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IFEX ACTION ALERT
Originator: Human Rights Watch (HRW)
Date: 1998/10/06
Country: CANADA

Source: HRW
Canadian cryptography policies announced; no breakthrough on
international human rights

(HRW/IFEX) - On 4 October 1998, Human Rights Watch welcomed the Canadian
government's recent announcement affirming the freedom of Canadians to develop,
import and use whatever cryptography products they choose. Minister of Industry
John Manley announced the policy last week as pressure to expand controls on
encryption technologies continues to build. "This move recognises Canadian
citizens' fundamental rights to privacy and freedom of expression," said Jagdish
Parikh, who follows Internet freedom issues for Human Rights Watch. "However, we
are disappointed Canada failed to acknowledge the equal -- or perhaps greater --
need of dissidents and human rights organizations under repressive regimes to
have access to the same products."

Canadian cryptography policy makes it clear that the government will not
implement mandatory key recovery requirements or licensing regimes for
certification authorities or trusted third parties. By contrast the United
States has adopted more restrictive encryption policies. In particular,
Washington has outlawed the export of the most popular software among human
rights activists, Pretty Good Privacy (PGP). The 1996 Wassenaar Arrangement, an
international agreement signed by 30 countries to govern the proliferation of
military technology, explicitly exempts crypto-software such as PGP that is
widely available in the public domain.

Increasingly, political and grassroots groups use encryption technologies to
share information and organise resistance. In recent remarks at a forum for
non-governmental organizations in Montreal, Canada's Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Lloyd Axworthy, pointed out that "The Internet has the potential to
shelter and nourish opposition groups who are seeking democratic change under
repressive regimes." For his part, Parikh concluded that "Business and
intelligence considerations should not be allowed to trump global citizens'
basic right to communicate freely."

Recommended Action
Send appeals to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Industry: urging the
Canadian government to resist any international arrangements which limit global
access and distribution of encryption technologies for legitimate uses noting
that the right to free expression is set forth in Article 19 of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which most members of
the Wassenaar Arrangement are party

Appeals to
Prime Minister Jean ChrÊtien
House of Commons Centre Block,
Room 309 S Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 Canada
 Fax: +1 613 941 6900
E-Mail:
Chretien.J@parl.gc.ca

Hon. John Manley C.D. Howe Building East Tower, 11th floor 235
Queen Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H5 Canada Fax: +1 613 992 0302
E-mail:
Manley.J@parl.gc.ca

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.

More information
For further information, contact Jagdish Parikh at Human Rights Watch, 350
Fifth Ave., 34th Floor, New York NY 10018-3299, U.S.A., tel: +1 212 290 4700,
fax: +1 212 736 1300, e-mail: parikhj@hrw.org, hrwnyc@hrw.org or Human Rights
Watch, 1522 K Street, N.W., Washington D.C. 20005-1202, U.S.A., tel: +1 202 371
6592, fax: +1 202 371 0124, e-mail: hrwdc@hrw.org, Internet:
http://www.hrw.org/

The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of HRW. In
citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit HRW.

Distributed by the International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX) Clearing
House. 489 College St., suite 403, Toronto, ON, Canada M6G 1A5 Tel: +1 416 515
9622 Fax: +1 416 515 7978 E-mail: ifex@ifex.org Internet site:
http://www.ifex.org/

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          George Lessard, Media Activist
           Community Communication Arts,
         Training, Management & Mentoring
       http://members.tripod.com/~media002/
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It doesn't bother me and I suggest that if it bothers you
- that's why God (or Bill Gates)
gave us a delete key. (David NL Day)

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