Ricardo Franco Levi, Prodi’s right hand man , undersecretary to the President of the Council, has written the text to put a stopper in the mouth of the Internet. The draft law was approved by the Council of Ministers on 12 October. No Minister dissociated themselves from it. On gagging information, very quietly, these are all in agreement.

The Levi-Prodi law lays out that anyone with a blog or a website has to register it with the ROC, a register of the Communications Authority, produce certificates, pay a tax, even if they provide information without any intention to make money.

Blogs are being born every second, anyone can start one without a problem and they can write their thoughts, publish photos and videos

.
In fact, the route proposed by Levi limits access to the Internet.
What young person is going to submit to all these hoops to do a blog?
the Levi-Prodi law obliges anyone who has a website or a blog to get a publishing company and to have a journalist who is on the register of professionals as the responsible director.
99% would close down.

The lucky 1% still surviving on the Internet according to the Levi-Prodi law would have to respond in the case of the lack of control on defamatory content in accordance with articles 57 and 57 bis of the penal code. Basically almost sure to be in prison.

The draft Levi-Prodi law has to be approved by Parliament. When Levi was asked what would happen to Beppe Grillo’s blog, he replied with perfect Prodian-bottom-protecting words: “It’s not up to he government to establish that. It’ll be for the Communications Authority to indicate with regulations, which people and which companies will have to register. And the regulations will arrive only after the law has been discussed and approved by the Lower House.”

Translated by Common Ground from the notice published in Granma, the Cuban National Newspaper.

May 10, 2004 4:00 PM

The brutal and cruel measures that the U.S. government has just adopted against Cuba, on top of the strict blockade that has lasted 45 years, are directly aimed at strangling our development and reducing to an absolute minimum the hard currency required to ensure food, medical and educational services and other essential needs of our population.

The Revolution, guided by its long experience, its equanimity and the solid unity and high political culture of its people, will respond immediately to these measures:

By Samantha Lev
The Human Rights Law Foundation Oct 25, 2007

In a daring and unprecedented motion recently smuggled out of China, six Chinese lawyers have for the first time formally defended Falun Gong adherents' right to freedom of belief in court.

"Falun Gong … which advocates 'truthfulness, benevolence and forbearance,' has been banned and persecuted for no justifiable reason at all," says the document. "The current various punitive actions against Falun Gong believers do not have any legal basis, and must therefore be stopped."

The defendants in the case are a family of three—Wang Bo, 27, and her two parents, Wang Xinzhong and Liu Shuqin. All three practice Falun Gong, a Chinese meditation and spiritual discipline. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) banned the practice in 1999, when several leaders perceived Falun Gong as a threat to their power after its adherents reportedly outnumbered Party members.

"...CCP banned the practice in 1999, when several leaders perceived Falun Gong as a threat to their power after its adherents reportedly outnumbered Party members.

To strengthen the campaign against Falun Gong, the CCP issued directives barring attorneys from defending practitioners. Since then, the authorities have disbarred or arrested most attorneys who have tried.

"In China, defense lawyers have themselves been arrested, arbitrarily detained, subject to criminal prosecution or imprisonment simply because they provide legal representation to Falun Gong adherents and other Chinese citizens targeted for persecution by the authorities," says Terri Marsh, executive director of the The Human Rights Law Foundation based in Washington D.C.

FCC to announce final media ownership hearing in Seattle

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin plans to hold the last of six official public hearings on media ownership rules in Seattle, before rushing the agency's 18-month long consideration of the rules to a fast-tracked conclusion by mid-December. The hearing will be the only chance for Northwest residents to weigh in on proposals that would allow giant media companies to grow even more concentrated. While Martin has apparently proposed holding a Seattle hearing on Nov. 2--less than two weeks away!--no date has been officially announced.

Beginning next Wednesday, Reclaim the Media will provide testimony workshops for anyone wishing to testify at the Seattle FCC hearing, or to learn more about media ownership issues. Read on for more information, a summary of the rules at stake, and addtional resources.

Olympia workshop schedule:

• Sat 10/27 4-5:30pm: Traditions Cafe (300 5th Avenue SW)
• Tues 10/30 4:30-6pm: Evergreen State library, 1st floor lobby
• Thurs 11/1 8pm: Media Island (816 Adams St)

Olympia Men’s Project is hosting queer roller skating tonight! This event is happening on Thursday, October 25th from 8-10pm at Skateland. Queers of all ages and genders are welcome at this event. Come and bring your buddies!!!!

There is a $3 suggested donation but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Skateland is located at 720 South Bay Road. Rides will be provided from Evergreen and UCAN. If you need a ride from Evergreen, meet Kylen at the bus loop at 7:15 and we'll head out from there. You can also catch a ride at UCAN (147 Rogers St. NW) at 7:30ish

For more information contact OMP at 352-2375 or olympiamensproject@gmail.com.

-Joseph
OMP Co-coordinator