‘Grossly Criminalizing’: Using Skype in Ethiopia Could Lead to 15 Years in Jail
- Posted on June 16, 2012 at 6:21pm by
Liz Klimas
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In May, the Telecom Crime Controlling Prevention Proclamation was passed in Ethiopia. This legislation is now gaining international attention for a provision that would criminalize using services like Skype within the country.
Under the new law, according to OPride.com, use of voice over IP services, like Skype or Google Voice, would carry between two and eight years in jail, while use of an online phone service could land citizens with 15 years. Here’s why:
Ethiopian authorities say the law was necessary to protect the country’s national security interest, and because VoIP services posed a threat to the state’s monopoly over telephone communications business. VoIP’s enable users to call long-distance at free or reduced rates. “Ethio-Telecom has been losing 83 per cent of its income from its international calling business due to the illegal operations of private service providers,” wrote Argaw Ashine of Africa Review, quoting Ethiopian officials.
Many within the country see this move as wrong and illegal. Addis Fortune (via OPride) called the legislation “grossly criminalizing” and calls to mind the other technological advances that used to be considered a crime in the country: owning a satellite dish and using a credit card. The editorial in the publication goes on to say:
It puts rather horrendous punishments on acts that could not compellingly be put into the category of national risks. It overstretches the concept of national security at the expense of individual liberty, a recent trend in Ethiopian legislative history.
Protecting national interests including security and stability are mentioned as the prime objectives of the bill. That would have been a good excuse for the drafters had the Ethiopian Constitution not put it under an exception to the inviolable rights of individual privacy.
By and large, the bill puts all technological advancements in the world, except those known to the executive branch of the government, under the category of the social bad. Possessing them is declared criminal and so is using them.
Africa Review states websites critical of the government have quietly been blocked lends credence to those saying this law is meant to limit freedom of expression. An example of this is just last month Reporters Without Borders found the network Tor, which lets users search anonymously, was blocked.
Reporters Without Borders speculated this would “reinforce government control of news and information.“ The method by which they blocked Tor was called a ”Deep Packet Inspection,“ which Reporters Without Borders states is used by other ”enemies of the Internet” like China and Iran. At this time the advocacy group also speculated this move was setting the government up with the ability to “intercept emails, messages posted on social networks and Internet voice conversations using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) software such as Skype.”
Now that it appears to have made Skyping illegal, this could be how it intends to nab those using the service.
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4QU
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 1:13pmSend some Christian missionaries to this country … with Bibles and blankets laced with small pox….the standard MO of Christians that want to take over a nation!
Report Post »termase
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 6:12amYou sir (If you could be one) are an azz.
Report Post »crystlgib1
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:40pmEthiopia was a communist country in the 70’s and 80’s until the government collapsed when aid from the Soviet Union stopped in 1990. The country still suffers under an authoritarian regime. Make no mistake, anytime you have extreme poverty you will find it rooted in a corrupted government. We should take this lesson to heart without scoff or ridicule to those who suffer under the boot of oppression. Eastern Europe proves race has nothing to do with the suffering caused by living in a society that lacks personal property rights and freedom.
Report Post »addie
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 10:23amThink about it, it is the same thing as Cap n Trade, just a different utility. It is forcing out competition and increasing rates for the consumer. Cap n Trade does the same thing except it‘s the companies that get fined for not complying so they comply and pass the cost to the consumer but if you think it’s any different, you are crazy!
Report Post »RugDog
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:26amEthiopia huh? Hmmm. Who cares again?
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:51amStrange… most SpearChucker Laws involve a Death Penalty!
Report Post »babylonvi
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 12:04amW A R N I N G – This is why the UN is pushing the internet treaties, be sure you advise your senators REGULARLY that these UN treaties, ALL OF THEM are dangerous to the U.S. and our way of life. They are how the push for one world government will finance itself, from middle class taxpayers WORLD WIDE.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 7:12amHillary Clinton is more Dangerous than Al-Qaeda!
Report Post »Diaphanous Mine
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:01pmI found it interesting when Egypt and Libya fell. It reminded me of Daniel. Ethiopia was the third country mentioned by him… What a weird thing if Ethiopia goes the way of those two.
Daniel 11:43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians [shall be] at his steps.
God bless!
Report Post »marhee9
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:17pmAnd if Mayor Bloomberg or the progressive movement decided that they didn’t like Skype, the same thing would be happening here. The nanny state is no longer a third world issue. Can you say big gulp? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KYopiOWbjs
Report Post »marcus_arealius
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:45pmBeing able to read is a criminal offense in Idiotopia. I heard it‘s against the law to eat real food or grow it or even be able to ’go to where the food is’, in Idiotopia.. oh I meant Ethiopia. You know, one of those African nations from which us white folks stole all their technology.. which is why they live in the stone age.
