for ‘‘persisting in publishing legal and political articles criticizing the role of the government’’ on his Web site Al Nazaha (alnazaha.org) in July 2008. 26
Access to the social networking site Facebook was blocked in November 2007 as
part of a crackdown on political activism on the Internet. According to a women’s
rights advocate, this action was taken because Facebook helped Syrian civil society
form civic groups outside government control. 27 However, the government claimed
that Facebook was blocked because it could become a conduit for Israeli penetration of Syrian youth. 28 The advocacy group Syrian Media Center claims that at least
153 Web sites have been blocked, among which are Blogger (owned by Google), the
Arabic blogging host service Maktoob, YouTube, and Web sites of opposition parties,
Lebanese newspapers, and Lebanese groups opposed to ‘‘Syrian interference in Lebanon.’’ 29 In September 2008, the Public Institution for Telecommunication ordered the
blocking of the entire Web site of the Cairo-based Arabic Network for Human Rights
Information (ANHRI) as well as their blogs (www.katib.org). Prior to that, only one
page on ANHRI’s site containing information about human rights violations in Syria
was blocked. The organization believes that this blocking was ordered by the security
forces, ‘‘which have a louder voice than the law and the Constitution in Syria.’’ 30
Internet cafe ´s in Syria are subject to tough measures that make opening one very
difficult. To start an Internet cafe ´, one needs to get a license from the Syrian Telecommunications Institution, as well as a security license from the Interior Ministry, which
sets security instructions that require each cafe ´ visitor to provide his or her name, identification, and the names of his or her mother and father. 31 The cafe ´ owner must also
show visitors which religious and political Web sites they are banned from using. 32
Failure to follow the rules can result in closure of the cafe ´, large fines, and, in extreme
cases, jail time. 33
Surveillance
On its Web site, STE states that the telecommunications it provides remain private and
shall not be shared except by law and regulations at an official request. 34
However, cafe ´ operators have reported that the authorities ask them to spy on their
customers and that they believe everything is monitored. 35 A young cyber dissident
who was arrested at an Internet cafe ´ in Damascus in late 2006 for his critical online
writings said security services often request cafe ´ owners to spy on clients, and they provide them with software programs for the task. 36 In addition, as mentioned earlier,
Internet cafe ´ operators must keep a record of their clients’ names and identification to
present to the authorities on request.
Furthermore, Syria-based Web sites were ordered by the government in 2007 to
reveal the identity and name of those behind any article or comment they published. 37
574
Syria
Access to the social networking site Facebook was blocked in November 2007 as
part of a crackdown on political activism on the Internet. According to a women’s
rights advocate, this action was taken because Facebook helped Syrian civil society
form civic groups outside government control. 27 However, the government claimed
that Facebook was blocked because it could become a conduit for Israeli penetration of Syrian youth. 28 The advocacy group Syrian Media Center claims that at least
153 Web sites have been blocked, among which are Blogger (owned by Google), the
Arabic blogging host service Maktoob, YouTube, and Web sites of opposition parties,
Lebanese newspapers, and Lebanese groups opposed to ‘‘Syrian interference in Lebanon.’’ 29 In September 2008, the Public Institution for Telecommunication ordered the
blocking of the entire Web site of the Cairo-based Arabic Network for Human Rights
Information (ANHRI) as well as their blogs (www.katib.org). Prior to that, only one
page on ANHRI’s site containing information about human rights violations in Syria
was blocked. The organization believes that this blocking was ordered by the security
forces, ‘‘which have a louder voice than the law and the Constitution in Syria.’’ 30
Internet cafe ´s in Syria are subject to tough measures that make opening one very
difficult. To start an Internet cafe ´, one needs to get a license from the Syrian Telecommunications Institution, as well as a security license from the Interior Ministry, which
sets security instructions that require each cafe ´ visitor to provide his or her name, identification, and the names of his or her mother and father. 31 The cafe ´ owner must also
show visitors which religious and political Web sites they are banned from using. 32
Failure to follow the rules can result in closure of the cafe ´, large fines, and, in extreme
cases, jail time. 33
Surveillance
On its Web site, STE states that the telecommunications it provides remain private and
shall not be shared except by law and regulations at an official request. 34
However, cafe ´ operators have reported that the authorities ask them to spy on their
customers and that they believe everything is monitored. 35 A young cyber dissident
who was arrested at an Internet cafe ´ in Damascus in late 2006 for his critical online
writings said security services often request cafe ´ owners to spy on clients, and they provide them with software programs for the task. 36 In addition, as mentioned earlier,
Internet cafe ´ operators must keep a record of their clients’ names and identification to
present to the authorities on request.
Furthermore, Syria-based Web sites were ordered by the government in 2007 to
reveal the identity and name of those behind any article or comment they published. 37
574
Syria