(on 2012-02-15)

WikiLeaks denounces UNESCO after WikiLeaks banned from UNESCO conference on WikiLeaks

WIKILEAKS PRESS RELEASE. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wed Feb 15 17:00:00 2012 GMT

"#OccupyUNESCO"

WikiLeaks denounces UNESCO for banning WikiLeaks from conference about WikiLeaks (February 16-17, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris).

WikiLeaks denounced UNESCO for banning WikiLeaks from tomorrow’s international conference about WikiLeaks. The large two-day conference, which has 37 speakers listed, is to be held UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. US organizers have stacked the conference with WikiLeaks opponents and blocked all speakers from WikiLeaks, stating that the decision to censor WikiLeaks representation was an exercise in ’freedom of expression... our right to give voice to speakers of our choice’.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange denounced the conference: ’UNESCO has made itself an international human rights joke. To use "freedom of expression" to censor WikiLeaks from a conference about WikiLeaks is an Orwellian absurdity beyond words. This is an intolerable abuse of UNESCO’s Constitution. It’s time to occupy UNESCO.’

WikiLeaks spokesperson Kristinn Hrafnsson expressed consternation in a letter to UNESCO about the exclusion: ’UNESCO has a duty to assure that fairness and balance is secured in important discussions carried out under the banner of the organization. It is obvious that this will hardly be the case, given the selection of speakers. This is both a disgrace to UNESCO and potentially harmful to WikiLeaks.’

Julian Assange calls for an immediate investigation "UNESCO must conduct a full, frank and open investigation as to how its constitution, which tasks it to promote freedom of expression, freedom of information and freedom of communication, has become a blunt instrument of censorship. UNESCO must demonstrate that cold-war style power-plays, by the United States, or indeed any other country, are no longer acceptable."

The following hash tag may be used to follow the story: "#OccupyUNESCO"

Full details and a longer explanatory article follow.

Conference Details: - Livestream: The Media World after WikiLeaks and News of the World 09:00-16:45, 16-17 February 2012 mms://stream.unesco.org/live/room_4_en.wmv

 Conference URL: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-...

 Venue: UNESCO Headquarters 7 place de Fontenoy , 75352 Paris, France https://maps.google.com/maps/place?...

UNESCO Constitution: http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-...

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 19: http://www.udhr.org/UDHR/ART19.HTM

WikiLeaks refused participation at UNESCO WikiLeaks conference

When WikiLeaks became aware that a two day conference about WikiLeaks’ impact was being hosted by UNESCO, WikiLeaks expressed its consternation that no-one from WikiLeaks had been approached to participate - and requested that WikiLeaks be given access to meaningful participation at the conference.

UNESCO forwarded WikiLeaks’ letter to Ronald Koven of the "World Press Freedom Committee". The WPFC is based in Reston, Virginia, in the United States. UNESCO lists the organizers as the U.S. "World Press Freedom Committee" (WPFC) in cooperation with the UNESCO Communication & Information Sector. The WPFC board (http://is.gd/1bF0N3 ), is comprised of Washington insiders, cold war ideological allies (such as Freedom House and the disgraced IAPA) and U.S. mainstream media groups.

Although WikiLeaks has over 90 partner organisations and despite numerous other books having been published on WikiLeaks, UNESCO and the WPFC decided to exclude WikiLeaks and stack the UNESCO conference with a "who’s who" of WikiLeaks opponents and critics, no matter how insignificant or poorly informed. This includes speakers who are not merely critics, but four who have active legal conflicts with the organization. Tellingly, the key note is by a journalist who serialized her failed anti-WikiLeaks book in a U.K tabloid as "The WikiFreak: In a new book one author reveals how she got to know Julian Assange and found him a predatory, narcissistic fantasist".

Ronald Koven is the WPFC’s spokesman on ’press freedom concerns’ at UNESCO. Koven has been monitoring UNESCO for the U.S. organizations for over 30 years. In recent years he has been a U.S. Embassy informant and is mentioned in WikiLeaks’ cables. Koven refused WikiLeaks participation due to what can only be interpreted as political considerations:

"I can only share in your attachment to freedom of expression. It must include our right to give voice to speakers of our choice."

Koven went on to justify the exclusion:

"The main focus of this conference is not about WikiLeaks as such but about the implications of its actions for the future of professional journalism."

This characterisation is at odds with the description of the aims of the conference on its website: "The conference aims to explore a wide range of new questions for traditional media and journalism posed by the WikiLeaks phenomenon" (that is, WikiLeaks).

WikiLeaks again contacted UNESCO’s Sylvie Coudray, who is in charge for Freedom of Expression, reminding UNESCO that it has a duty to ensure fairness and balance in conferences carried out under the banner of the organization, and in accordance with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. UNESCO’s legacy is at stake, and the political decisions driving this exclusion are yet another episode in the persecution of WikiLeaks.

UNESCO responded "We do not have intention to cause any polemic" and stated that WikiLeaks could attend the conference- as long as WikiLeaks did not demand to participate as speakers. She appears to deny WikiLeaks work as journalism:

"Mr Koven has already answered to some of your questions. May I underline that the conference is *about journalism* in light of the situations that occurred with Wikileaks and News of the World, and *not about the episodes themselves*."

The full correspondence between WikiLeaks, UNESCO and WPFC is available at the end of this document.

Although the conference is meant to be about WikiLeaks and freedom of the press, there is nothing about the most serious attack on WikiLeaks and freedom of expression everywhere. The extrajudicial attack has wiped out 95% of WikiLeaks revenues and has been the subject of wide-spread condemnation, including from the UN and the EU. Since Dec 2010, US financial giants VISA, MasterCard, The Bank of America, PayPal and Western Union have been involved in an economic censorship war against this organization. A formal U.S. Treasury investigation found there were no grounds for the US to blacklist WikiLeaks. Despite this, the unlawful blockade continues.

