MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Many governments use internet “to curtail freedom of expression”

Many governments have used the internet to curtail freedom of expression at home, the US state department says in its latest annual human rights report.

In many cases new forms of electronic communications are restricted to control domestic dissent, it says.

The wide-ranging report also highlights continuing human rights violations in China against the Uighurs and extra-judicial killings in North Korea.

Iran's human rights record also “degenerated” after elections, it says.

Highlighting the situation regarding control of the web in China, the report pointed out that the government “increased its efforts to monitor internet use, control content, restrict information, block access to foreign and domestic websites, encourage self-censorship, and punish those who violated regulations”.

Thousands of people at all levels of political life are deployed to monitor electronic communications, the report says.

“The government at times blocked access to selected sites operated by major foreign news outlets, health organisations, foreign governments, educational institutions, and social networking sites, as well as search engines, that allow rapid communication or organisation of users.”

Iran was another country which cracked down on websites such as Facebook and Twitter, the report said.

“Ahead of the June presidential election, on the actual day of election, and during the 27 December Ashura protests, when authorities detained 1,000 individuals and at least eight persons were killed in street clashes, the government blocked access to Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites,” the report points out.