Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 75: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the crackdown on the use of various international websites (details supplied) in Libya; if this is in contravention of international agreements to which Libya has signed up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7245/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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A report on 3 February by the respected non-governmental organisation, Human Rights Watch, stated that Libya has, since the end of January, blocked access from that country to certain websites based in other countries, including opposition Libyan websites and YouTube. This action, which was at first represented as a technical fault, is being interpreted as an attempt to prevent dissemination in Libya of opposition material or postings critical of the Libyan authorities.

Blocking access to websites is a reflex response of many regimes around the world to criticism and is usually a corollary to suppression of opinion at home. Libya has always been a tightly controlled society and although the country has to a slight extent opened up in recent years, this move represents a retrograde and disappointing development. The opening up to freedom of expression and the willingness to accept criticism is a central value of democracy and good governance, which Ireland and our European Union partners try to encourage in all states with which we have dealings. It is also enshrined in international instruments to which Libya is a party, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and People's Rights. Libya should respect these international obligations.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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It is of great concern that Libya is blocking specific websites, particularly given recent assurances that Colonel Gaddafi is now much more open and that his Administration would not return to the dark days of media control. It is interesting that the countries that have cracked down on media freedom, such as Libya, Burma and China, are the very countries about which there are serious human rights concerns. Is the Minister of the view that Libya has broken the international agreement it undertook in regard to press freedom?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As I said earlier, it is incumbent upon Libya to respect the international agreements to which it has signed up. In the context of any engagement between that country and the European Union, we would emphasise that issues of freedom of expression and access are a high priority. As both Deputy Breen and I observed, there were indications that Libya was opening up somewhat. This is a very retrograde step and one about which we have serious concerns.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Is the Minister aware of any report to the monitoring committee of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on behalf of any European Union member state in regard to Libya?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Deputy clarify his question?

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Has a complaint been registered to Geneva or to the United Nations headquarters regarding a breach of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by Libya?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Not to my knowledge, but I will clarify that for the Deputy. There have been serious human rights concerns in regard to Libya over the years, and those concerns are being addressed within the ongoing EU-Libya framework agreement negotiations.

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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To clarify, I raise this question in light of very serious reports regarding arbitrary imprisonment of dissidents.