MasterCard, along with the U.S. State Department, sponsored the WPFC organized the 2011, so-called, "UNESCO World Press Freedom Day", during the start of the U.S. economic censorship campaign against WikiLeaks. It also conspicuously avoided discussion of extrajudicial banking blockade against WikiLeaks.

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List of Speakers at UNESCO’s WikiLeaks Conference that censors WikiLeaks

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/commun...

Heather Brooke: (keynote speaker) - Journalist for the Guardian and author of The Revolution Will be Digitised. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Revolution-...

David Leigh: Guardian journalist participating in the Panel: How Professional Media Confront Masses of Raw Data. Koven’s email included the following sample question: "What is the fallout from WikiLeaks’ decision to release all the materials without its original redaction of sensitive sources?" There is a clear conflict of interest when the Guardian’s David Leigh was the one who released a top-secret password which resulted in the publishing of all the unredacted diplomatic cables onto the internet 48 hours before WikiLeaks published the cables onto their website. The Guardian’s David Leigh then concealed the fact that he had provoked the publication of the unredacted cables. The question is either conceited or misinformed. Author of ’WikiLeaks’ (working title: The Rise and Fall of WikiLeaks).

 WikiLeaks Statement on the Release of the Unredacted Cables: http://www.wikileaks.org/Guardian-j... New Scientist ’Assange - Why WikiLeaks was Right to Release the Raw Cables’ http://www.newscientist.com/article...
 ’WikiLeaks Password Leak FAQ’ unspecified.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/wikileaks-password-leak-faq/
 ’Full-Disclosure, Unredacted WikiLeaks, Security and The Guardian’ http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/un...
 https://www.schneier.com/blog/archi...

Charlie Beckett: Author of News in the Networked Era http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/polis/2012/0...

Borja Bergareche: London correspondent, ABC, Madrid, author of "Wikileaks Confidencial" He misrepresents the way in which the raw cables were published online, either out of being grossly uninformed or out of misinterpreting the Guardian’s false narrative. Bergareche claims that WikiLeaks ’forgot’ a file on Cryptome’ servers. He incorrectly states that WikiLeaks has published 2.5% of the US’ classified diplomatic cables between 2004-2010. http://www.elcorteingles.es/tienda/... http://www.324.cat/noticia/1590652/...

Invited but not attending:

Daniel Domscheit-Berg: (No longer on the draft programme): was invited to speak on the panel ’How Professional Media Confront Masses of Raw Data’. He has destroyed evidence on war crimes, gross human rights abuses, and unethical banking practices. He has also stolen WikiLeaks material and attempted to destroy infrastructure. He is the only person publicly associated with WikiLeaks who has not been subpoenaed at the secret Grand Jury.

’Statement by Julian Assange on the reported destruction of WikiLeaks source material by Daniel Domscheit-Berg’ http://wlcentral.org/node/2170

NOT INVITED:

Out of over 50 active media partners, UNESCO-WPFC only give a platform to The Guardian, New York Times, and Le Monde.

Other authors and books about WikiLeaks disclosures in 2010-2011:

Santiago O’Donnell, author of ArgenLeaks, an in-depth analysis of the diplomatic cables’ revelations relating to Argentina. http://argenleaks.net/

Andrew Fowler, author of The Most Dangerous Man in the World (about Assange) URL http://catalogue.mup.com.au/978-0-5... , and a two ABC Foreign Correspondent episodes on WikiLeaks, URL http://www.abc.net.au/radionational...

Holger Stark and Marcel Rosenbach of Der Spiegel, authors of Staatsfiend WikiLeaks URL http://www.spiegel.de/international...

Nicky Hager, author of ’Other People’s Wars’

Natalia Viana - https://cartacapitalwikileaks.wordp...

List WikiLeaks Partners around the World (this list is not exhaustive)

ARD, Germany Privacy International, UK OWNI, France Bugged Planet, Germany La Nacion, Argentina Pagina 12, Argentina Sydney Morning Herald, Australia The Age, Australia Die Standard, Belgium Balkan Leaks, Bulgaria Folha de Sao Paulo, Brazil O Estado de Sao Paulo, Brazil APTN, Canada Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada CIPER, Chile El Espectador, Colombia Semana, Colombia La Nacion, Cosa Rica Politiken, Denmark El Comercio, Ecuador El Universo, Ecuador Al-Masry Al-Youm, Egypt El Faro, El Salvador Postimees, Estonia Helsingin Sanomat, Finland YLE, Finland Le Monde, France La Quadrature du Net, France Mediapart, France 20 Minutes, France Plaza Publica, Guatemala Des Spiegel, Germany Die Welt, Germany Ta Nea, Greece Haiti Liberte, Haiti Nederlandse Omroep Stichting, Holland NRC Handelsblad, Holland RUV, Iceland 365 Media, Iceland NDTV, India The Hindu, India Belfast Telegraph, Ireland Irish Independent, Ireland Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel L’Espresso, Italy La Republica, Italy The Gleaner, Jamaica Asahi Shimbun, Japan KazTAG, Kazakhstan Respublika, Kazakhstan Daily Nation, Kenya The Star, Kenya Al Akhbar, Lebanon Malaysia Today, Malaysia La Jornada, Mexico Sunday Star Times, New Zealand Herald on Sunday, New Zealand Aftenposten, Norway Verdens Gang, Norway Dawn, Pakistan La Prensa, Panama Panama America, Panama ABC Color, Paraguay El Comercio, Peru IDL Reporteros, Peru CRIJ, Romania Novaya Gazeta, Russia Russian Reporter, Russia Sov.Sekretno, Russia Koms Pravda, Russia The Scotsman, Scotland Scotland on Sunday, Scotland El Pais, Spain 20 Minutos, Spain Dagens Nyheter, Sweden Svenska Dagbladet, Sweden Sveriges Television, Sweden Aftonbladet, Sweden Le Temps, Switzerland Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Switzerland Asia-Plus, Tajikistan Asia Sentinel, Thailand Taraf, Turkey BBC, United Kingdom Greenpeace, United Kingdom Guardian, United Kingdom Telegraph, United Kingdom The Time, United Kingdom The Financial Times, United Kingdom Reuters, United Kingdom CounterPunch, United States New York Times, United States Brecha, Uruguay El Pais, Uruguay

Conference registration: http://www.unesco-ci.org/cmscore/ci...

