Indymedia seizure signals clampdown on
dissent
By Katherine Stapp
New York, New York, Oct. 16 (IPS) — Free speech advocates
say the six-day shutdown of nearly two dozen websites belonging to Indymedia
is a severe blow to democratic principles and, perhaps, an ominous sign
of things to come.
An international collective of journalists born out of the combative
World Trade Organization (WTO) meetings in Seattle five years ago, Indymedia
has evolved into a leading outlet for progressive media activism, particularly
the anti-globalization movement.
While the motives behind the Oct. 7 seizure of Indymedia’s London
servers are still unclear, some are convinced it was orchestrated by
the United States, especially since agents from the US Federal Bureau
of Investigation (FBI) issued the subpoena to Rackspace, the US-owned
web host.
“This is not an isolated incident. It’s part and parcel of
a campaign by the US government to use other governments to push their
agenda — some of us call it ‘policy laundering,’”
said Barry Steinhardt, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s
program on technology and liberty.
The FBI has been tight-lipped about the raid, stating only that the
seizure was “not an FBI operation” and that it sought the
subpoena on behalf of Italy and Switzerland. Indymedia activists speculate
those governments were fishing for information on mass protests of the
G8 (group of eight most industrialized nations) summits in Genoa in
2001 and Evian in 2003.
Rackspace was barred from disclosing details of the subpoena, except
to say it was issued “pursuant to a Mutual Legal Assistance treaty,
which establishes procedures for countries to assist each other in investigations
such as international terrorism, kidnapping and money laundering.”
“This is clearly going beyond tracking down al-Qaida cell members,”
Steinhardt said, referring to the terrorist group believed responsible
for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and the Pentagon and the
reason for which the Bush administration launched its “war on terrorism.”
He considers the seizure “an indication of the growing importance
of independent media and Internet communications, which have become
the medium through which dissent is expressed. Unfortunately, this is
a time when dissent is not being tolerated and vehicles for dissent
are being punished.”
The servers were returned without explanation on Oct. 13, although Indymedia
says it will not use them until they have been checked for tampering.
The group is also reportedly seeking an injunction to stop the export
of data seized in the raid, including correspondence between Indymedia
journalist Mark Covell, who was severely beaten during the Genoa G8
meeting, and his attorneys relating to a lawsuit against the Genoa police.
Indymedia has drawn the attention of US authorities in the past for
its coverage of the Republican National Convention in New York in August,
and protests against the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA)
in Quebec City in 2001.
In both instances, federal agents tried to obtain private records from
Indymedia web servers and were rebuffed.
Media analysts say that in the post-Sept. 11 era, authorities must work
even harder to strike a balance between upholding the law and respecting
civil liberties, particularly when there does not appear to be evidence
of an actual crime, as in the case of Indymedia.
“Governments need to preserve both safety and freedom. Investigations
can be conducted without disrupting and compromising media organizations,”
said Jeffery Smith, a journalism professor at the University of Wisconsin.
“Officials often think they can rely on security rationales to
roll over essential rights. They really lose their heads and respect
for democratic processes when they decide a threat is looming,”
he added in an interview. “The problem is that dangers never disappear.
Terrorism of some kind has always been with us and always will be. Creating
a police state is not the answer.”
Soon after the Sept. 11 attacks, the administration of US President
George W. Bush passed the USA PATRIOT Act, which curtails civil liberties
under various circumstances in the guise of investigating “terrorist”
activities.
For example, the Act gives the government authority to monitor phones
or computers used by a suspect or target of a special Justice Department
warrant, and allows the detention of non-citizens without formal charges.
The administration has long talked of passing “PATRIOT Act II.”
Known as the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003, it has never
been introduced in the US Congress, but a leaked Justice Department
draft refers to expanded surveillance and prosecutorial powers and the
ability to issue top-secret foreign intelligence surveillance court
warrants to include US citizens suspected of terrorist activities.
A version debated in the House of Representatives earlier this month
would also authorize sending terrorism suspects to countries known to
practice torture.
Numerous journalism associations flocked to the defense of Indymedia
over the last week — although mainstream news outlets in the United
States paid little attention to the story.
“The beauty of the Internet has been the way it allows free flow
of information,” said Mark Bench, executive director of the World
Press Freedom Committee. “We are concerned that press freedom may
be compromised, that the freedom to express opinions and information
on the Internet may be curtailed.”
Next November, governments and civil society representatives will gather
for the Second World Summit on the Information Society in Tunisia, and
Bench worries that some states plan to work openly there for restrictions
on press freedom and information flow via the Internet.
But the bigger picture is that corporate control of traditional media
has undermined its ability to serve the public interest, leaving it
to alternative outlets like Indymedia to tell the other side of the
story, said Robert Shaw of the International Federation of Journalists
(IFJ).
“We basically want to see changes in the commercial media system
and greater respect for the work of independent journalists,” said
Shaw.
“Indymedia is strengthening social democratic values in the context
of globalization, even as political and economic power is being maintained
in the hands of a wealthy minority.”
