Session
Eurasian Digital Foundation
Moldir Utegenova, project manager at International Center for journalism "MediaNet" - civil society. Ruslan Daiyrbekov, chairman of the Eurasian Digital Foundation - civil society. Yelzhan Kabyshev, head of the Eurasian Digital Foundation legal practice - civil society. Madina Tursunova, Media Lawyer, Modern Journalism Development Center (Uzbekistan) - private sector, business Vadim Melyakov, executive director of the Eurasian Digital Foundation - civil society.
Moldir Utegenova, project manager at International Center for journalism "MediaNet" - civil society. Ruslan Daiyrbekov, chairman of the Eurasian Digital Foundation - civil society. Yelzhan Kabyshev, head of the Eurasian Digital Foundation legal practice - civil society. Madina Tursunova, Media Lawyer, Modern Journalism Development Center (Uzbekistan) - private sector, business Vadim Melyakov, executive director of the Eurasian Digital Foundation - civil society.
Organization's Website
Speakers
Moldir Utegenova, project manager at International Center for journalism "MediaNet" - civil society.
Ruslan Daiyrbekov, chairman of the Eurasian Digital Foundation - civil society.
Yelzhan Kabyshev, head of the Eurasian Digital Foundation legal practice - civil society.
Madina Tursunova, Media Lawyer, Modern Journalism Development Center (Uzbekistan) - private sector, business
Vadim Melyakov, executive director of the Eurasian Digital Foundation - civil society.
Onsite Moderator
Vadim Melyakov, executive director of the Eurasian Digital Foundation
Rapporteur
Ruslan Daiyrbekov, chairman of the Eurasian Digital Foundation - civil society.
SDGs
16.10
16.3
16.b
Targets: Internet shutdowns can undermine public access to information and infringe upon fundamental freedoms such as freedom of expression and access to information. Combatting these shutdowns through strategic litigation seeks to protect these freedoms and ensure that individuals can freely access and disseminate information, aligning with the spirit of SDG 16.10. The proposal also supports SDG 16.b by advocating for non-discriminatory laws and policies regarding internet access and communication. Strategic litigation serves as a mechanism to uphold the rule of law by holding governments accountable for unjustified internet shutdowns as SDG 16.3 urges to promote.
16.3
16.b
Targets: Internet shutdowns can undermine public access to information and infringe upon fundamental freedoms such as freedom of expression and access to information. Combatting these shutdowns through strategic litigation seeks to protect these freedoms and ensure that individuals can freely access and disseminate information, aligning with the spirit of SDG 16.10. The proposal also supports SDG 16.b by advocating for non-discriminatory laws and policies regarding internet access and communication. Strategic litigation serves as a mechanism to uphold the rule of law by holding governments accountable for unjustified internet shutdowns as SDG 16.3 urges to promote.
Format
The moderator will briefly outline the current landscape of internet shutdowns in Central Asia, present the speakers to the audience and pass the floor to the speakers.
Case Study: Kazakhstan (10 minutes)
Case Study: Uzbekistan (10 minutes)
Interactive Q/A session at the end. Closing remarks by the moderator and rapporteur.
Duration (minutes)
30
Description
The session will begin with a brief overview of the current landscape of internet shutdowns in Central Asia, highlighting recent cases. Strategic litigation comes as a tool when all other methods of seeking justice have not brought results. Specifically, we will be focusing on the context of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and our experience in litigation so far. This will be followed by short presentations from leading experts and activists who have already utilized strategic litigation as a legal advocacy tool.
By identifying gaps and opportunities for legal advocacy, we aim to empower participants to take action in their own contexts. Especially taking into account the fact that cases of shutdowns are rising in numbers around the world according to recent Access Now annual reports.
In early March 2024, a Coalition of human rights organizations filed claims regarding violations of the rights of subscribers of communication services due to Internet shutdowns during the January events in Kazakhstan in 2022. The claims were filed as part of a campaign against Internet shutdowns and sent to the district courts of Almaty with a demand to recognize the actions of the Defendants represented by local telecom operators, which actions led to the internet-shutdown, violating the rights of the Plaintiffs - consumers of communication services. Background information about January shutdown in Kazakhstan: https://drfl.kz/shutdown2022/en Website of campaign against internet-shutdowns in Kazakhstan: https://shutdown.kz/ Qazaqstan IGF 2024 session on internet access during times of crisis and emergencies: https://shutdown.kz/works/Qazaqstan-IGF-shutdowns-session Background information about shutdown cases in Uzbekistan: https://drfl.kz/ru/internet-shutdown-in-uzbekistan/
1. The moderator will be the link between online and offline participants. If questions arise online, the moderator will interact with the speakers onsite. 2. First moderator would introduce the theme and speakers of the lightning talk, then moderator would give the floor to speakers, letting them briefly cover the topics of the session. Each speaker would also demonstrate their presentations on the screen for both online and onsite participants. Considering the time limit moderator would coordinate speakers timewise. By the time each speaker finishes, the moderator will then let online participants ask their questions and will address each question to the speaker. Finally, the moderator would let people onsite ask their questions and then say final remarks and close the lightning talk session. 3.We will need: - ZOOM application to share presentation with participants; - presentation projector; - clicker; - microphone.
1. The moderator will be the link between online and offline participants. If questions arise online, the moderator will interact with the speakers onsite. 2. First moderator would introduce the theme and speakers of the lightning talk, then moderator would give the floor to speakers, letting them briefly cover the topics of the session. Each speaker would also demonstrate their presentations on the screen for both online and onsite participants. Considering the time limit moderator would coordinate speakers timewise. By the time each speaker finishes, the moderator will then let online participants ask their questions and will address each question to the speaker. Finally, the moderator would let people onsite ask their questions and then say final remarks and close the lightning talk session. 3.We will need: - ZOOM application to share presentation with participants; - presentation projector; - clicker; - microphone.