References:

Statement in support of WikiLeaks right to publish: http://www.cidh.oas.org/relatoria/s...

UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression Frank La Rue (participant in UNESCO conference); and Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Catalina Botero

UNESCO Awards Mainstream media (Excluding the main player, WIKILEAKS) http://www.article19.org/resources.... See for comment: https://facthai.wordpress.com/2011/...

Open Letter in Defence of WikiLeaks’ Right to Publish http://wikileaksopenletter.com/

WikiLeaks Stop the crackdowns http://www.avaaz.org/en/wikileaks_p...

Selected WikiLeaks Awards:

2008 The Economist - Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression award 2009 Sam Adams Award, US 2009 Amnesty International human rights reporting award (New Media), UK 2010 Martha Gellhorn Prize, UK 2010 Human Rights Film Festival of Barcelona Award for International Journalism and Human Rights, Spain 2010 Readers’ Choice in TIME magazine’s Person of the Year (Julian Assange) 2011 Jose Couso Press Freedom Award, Spain 2011 Voltaire Award of the Victorian Council for Civil Liberties, Australia 2011 Sydney Peace Foundation Gold Medal, Australia, for “exceptional courage and initiative in pursuit of human rights” 2011 Blanquerna Award for Best Communicator (WikiLeaks), Spain 2011 International Piero Passetti Journalism Prize of the National Union of Italian Journalists, Italy 2011 Walkley Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism, Australia

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Emails between WikiLeaks and UNESCO

30 January 2012 First Communication from WikiLeaks

Envoyé: lundi 30 janvier 2012 16:19 À: Coudray, Sylvie Objet: WikiLeaks conference without WikiLeaks!!

Ms Coudray

It has been brought to my attention that UNESCO is hosting a conference in mid February where the main topic is WikiLeaks and its effect on for example law and traditional journalism. To my knowledge no one from WikiLeaks has been invited to speak at this conference. I am outraged at the fact that UNESCO has decided to bypasswholly the organization from this discussion.

Furthermore I see that at least two representatives from media that areformer partners of WikiLeaks but have since criticized the organization. May I point out that WikiLeaks is in ongoing collaboration with 90 media organizations from all corners of the wold. None of them are represented at this conference. I believe this needs to be amended.

Expecting your reply

Kristinn Hrafnsson Spokesperson for WikiLeaks

30January 2012 Response from UNESCO by Sylvie Coudray Chief of Section for Freedom of Expression

2012/1/30 Coudray, Sylvie ****

Dear Kristinn Hrafnsson,

I would like to thank you for your message. As you may know, UNESCO is hosting the conference and the World Press Freedom Committee is organizing the debate, in close collaboration with other partners. I am copying Mr Ronald Koven, who is going to reply to you as soon as he gets my message.

With my best regards

Sylvie Coudray Chief of Section for Freedom of Expression Division for Freedom of Expression and Media Development Communication and Information Sector

30 January 2012 From: Ronald Koven

Date: 2012/1/30 Subject: Re: WikiLeaks conference without WikiLeaks!! To: Kristinn Hrafnsson

Cc: S.Coudray@unesco.org, powerginny@gmail.com, richard.winfield@cliffordchance.com, g.robertson@doughtystreet.co.uk, KovenRonald@aol.com, G.Berger@unesco.org

From: Koven Ronald Date: 2012/1/30 Subject: Re: WikiLeaks conference without WikiLeaks!! To: Kristinn Hrafnsson Cc: S.Coudray@unesco.org, powerginny@gmail.com, richard.winfield@cliffordchance.com, g.robertson@doughtystreet.co.uk, KovenRonald@aol.com, G.Berger@unesco.org

Dear Kristinn Hrafnsson —

Thank you for your interest in our conference. You may not have seen the actual program, which I append below. It includes Geoffrey Robertson. QC. both as a leading British media lawyer and as a legal advisor for Julian Assange. Mr, Robertson has accepted our invitation and is scheduled as the featured lead speaker in our panel on the international law implications of recent events, including but not confined to the WikiLeaks episode. The conference will also deal with other issues currently concerning the media world, such as the fallout from the telephone hacking allegations against the News of the World.

It is my understanding that Julian Assange is legally barred from traveling from the United Kingdom.

The first panel includes editors from three of the five original news media partners of WikiLeaks. We are interested in their perspectives because theirs are amongst the world’s most respected quality newspapers, and the main focus of this conference is not about WikiLeaks as such but about the implications of its actions for the future of professional journalism.

I can only share in your attachment to freedom of expression. It must include our right to give voice to speakers of our choice. If Mr. Assange or an authorized spokesperson for him wishes to send a message to the conference participants, I would be pleased to distribute it to them and to include it in the published conference proceedings when they appear.

Sincerely,

Ronald Koven European Representative World Press Freedom Committee

************

The Media World After WikiLeaks and News of the World Salle IV, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris 16-17 February 2012

Organizers: World Press Freedom Committee, in cooperation with the UNESCO Communication & Information Sector Co-sponsors: the World Association of Newspapers & News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), World Editors Forum and the International Press Institute

With the support of JP-Politiken pubishing group, Denmark; Open Society Foundation’s Network Media Program, London; and Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation, New York

Background With a stunning 2 billion persons estimated to be using the Internet and producing 156 million public blogs in 2011, there has been a surge of social networks, user-generated content and micro-blogging that has enabled all Internet users to become public communicators. Along with the spread of the Internet, WikiLeaks’ release of a massive number of classified government documents and its initial collaboration with traditional news media has modified the media landscape and raised crucial questions for journalism.