Report Post »levarforever
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 9:29pmThis might be economic suicide, for a country that has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. If you’re trying to welcome more FDI, you will need to have a business-friendly environment., especially in IT and telecommunications. Otherwise, you are frightening away big internet companies that could have a tremendous affect on your economy and enrich the lives of the people. If this was truly about national security, the focus would be on improving intelligence networks – not suppression of free speech which essentially punishes everyone. You need to respect and gain the trust of your citizens, otherwise, you just create more instability, more intimidation – more enemies.
Report Post »rickc34
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 9:16pmIf Obama gets re-elected it could happen here. What is this world coming to. Is money that important? Sticking someone in jail because they need to save a little money. We would all be in jail .
Report Post »blackyb
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:36pmThey will be in there themselves if that Congress keeps pushing Holder. I hope they all rot in jail and/or hell if they keep on with their agendas against the country.
Report Post »justangry
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:53pmI know it’s wrong, but I have this image of a bloated bellied child with flies buzzing around his head on skype. Maybe the good folks at all the charities gave an exagurated depiction of what is really like over there when they were asking for my credit card number.
Report Post »levarforever
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 9:08pmOr maybe you‘re just a white racist who needs the image of suffering black people to convince yourself that you’re superior. You must be a Liberal, because you sound like one – condescending, egotistical, etc. Try to make a comment that pertains to the specific topic. It’s actually not that hard if you, um – think.
Report Post »justangry
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 9:32pmOh please. We’ve been exposed to the imagery I described for over 40 years from Unicef or whatever trying to get our money. I don’t have a clue what the reality is over there. I don’t know how you can justify calling me all those things based on that. You assume WAY too much.
Report Post »Tractorboy
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:50pmI never heard of this section of NYC before, I guess it makes more sense than the Soda bans.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:47pmWhat do you expect from a Country that doesn’t use any utensils to eat with? (end sarcasm)
I went to an Ethiopian restaurant here and they charged me extra for a fork. So I took a blind friend of mine there and she had the time of her Life being allowed to eat with her fingers and being ridiculed.
We went back many times over a 2 year period. I learned a little about their culture, politics and issues with their Country. The food was good, the people were friendly and they were very happy to be in the US and not back home.
This was before the Internet and the advent of instant communication. I miss my blind friend and this story brought back many memories.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:50pmEdit;
Report Post »and NOT being ridiculed.
levarforever
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 9:19pm(Again, Liberals must be invading this thread today.) It’s funny how you start out with venomous sarcasm and end with this feigned sentimentalism (which is really condescension). There are many cultures in which people eat with their hands. It doesn’t make them any more or less sophisticated. They do the same things in well-established Ethiopian restaurants in Washington DC and L.A. mind you. Please be kind to your fellow human beings even if some are poor and not as well-off as you. I hope you’re not a Conservative or Libertarian, otherwise I’d be lead to believe that white Liberals are not the only racists.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 5:34pm@levarforever
It was a sarcastic joke. Get over it…..
Report Post »MrButcher
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:09pmThey have electricity in Ethiopia?
Report Post »levarforever
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 9:10pmYou can actually talk without a brain? I would ask you to answer your own question since it’s so obvious, but then again, I can’t expect racist morons to do that. There is no “oops” button on your keyboard, by the way.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 17, 2012 at 1:23amDepends… upon the Place… and Time of Day!
Report Post »Shasta
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:05pmHey thanks Freeberty, I will try to keep up from now on.
Report Post »SmarterThanTheAverageBear
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:02pmThis law has nothing to do with protecting national security as there are many ways to communicate outside of VOIP. The sole purpose of this law is to protect the monopolistic state owned telephone company and their usurious rates.
Report Post »BlackCrow
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:01pmNothing more than coercing taxes. Coming soon to a government near you.
Report Post »Shasta
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 6:41pmWhenever I see crazy stuff like this, I think that it is just the kind of thing that our great dictator might impose on us.
Report Post »MrFantastic2323
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 6:53pmIt is similar. The state isn’t getting what it wants so it outlaws the alternative. Similar to The Obama not getting the clean energy he wants so he places devastating restrictions on (as close as he can get to outlawing and penalizing citizens for use as possible) coal and oil production to force people to do what he wants.
Report Post »freeberty
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 6:54pmShasta, try to keep up, our government has had regulations on communications since there inception, regulations made by the giants in the industry to protect their interests. Technology has gotten us to the point were if we were really a free market country we would be paying next to nothing for all data and voice communications.
Report Post »freeberty
Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:01pmShasta, are you serious? Communications in this country have been regulated in this country since their inception, usually the communications industry writing the regulations for government enforcement to protect their interests. Technology has advance to the point that if we were really a free market our data and voice communication would certainly be free in most parts of the country
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