Porto Alegre – January 27th and 28th, 2012

We, the participants of the III Free Media Forum, which took place in the context of the Thematic Social Forum in Porto Alegre between January 27th and 28th, 2012 are seeing the reaffirmation of the recognition that communication is a human and social right and a common good, whose defence should reach society as a whole and be the objective of the struggle of free media and the combined social movements.

“In recent months, we have seen a growing movement of people around the world who are advocating for change – for justice, equality, accountability of the powerful and respect for human rights. The Internet has often played key a role in such movements by enabling people to connect and exchange information instantly and by creating a sense of solidarity,” said UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Frank La Rue, when presenting his annual report to the UN General Assembly.

The authorities must stop trying civilians before unfair military courts, Amnesty International said today, after a prominent Egyptian blogger and activist was detained.

Cairo, 27 October 2011 - Alexandria Criminal Court has sentenced two policemen to seven years in prison on 26 October 2011 in the case of Khaled Said, known as the Alexandrian martyr of the emergency law. The convicts are Mahmoud Salah Mahmoud, a police corporal, and Awad Ismail Suleiman, a police sergeant.