Following a conference organized by WPFC and WAN at UNESCO HQ on “New Media: The Press Freedom Dimension” in February 2007, there is a need to explore further the future of traditional media and professional journalism — with their established practices, traditions and standards — as challenged by emergence of new actors and approaches like WikiLeaks.

Objectives The WikiLeaks episode raised many issues related to freedom of expression, freedom of information, national security, privacy and ethics. The WikiLeaks developments raise basic questions about how journalists do their jobs. The conference aims to explore a wide range of new questions for traditional media and journalism posed by the WikiLeaks phenomenon:
 How can journalists deal with the massive explosion of primary source data made available on the Internet ?
 Should journalists’ roles and their professional and ethical standards be reconsidered?
 What is the relationship between “citizen journalism” and traditional journalistic professionalism ?
 What are the challenges for international and domestic law related to privacy, national security, public order and Internet freedom?
 What is the future of government-media relations? This conference aims to gather leading media representatives, professional and “citizen” journalists and media law experts to exchange views on these issues and to discuss good practices in traditional professional journalism and citizen journalism in the digital era.

Thursday, 16 Feb. 9 a.m. Opening session: Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director General

9:15 a.m, Keynote speech: Heather Brooke, author, “The Silent State,” “The Revolution Will Be Digitised”

9:45-11:15 a.m. Panel 1: How Professional Media Confront Masses of Raw Data Description: WikiLeaks claims access to some 250,000 US diplomatic cables — mountains of raw data that confront society and professional media with dilemmas on their use. This explosion of primary source data has impacted newsgathering by journalists and their relation with governments. Editors of three media outlets chosen by WikiLeaks to review the dispatches for use discuss their experiences.

Moderator: Guy Berger, UNESCO Director of Freedom of Expression & Media Development. Sylvie Kauffmann, columnist, former Editor-in-Chief, Le Monde, Paris Ian Fisher, Associate Managing Editor, New York Times Alan Rusbridger, Editor, The Guardian, London Charlie Beckett, Director, Polis, media think tank, London School of Economics; author, “WikiLeaks: News in the Networked Era” Daniel Domscheit-Berg, founder of OpenLeaks TBC

Sample questions: Was there a “silver lining” to WikiLeaks that reaffirmed journalistic professionalism ? Have there been lasting effects on newsgathering ? What is the fallout from WikiLeaks’ decision to release all the materials without its original redaction of sensitive sources ? What effects on relations with democratic governments ? Have there been changes in relations with officialdom that affect the ability of journalists to access information ?

11:15 a.m: coffee break

11:30-1 p.m. Panel 2: Professionalism and Ethics in the New Media Environment After WikiLeaks and The News of the World Description: WikiLeaks and the illegal phone hacking scandal surrounding The News of the World have intensified public debates about journalistic practices and ethics In the Internet era. News media and journalists must come to grips with the ethical implications of dealing with information coming from many more sources and via more technologies than before.

Moderator: Alison Smale, Executive Editor, International Herald Tribune Borja Bergareche, author, “Wikileaks confidencial”; London correspondent, ABC, Madrid; European consultant, Committee to Protect Journalists Guy Black, Baron Black of Brentwood, Exec, Director, Telegraph Media Group, ex-Director UK Press Complaints Commission Mikhail Fedotov, Head, Russian Presidential Human Rights Council; ex-Secretary, Russian Union of Journalists: ex-Russian Press/Information Minister: author, media law of 1991 Charles Onyango-Obbo, Executive Editor for digital media, Nation Media group, Kenya Aidan White, Director of Coalition for Ethical Journalism, of Global Editors Network; former General Secretary, International Federation of Journalists

Sample questions: Is media self-regulation threatened by tabloid journalism ? Does the quantity of information change its ethical quality ? Should news outlets consult officials on possible endangerment of sources or persons cited ? How much double-checking or contextualizing of information in leaked documents is enough ? Do journalists need more training in ethics and law?

1-2:30 p.m. lunch

2:30-4 p.m. Panel 3: International Law After WikiLeaks Description: WikiLeaks has posed challenges of legal jurisdiction since it is not located or operating in a single country. This raises tensions between national and international law concerning the online information flow’s transborder nature. Wikileaks also raised challenges for governments to protect their classified information. The relation of WikiLeaks to journalism raises questions of whether laws protecting freedom of expression, press freedom and freedom of information should apply to it.

Moderator: Richard Winfield, Chairman, World Press Freedom Committee: former General Counsel, Associated Press Barbora Bukovska, Senior Director for Law, Article 19 Helen Darbishire, Executive Director, Access Info Europe Jane Kirtley, Director, U. of Minnesota Journalism School’s Center for Study of Media Ethics & Law; ex-Exec. Director, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Geoffrey Robertson, QC, leading UK media lawyer; author of the standard text, “Media Law”; legal counsel for Julian Assange

Sample questions: Implications for protection of sources ? For access to information ? For governmental protection of classified data ? There is pressure for new international standards and law. Are they needed ? If so, how would new standards and laws be framed, by whom ?

4-4:15 p.m. coffee break

4:15-5:45 p.m. Panel 4: Government-Media Relations After WikiLeaks Description: WikiLeaks showed that, in the 21st Century, information tends to be free and that the power to monopolize information has been weakened. This impacts relations between journalists and government officials in terms of journalists’ access information. What, if any, antidote is there to the likelihood that governments will now try to exercise more control over relations between officials and journalists ?

Moderator: Henrikas Yushkiavitshus, ex-UNESCO Assistant Director General/Communication; former Vice-Chairman, Gostel Radio, Moscow Rohan Jayasekera, Associate Editor, Index on Censorship TBC Kamel Labidi, Head, Tunisian Independent Authority for Information & Communication; ex-Tunisia Monitoring Group Advocacy Director/IFEX Justine Limpitlaw, South African media lawyer, specialized in media legal issues in Africa Jan Malinowski, Head, Media & Information Society Division, Council of Europe Claudio Paolillo, Director-Editor-in-Chief, weekly Busqueda, Uruguay: Chairman, Inter American Press Assn. Press Institute and member IAPA Executive Committee

Sample questions: Can democratic officialdom and investigative journalists coexist ? Should their interaction be organized — if so, how ? Is there now a need to redefine relations between democratic governments and news media ? How would one go about that ?

