Amnesty launches campaign against online Censorship
Pakistan Times Wire Service

LONDON (UK): Amnesty International has launched a campaign to demand freedom of expression over the Internet because of increasing concern over state censorship and control of online communications.

The London-based human rights group used an article in Britain's weekly Observer newspaper to launch the scheme -- irrepressible.info -- and criticise governments for censoring websites, blocking emails and shutting down weblogs.

The rights group was launched in 1961 after its founder Peter Benenson wrote in a newspaper about two Portuguese students who were arrested for raising a toast to freedom.

The paper noted that 45 years on, the global organisation is now fighting on behalf of three Vietnamese people arrested for taking part in a chatroom debate about democracy.

Amnesty's UK director Kate Allen said; "The Internet has the potential to transcend national borders and allow the free flow of ideas around the world." "It is the greatest medium for free _expression since the printing press... Allen said.

"This is the new frontier in the battle between those what want to speak out, and those who want to stop them.

"We are asking people to show their support for Internet freedom by backing a simple pledge calling on governments to stop the unwarranted restriction of online freedom of _expression and on companies to stop helping them do it."●