Following are the endorsement the resolution has received.
Cindy Cohn, Executive Director Electronic Frontier Foundation, EFF "Democracy in the digital era and the threat to privacy and individual freedoms” is a meaningful, positive, and practical declaration in support of the right of privacy against the dangerous spread of unnecessary and disproportionate surveillance. The arbitrary interception, collection and analysis of personal data not only undermines the privacy rights of billions -- it corrodes the ability of democratic representatives to operate independently and securely. This resolution clearly defines the risks of unchecked surveillance and spells out how parliaments and parliamentarians can contain it. It is a powerful step forward in the defense of human rights and of democracy itself.
Dr Gus Hosein, Executive Director, Privacy International "This resolution will, if adopted as currently drafted, send a strong signal that parliamentarians around the world have a critical role to play to ensure laws and policies regulating surveillance are in compliance with human rights. Importantly the draft resolution recognises and promotes the important contribution of national civil society and human rights advocates to support the Parliaments’ oversight and legislative role.”
Nataša Pirc Musar, former Information Commissioner of Slovenia, Vice President of the Red Cross in Slovenia I was delighted to learn that a resolution outlining the need to meet the challenges of the digital era is to be presented to the Inter-Parliamentary Union. It is often said that the law lags behind the progress of technology. This progress has never been so rapid and never had so much influence on the functioning of the democracy, both by the use and by misuse of the tools offered by the digital technologies. To defend the rights of an individual, particularly the right to privacy which is a cornerstone of freedoms that form the foundation of our democracy, legislative challenges should be met by the national parliaments. This resolution underscores the key areas where the regulations should be strengthened. Harmonisation of national laws may become the basis for supranational agreements which, in the light of revelations about the scale of intrusions into privacy of individuals, should start to be contemplated. I appeal to the 133rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union to lead the way by adopting the resolution.
Kirsten Fiedler, Managing Director, European Digital Rights, EDRi
The resolution addresses one of the key challenges of our times. Existing national frameworks governing privacy, professional secrecy and confidential business information require closer parliamentarian scrutiny and swift reform. I am delighted that your initiative at the 133rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union strengthens digital sovereignty in these domains.
Thomas Hughes, Executive Director, ARTICLE 19 This resolution, if adopted as it currently stands, would be a significant move towards strong standards and accountability regarding human rights in the digital environment. Independent oversight is crucial to safeguarding human rights in the context of surveillance and security measures; furthermore, comprehensive legal protection of whistleblowers is vital, without their work many recent revelations about state apparatus for surveillance would never have come about. Governments must bring surveillance and security measures in line with international standards on privacy and freedom of expression. Achieving freedom of expression in the digital age requires promoting and increasing the possibility of participation and debate, as well as the free flow of information and ideas across the online space, as offline.
Norman Solomon, Coordinator, RootsAction.org, Executive Director, Institute for Public Accuracy/ ExposeFacts The title of this resolution underscores its vital importance. The need is imperative to defend and nurture democracy in the digital age, while effectively pushing back against the very real threat to privacy and individual freedoms that is global. This is no time to delay or water down the vital content of this resolution. We must be clear, forthright and unyielding; democracy is truly at stake.
Birgitta Jónsdóttir, Poetician, activist & a member of the Icelandic Parliament for the Pirate Party, Chairperson of IMMI
Representative democracy must be accountable for government policies and conduct and must therefore have the appropriate means and instruments to step in when governments and its institutions have run amok.
André Rebentisch, Berlin, Organizer OpenTechSummit The resolution addresses one of the key challenges of our times. Existing national frameworks governing privacy, professional secrecy and confidential business information require closer parliamentarian scrutiny and swift reform. I am delighted that your initiative at the 133rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union strengthens digital sovereignty in these domains.
Jon Lawrence, Executive Officer, Electronic Frontiers Australia, Inc. EFA strongly supports this resolution. It sets out clearly and concisely the protections and oversight mechanisms that are crucial for democracy to continue functioning effectively in a context in which mass electronic surveillance is in danger of becoming normalised.
Instituto Panameño de Derecho y Nuevas Tecnologías, IPANDETEC
DATA, Uruguay
Avis MOMENI, Secretary General, PROTEGE QV
Partnership, Cameroon
Asociación por los Derechos Civiles - ADC, de Argentina