Friday, 17 Feb. 9:30-11 a.m. Panel 5 Internet Freedom After WikiLeaks Description: Many actors are concerned by and seek involvement in Internet governance - NGOs, news media, Internet service providers, protectors of children, police and surveillance authorities, governments, etc. They all deal with aspects of freedom that did not previously appear to be so immediately related to traditional media freedoms. Freedom of expression on the Internet can be eroded as the various actors pursue such separate and potentially conflicting interests as counter-terrorism, national security, privacy, protection of intellectual property, etc. Governance and regulation of cross-border issues, have complicated the protection of freedom of speech in the cyberspace context.

Moderator: Cynthia Wong, Director, Project on Global Internet Freedom, Center for Democracy & Technology Daoud Kuttab, Director, Institute of Modern Media, Al Quds University, Jerusalem; founder/Director, AmmanNet, the first Arabic Internet radio Frank La Rue, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression Dunja Mijatovic, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Paula Schriefer, Director of Advocacy, Freedom House Doudou Ye, legal affairs writer and lawyer, Caixin Media Co. economic and financial news group, Beijing

Sample questions: Does the WikiLeaks approach alter the generally established democratic view that leakers may be prosecuted for revealing state secrets but media outlets should not ? Should there be special protections for online journalism ? What differentiates online journalism and social networking ? Are controls of social networks justifiable to protect national security and public order ?

11-11:15 a.m. coffee break

11:15-12:45 a.m. Panel 6 Professional and “Citizen” Journalism Working Together After WikiLeaks Description: Traditional news media are increasingly using materials contributed by non-professional “citizen journalists.” It is crucial to insure that professional standards are applied to outputs of bloggers and “citizen journalists” used by the news industry. "Citizen journalists" themselves need to understand and follow professional standards and to learn how to contextualize their outputs to make them effective, useable, and legitimate.

Moderator: Alison Bethel McKenzie. Executive Director, International Press Institute Lance Guma, journalist, SW Radio Africa; member, Zimbabwean journalists forum on Facebook Pierre Haski, founder of the French online news site Rue89 Riyaad Minty, Head of Social Media, Al Jazeera Julien Pain, Editor, Les Observateurs, France 24 Sankarshan Thakur, Executive Editor, Tehelka online newspaper, New Delhi

Sample questions: What are the professional criteria for accepting or rejecting citizen contributions for broadcast ? What proportion of contributions is professionally acceptable for use ? Are there contributions you regret having to turn down ? Why ? How can citizen journalists be taught professionalism ? How often do citizen bloggers originate news, as opposed to commentary ? Citizen contributions: fullfledged reporting and/or starting points for professional journalism ?

12:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Closing session Rapporteur for synthesis: Cherilyn Ireton, Executive Director, World Editors Forum Closing remarks: Janis Karklins, UNESCO Assistant Director General/Communication

8 February 2012 Reply from WikiLeaks

De : Kristinn Hrafnsson Envoyé : mercredi 8 février 2012 16:31 À : Coudray, Sylvie Cc : DG Objet : Re: WikiLeaks conference without WikiLeaks!!

TO: Ms Sylvie Coudray CC: Irina Bokova

Ms Coudray

It seems to be read from your reply that UNESCO has no responsibility overthe content of this conference. I disagree. This is hoste release of a massive number of classified government documents and its initial collaboration with traditional news media has modified the media landscape and raised crucial questions for journalism.

Following a conference organized by WPFC and WAN at UNESCO HQ on “New Media: The Press Freedom Dimension” in February 2007, there is a need to explore further the future of traditional media and professional journalism — with their established practices, traditions and standards — as challenged by emergence of new actors and approaches like WikiLeaks.

Objectives The WikiLeaks episode raised many issues related to freedom of expression, freedom of information, national security, privacy and ethics. The WikiLeaks developments raise basic questions about how journalists do their jobs. The conference aims to explore a wide range of new questions for traditional media and journalism posed by the WikiLeaks phenomenon:
 How can journalists deal with the massive explosion of primary source data made available on the Internet ?
 Should journalistsd by your organization and will be referred to as an UNESCO event. I reiterate my displeasure with the selection of speakers at this conference. It is obvious that it will result in an unfair and unbalanced discussion on the topics raised.

For example, the key questions in the opening debate is; "What is the fallout from WikiLeaks´ decision to release all the materials without its original redaction of sensitive sources". It is well known that this release was caused by a breach of contract by one of our original media partner The Guardian. Do you seriously expect that Alan Rusbridger, the papers editor will have an impartial answer to this question? Not to mention the fact that it was an agreement signed by himself that was breached. At the urge the Guardian, Le Monde and New York Times teamed up against WikiLeaks in a common statement against the organization. Do you seriously deem it proper to have representatives from those two other papers, sharing a panel with the Guardian editor, discussing this question.

To add insult to injury the panel includes as well Mr. Domscheit-Berg on this panel, a person who has admitted to sabotaging our organization and destroying a wealth of material intended for WikiLeaks. He is introduced as the founder of OpenLeaks that exists only as a name a year and a half after its foundation was announced.

Ahead of this remarkable gathering you introduce Heather Brooke as a keynote speaker to set the tone. Ms Brooke has harmed WikiLeaks directlyand been an outspoken critic of the organization.

Notably absent from all the discussions on WikiLeaks and its effect on the environment of journalists are representatives from all the media that partnered with us in the project in question and still have an on-going professional relationship with WikiLeaks. Your colleague, Mr. Koven asserts in a reply to me, that the three newspapers mentioned abow are "amongst the world´s most respected quality newspapers". I assure you that you will find respected quality newspapers among our partners if there was any interest in looking outside the narrow frame of western dimensions where an obvious intent was to handpick only voices critical of WikiLeaks.

