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Gordon Brown, British Prime Minister, made a statement on 14 November 2007 announcing, among other security measures, the intention to ask Internet companies to assist the government in its fight against online terrorist propaganda by finding ways to stop such content.

The Prime Minister stated the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was "inviting the largest global technology and Internet companies to work together to ensure that our best technical expertise is galvanized to counter online incitement to hatred". The proposal comes in line with the European Union efforts to find ways to sanction Web sites that display terror material.

The Home Office said it was not yet clear if Brown's proposal would need new

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The local edition of Moscow-based independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta from Samara was closed down on 8 November 2007 by the Russian authorities and its editor Sergei Kurt-Adzhiyev was criminally indicted under the accusation of having violated copyright provisions of the Russian Penal Code, by using counterfeit software. Violations carry up to six years in prison.

The problems started on 11 May 2007 right before the so called March of Dissent, led by Kasparov's Other Russia opposition coalition, as the paper was one of the few media company having planned to cover the march. Several officers from the Samara Main Internal Affairs Directorate came to the newspaper offices and seized all of its computers under the accusation of

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As the Internet use in Russia increases spectacularly, having tripled in the last three years, Putin' governance concentrates its efforts on getting control over the Russian Internet after having already gained much control over the traditional mass media.

Putin's allies and supporters have created blogs and news sources to flood the Internet with messages favourable to the present political power.

During a national broadcast live on TV and Radio in October 2007, Putin tackled the issue of Internet censorship. "Naturally, in this sphere, as in other spheres, we should be thinking about adhering to Russian laws, about making sure that child pornography is not distributed, that financial crimes

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31 international and national organisations from different countries have already signed EDRI statement on a new Recommendation from the Council of Europe (CoE) failing to uphold freedom of expression in the online environment.

As other related instruments are currently in preparation by the CoE, EDRI calls for NGOs and groups from all over the world to sign up in support of EDRI statement and take further action to help avoid the risk of more damages to freedom of expression and information in the online world. Signatures should preferably be gathered before 28 October 2007, as the next meeting of the CoE expert group having prepared this Recommendation is scheduled on 29-30 October 2007 in Strasbourg

Act Now to Protect Freedom of Expression Online:
- Sign up in support to this EDRI statement (NGOs and groups from non CoE member States also welcome)

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The Italian Police, following a complaint from Clemente Mastella, the Minister of Justice, has asked for the closing down of blog Mastellatiodio.blogspot.com (translation - I hate you Mastella) which has been placing material on the Minister that he considers as defamatory. If found so, the blog authors might face penal consequences.

The site, which was opened in California, but is hosted on an Italian server, was considered by Mastella as neo-Nazi, as he said it during a TV transmission. He also stated that the blog was trying to show him as the bad character of the country and asked whether this was "good politics".

The authors of the blog have rejected these accusations considering that the

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Today EDRI issued a statement to express its serious concerns over a new Council of Europe Recommendation on 'promoting freedom of expression and information in the new information and communications environment'.

According to EDRI, the newly adopted instrument promotes opaque "self-regulation" and other soft law instruments driven by private interests and implemented through technical mechanisms. EDRI considers this Recommendation to be damaging and a retrograde step for freedom of expression and freedom of the press in the online world. EDRI is deeply concerned that such instruments will be used to legitimize subtle means of censorship, through privatised censorship and measures to protect against

On October 10, 2007, EDRI issued a statement to express its serious concerns over a new Council of Europe Recommendation on 'promoting freedom of expression and information in the new information and communications
environment'.

As other related instruments are currently in preparation by the CoE, EDRI calls for NGOs and groups from all over the world to sign up in support of EDRI statement and take further action to help avoid the risk of more damages to freedom of expression and information in the online world.

Read EDRI Statement and Act Now to Protect Freedom of Expression Online:
- EDRI Statement: 'New Council of Europe Recommendation fails to uphold online
freedom of expression' (PDF). Also available in the following languages: Čeština, Deutsch, Español, Français, Italiano, Македонски