Foreign minister backs internet freedom

RNW, 6 June 2011

Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal

Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal has stressed the importance of freedom of information on the internet, speaking at the ASEM Asia-Europe Meeting, a conference of Asian and European countries in Budapest.

Freedom of information is a fundamental human right which should be upheld by all UN member states, and which equally applies on the internet, he said. It is the responsibility of all governments to maintain internet freedom, Mr Rosenthal argued, without restrictions on internet cafés or internet blockades as in Syria or Libya.

The minister also called for efforts to protect freedom of religion and to fight discrimination against women and homosexuality.

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