Mr. Koven seems to believe that by inviting Geoffrey Robertson QC a balance is struck in the conference. This is absurd as he is not invited to take part in the above mentioned discussions but participates in a panel on theimplications of WikiLeaks on international laws.

As I have mentioned, UNESCO has a duty to assure that fairness and balance is secured in important discussions carried out under the banner of the organization. It is obvious that this will hardly be the case, given the selection of speakers. This is both a disgrace to UNESCO and potentially harmful to WikiLeaks.

We will respond accordingly.

With regards

Kristinn Hrafnsson WikiLeaks spokesperson

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From: Coudray, Sylvie Date: 2012/2/8 Subject: RE: WikiLeaks conference without WikiLeaks!! To: Kristinn Hrafnsson Cc: DG

Dear Ms Hrafnsson,

Thank you for your message. I have taken note of your concern and I think that Mr Koven has already answered to some of your questions. May I underline that the conference is *about journalism* in light of the situations that occurred with Wikileaks and News of the World, and *not about the episodes themselves*. We do not have intention to cause any polemic. I am attaching the latest programme. You or someone you want to designate are obviously welcome to attend the Conference and take part of the debate.

With my best regards

Sylvie Coudray

Chief of Section for Freedom of Expression Division for Freedom of Expression and Media Development Communication and Information Sector

Tel : + 33 (1) 45 68 42 12 Mob : + 33 (0) 6 43 25 76 17

(02:41:02 PM) stellamoris@jabber.ccc.de: Envoyé: lundi 30 janvier 2012 16:19 À: Coudray, Sylvie Objet: WikiLeaks conference without WikiLeaks!!

Ms Coudray

It has been brought to my attention that UNESCO is hosting a conference in mid February where the main topic is WikiLeaks and its effect on for example law and traditional journalism. To my knowledge no one from WikiLeaks has been invited to speak at this conference. I am outraged at the fact that UNESCO has decided to bypass wholly the organization from this discussion. Furthermore I see that at least two representatives from media that are former partners of WikiLeaks but have since criticized the organization. May I point out that WikiLeaks is in ongoing collaboration with 90 media organizations from all corners of the wold. None of them are represented at this conference. I believe this needs to be amended.

Expecting your reply

Kristinn Hrafnsson Spokesperson for WikiLeaks

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2012/1/30 Coudray, Sylvie ****

Dear Kristinn Hrafnsson,

I would like to thank you for your message. As you may know, UNESCO is hosting the conference and the World Press Freedom Committee is organizing the debate, in close collaboration with other partners. I am copying Mr Ronald Koven, who is going to reply to you as soon as he gets my message.

With my best regards

Sylvie Coudray

Chief of Section for Freedom of Expression

Division for Freedom of Expression and Media Development Communication and Information Sector

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De : Kristinn Hrafnsson Envoyé : mercredi 8 février 2012 16:31 À : Coudray, Sylvie Cc : DG Objet : Re: WikiLeaks conference without WikiLeaks!!

TO: Ms Sylvie Coudray CC: Irina Bokova

Ms Coudray

It seems to be read from your reply that UNESCO has no responsibility over the content of this conference. I disagree. This is hosted by your organization and will be referred to as an UNESCO event. I reiterate my displeasure with the selection of speakers at this conference. It is obvious that it will result in an unfair and unbalanced discussion on the topics raised.

For example, the key questions in the opening debate is; "What is the fallout from WikiLeaks´ decision to release all the materials without its original redaction of sensitive sources". It is well known that this release was caused by a beach of contract by one of our original media partner The Guardian. Do you seriously expect that Alan Rusbridger, the papers editor will have an impartial answer to this question? Not to mention the fact that it was an agreement signed by himself that was breached. At the urge the Guardian, Le Monde and New York Times teamed up against WikiLeaks in a common statement against the organization. Do you seriously deem it proper to have representatives from those two other papers, sharing a panel with the Guardian editor, discussing this question. To add insult to injury the panel includes as well Mr. Domscheit-Berg on this panel, a person who has admitted to sabotaging our organization and destroying a wealth of material intended for WikiLeaks. He is introduced as the founder of OpenLeaks that exists only as a name a year and a half after its foundation was announced.

Ahead of this remarkable gathering you introduce Heather Brooke as a keynote speaker to set the tone. Ms Brooke has harmed WikiLeaks directly and been an outspoken critic of the organization.

Notably absent from all the discussions on WikiLeaks and its effect on the environment of journalists are representatives from all the media that partnered with us in the project in question and still have an on-going professional relationship with WikiLeaks. Your colleague, Mr. Koven asserts in a reply to me, that the three newspapers mentioned abow are "amongst the world´s most respected quality newspapers". I assure you that you will find respected quality newspapers among our partners if there was any interest in looking outside the narrow frame of western dimensions where an obvious intent was to handpick only voices critical of WikiLeaks. Mr. Koven seems to believe that by inviting Geoffrey Robertson QC a balance is struck in the conference. This is absurd as he is not invited to take part in the above mentioned discussions but participates in a panel on the implications of WikiLeaks on international laws.

As I have mentioned, UNESCO has a duty to assure that fairness and balance is secured in important discussions carried out under the banner of the organization. It is obvious that this will hardly be the case, given the selection of speakers. This is both a disgrace to UNESCO and potentially harmful to WikiLeaks. We will respond accordingly.

