaque. Our aim it to make everything transparent." she said.
Highlights from the proposal:
* the Icelandic Prize for Freedom of Expression
* Protection from "libel tourism" and other extrajudicial abuses
* Protection of intermediaries (internet service providers)
* Statute of limitations on publishing liabilities
* Virtual limited liability companies
* Whistle-blower protections
* Source protection
* Source-journalist communications protection
* Limiting prior restraint
* Process protections
* Ultra-modern Freedom of Information Act
Continue here .
A new home for WikiLeaks, perhaps!
ReplyDeleteNow that is a set of safeguards that we all should have, especially libel tourism, something that makes the British legal system a bloody layghing stock as foreigners flood in to sue people in British courts regarding cases which have no bloody rlevance to the UK...
ReplyDeleteI was just going to say what Francis has said. Now they've lost access to PayPal as well I'm not sure how they'll continue but hopefully something will come along. The charges against Assange are dubious to say the least but he's the spokesman and not the group. Did you notice all seemed to be okay until they mentioned having a major banker's hard drive?
ReplyDeletePerhaps Francis,
ReplyDeleteperhaps.
Almost sure one can be, though, that someone will (have been) tell(ing) the Icelanders: 'Either you are with us, or ...'
Jams,
when reading this very proposal, I was reminded of that there do exist laws, in which the English jurisdiction surpasses the stupidity of the German.
Susan,
unlike some (German) commenters I prefer to leave it to historians of the next century whether Mr. Assange and (his?) wikileaks are to be considered as revolutionary as Gutenberg and Luther.
Still, the reactions of the powers to (not eternally) be indicate that they are as amused as have been their ancestors in the 15th and 16th century.
There could - at least to my knowledge - no other European country been found to set such kind of attack. Strange, hm?
Finally (for now): Why would when reading your question, Liza Minelli would come to my mind?
One of my very favorite films :-)
ReplyDeleteSusan,
ReplyDeleteit's good but would probably not 'make it' into my 'Top 100', but the song is brilliant.
this is actually a very good news. but after all those crap ive seen in this world, i wonder if they have another agenda to take the best advantage of it.
ReplyDeleteblogger comment system is rather stupid and i just have to write a dummy comment just follow them.
ReplyDeleteThe news here in the USA is heavily censored apparently. The collection of gag orders for our news networks must have deforested the remaining half of Congo by now. It's difficult to search Icelandic news from an IP address in Dallas, Texas and I'm wondering if you Icelanders have passed the IMMA into full fledged law. The most recent articles I have found only reveal that IMMA is being considered for law. Any links/information would be helpful. Thanks and kudos Iceland!
ReplyDelete