With regards

Kristinn Hrafnsson WikiLeaks spokesperson

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From: Koven Ronald Date: 2012/1/30 Subject: Re: WikiLeaks conference without WikiLeaks!! To: Kristinn Hrafnsson Cc: S.Coudray@unesco.org, powerginny@gmail.com, richard.winfield@cliffordchance.com, g.robertson@doughtystreet.co.uk, KovenRonald@aol.com, G.Berger@unesco.org

Dear Kristinn Hrafnsson —

Thank you for your interest in our conference. You may not have seen the actual program, which I append below. It includes Geoffrey Robertson. QC. both as a leading British media lawyer and as a legal advisor for Julian Assange. Mr, Robertson has accepted our invitation and is scheduled as the featured lead speaker in our panel on the international law implications of recent events, including but not confined to the WikiLeaks episode. The conference will also deal with other issues currently concerning the media world, such as the fallout from the telephone hacking allegations against the News of the World.

It is my understanding that Julian Assange is legally barred from traveling from the United Kingdom.

The first panel includes editors from three of the five original news media partners of WikiLeaks. We are interested in their perspectives because theirs are amongst the world’s most respected quality newspapers, and the main focus of this conference is not about WikiLeaks as such but about the implications of its actions for the future of professional journalism.

I can only share in your attachment to freedom of expression. It must include our right to give voice to speakers of our choice. If Mr. Assange or an authorized spokesperson for him wishes to send a message to the conference participants, I would be pleased to distribute it to them and to include it in the published conference proceedings when they appear.

Sincerely,

Ronald Koven European Representative World Press Freedom Committee

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The Media World After WikiLeaks and News of the World Salle IV, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris 16-17 February 2012

Organizers: World Press Freedom Committee, in cooperation with the UNESCO Communication & Information Sector Co-sponsors: the World Association of Newspapers & News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), World Editors Forum and the International Press Institute

With the support of JP-Politiken pubishing group, Denmark; Open Society Foundation’s Network Media Program, London; and Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation, New York

Background With a stunning 2 billion persons estimated to be using the Internet and producing 156 million public blogs in 2011, there has been a surge of social networks, user-generated content and micro-blogging that has enabled all Internet users to become public communicators. Along with the spread of the Internet, WikiLeaks’ release of a massive number of classified government documents and its initial collaboration with traditional news media has modified the media landscape and raised crucial questions for journalism.

Following a conference organized by WPFC and WAN at UNESCO HQ on “New Media: The Press Freedom Dimension” in February 2007, there is a need to explore further the future of traditional media and professional journalism — with their established practices, traditions and standards — as challenged by emergence of new actors and approaches like WikiLeaks.

Objectives The WikiLeaks episode raised many issues related to freedom of expression, freedom of information, national security, privacy and ethics. The WikiLeaks developments raise basic questions about how journalists do their jobs. The conference aims to explore a wide range of new questions for traditional media and journalism posed by the WikiLeaks phenomenon:
 How can journalists deal with the massive explosion of primary source data made available on the Internet ?
 Should journalists’ roles and their professional and ethical standards be reconsidered?
 What is the relationship between “citizen journalism” and traditional journalistic professionalism ?
 What are the challenges for international and domestic law related to privacy, national security, public order and Internet freedom?
 What is the future of government-media relations? This conference aims to gather leading media representatives, professional and “citizen” journalists and media law experts to exchange views on these issues and to discuss good practices in traditional professional journalism and citizen journalism in the digital era.

Thursday, 16 Feb. 9 a.m. Opening session: Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director General

9:15 a.m, Keynote speech: Heather Brooke, author, “The Silent State,” “The Revolution Will Be Digitised”

9:45-11:15 a.m. Panel 1: How Professional Media Confront Masses of Raw Data Description: WikiLeaks claims access to some 250,000 US diplomatic cables — mountains of raw data that confront society and professional media with dilemmas on their use. This explosion of primary source data has impacted newsgathering by journalists and their relation with governments. Editors of three media outlets chosen by WikiLeaks to review the dispatches for use discuss their experiences.

Moderator: Guy Berger, UNESCO Director of Freedom of Expression & Media Development. Sylvie Kauffmann, columnist, former Editor-in-Chief, Le Monde, Paris Ian Fisher, Associate Managing Editor, New York Times Alan Rusbridger, Editor, The Guardian, London Charlie Beckett, Director, Polis, media think tank, London School of Economics; author, “WikiLeaks: News in the Networked Era” Daniel Domscheit-Berg, founder of OpenLeaks TBC

Sample questions: Was there a “silver lining” to WikiLeaks that reaffirmed journalistic professionalism ? Have there been lasting effects on newsgathering ? What is the fallout from WikiLeaks’ decision to release all the materials without its original redaction of sensitive sources ? What effects on relations with democratic governments ? Have there been changes in relations with officialdom that affect the ability of journalists to access information ?

11:15 a.m: coffee break

11:30-1 p.m. Panel 2: Professionalism and Ethics in the New Media Environment After WikiLeaks and The News of the World Description: WikiLeaks and the illegal phone hacking scandal surrounding The News of the World have intensified public debates about journalistic practices and ethics In the Internet era. News media and journalists must come to grips with the ethical implications of dealing with information coming from many more sources and via more technologies than before.

Moderator: Alison Smale, Executive Editor, International Herald Tribune Borja Bergareche, author, “Wikileaks confidencial”; London correspondent, ABC, Madrid; European consultant, Committee to Protect Journalists Guy Black, Baron Black of Brentwood, Exec, Director, Telegraph Media Group, ex-Director UK Press Complaints Commission Mikhail Fedotov, Head, Russian Presidential Human Rights Council; ex-Secretary, Russian Union of Journalists: ex-Russian Press/Information Minister: author, media law of 1991 Charles Onyango-Obbo, Executive Editor for digital media, Nation Media group, Kenya Aidan White, Director of Coalition for Ethical Journalism, of Global Editors Network; former General Secretary, International Federation of Journalists

Sample questions: Is media self-regulation threatened by tabloid journalism ? Does the quantity of information change its ethical quality ? Should news outlets consult officials on possible endangerment of sources or persons cited ? How much double-checking or contextualizing of information in leaked documents is enough ? Do journalists need more training in ethics and law?

1-2:30 p.m. lunch

2:30-4 p.m. Panel 3: International Law After WikiLeaks Description: WikiLeaks has posed challenges of legal jurisdiction since it is not located or operating in a single country. This raises tensions between national and international law concerning the online information flow’s transborder nature. Wikileaks also raised challenges for governments to protect their classified information. The relation of WikiLeaks to journalism raises questions of whether laws protecting freedom of expression, press freedom and freedom of information should apply to it.

Moderator: Richard Winfield, Chairman, World Press Freedom Committee: former General Counsel, Associated Press Barbora Bukovska, Senior Director for Law, Article 19 Helen Darbishire, Executive Director, Access Info Europe Jane Kirtley, Director, U. of Minnesota Journalism School’s Center for Study of Media Ethics & Law; ex-Exec. Director, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Geoffrey Robertson, QC, leading UK media lawyer; author of the standard text, “Media Law”; legal counsel for Julian Assange

Sample questions: Implications for protection of sources ? For access to information ? For governmental protection of classified data ? There is pressure for new international standards and law. Are they needed ? If so, how would new standards and laws be framed, by whom ?

4-4:15 p.m. coffee break

4:15-5:45 p.m. Panel 4: Government-Media Relations After WikiLeaks Description: WikiLeaks showed that, in the 21st Century, information tends to be free and that the power to monopolize information has been weakened. This impacts relations between journalists and government officials in terms of journalists’ access information. What, if any, antidote is there to the likelihood that governments will now try to exercise more control over relations between officials and journalists ?

Moderator: Henrikas Yushkiavitshus, ex-UNESCO Assistant Director General/Communication; former Vice-Chairman, Gostel Radio, Moscow Rohan Jayasekera, Associate Editor, Index on Censorship TBC Kamel Labidi, Head, Tunisian Independent Authority for Information & Communication; ex-Tunisia Monitoring Group Advocacy Director/IFEX Justine Limpitlaw, South African media lawyer, specialized in media legal issues in Africa Jan Malinowski, Head, Media & Information Society Division, Council of Europe Claudio Paolillo, Director-Editor-in-Chief, weekly Busqueda, Uruguay: Chairman, Inter American Press Assn. Press Institute and member IAPA Executive Committee

Sample questions: Can democratic officialdom and investigative journalists coexist ? Should their interaction be organized — if so, how ? Is there now a need to redefine relations between democratic governments and news media ? How would one go about that ?

Friday, 17 Feb. 9:30-11 a.m. Panel 5 Internet Freedom After WikiLeaks Description: Many actors are concerned by and seek involvement in Internet governance - NGOs, news media, Internet service providers, protectors of children, police and surveillance authorities, governments, etc. They all deal with aspects of freedom that did not previously appear to be so immediately related to traditional media freedoms. Freedom of expression on the Internet can be eroded as the various actors pursue such separate and potentially conflicting interests as counter-terrorism, national security, privacy, protection of intellectual property, etc. Governance and regulation of cross-border issues, have complicated the protection of freedom of speech in the cyberspace context.

Moderator: Cynthia Wong, Director, Project on Global Internet Freedom, Center for Democracy & Technology Daoud Kuttab, Director, Institute of Modern Media, Al Quds University, Jerusalem; founder/Director, AmmanNet, the first Arabic Internet radio Frank La Rue, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression Dunja Mijatovic, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Paula Schriefer, Director of Advocacy, Freedom House Doudou Ye, legal affairs writer and lawyer, Caixin Media Co. economic and financial news group, Beijing

Sample questions: Does the WikiLeaks approach alter the generally established democratic view that leakers may be prosecuted for revealing state secrets but media outlets should not ? Should there be special protections for online journalism ? What differentiates online journalism and social networking ? Are controls of social networks justifiable to protect national security and public order ?

11-11:15 a.m. coffee break

11:15-12:45 a.m. Panel 6 Professional and “Citizen” Journalism Working Together After WikiLeaks Description: Traditional news media are increasingly using materials contributed by non-professional “citizen journalists.” It is crucial to insure that professional standards are applied to outputs of bloggers and “citizen journalists” used by the news industry. "Citizen journalists" themselves need to understand and follow professional standards and to learn how to contextualize their outputs to make them effective, useable, and legitimate.

Moderator: Alison Bethel McKenzie. Executive Director, International Press Institute Lance Guma, journalist, SW Radio Africa; member, Zimbabwean journalists forum on Facebook Pierre Haski, founder of the French online news site Rue89 Riyaad Minty, Head of Social Media, Al Jazeera Julien Pain, Editor, Les Observateurs, France 24 Sankarshan Thakur, Executive Editor, Tehelka online newspaper, New Delhi

Sample questions: What are the professional criteria for accepting or rejecting citizen contributions for broadcast ? What proportion of contributions is professionally acceptable for use ? Are there contributions you regret having to turn down ? Why ? How can citizen journalists be taught professionalism ? How often do citizen bloggers originate news, as opposed to commentary ? Citizen contributions: fullfledged reporting and/or starting points for professional journalism ?

12:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Closing session Rapporteur for synthesis: Cherilyn Ireton, Executive Director, World Editors Forum Closing remarks: Janis Karklins, UNESCO Assistant Director General/Communication

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From: Coudray, Sylvie Date: 2012/2/8 Subject: RE: WikiLeaks conference without WikiLeaks!! To: Kristinn Hrafnsson Cc: DG

Dear Ms Hrafnsson,

Thank you for your message. I have taken note of your concern and I think that Mr Koven has already answered to some of your questions. May I underline that the conference is *about journalism* in light of the situations that occurred with Wikileaks and News of the World, and *not about the episodes themselves*. We do not have intention to cause any polemic. I am attaching the latest programme. You or someone you want to designate are obviously welcome to attend the Conference and take part of the debate.

With my best regards

Sylvie Coudray

Chief of Section for Freedom of Expression Division for Freedom of Expression and Media Development Communication and Information Sector

Tel : + 33 (1) 45 68 42 12 Mob : + 33 (0) 6 43 25 76 17

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