Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton today condemned the shut down of Internet service across Syria.
“We are deeply concerned by reports that Internet service has been shut down across much of Syria, as have some mobile communication networks.”-Ms. Clinton
Ms. Clinton said the United States condemns any effort to suppress the Syrian people’s exercise of their rights to free expression, assembly, and association.
According to Ms. Clinton, the White House released the International Strategy for Cyberspace two weeks ago. The strategy noted that “States should not arbitrarily deprive or disrupt individuals’ access to the Internet or other networked technologies.”
“We condemn such shutdowns in the strongest terms.”-Ms. Clinton
Ms. Clinton stressed that the Syrian government has a history of restricting the Internet in an attempt to prevent the Syrian people from accessing and sharing information. She urged the Syrian government to understand that attempting to silence its population cannot prevent the transition currently taking place. She further said, the United States believes that even in the face of significant obstacles, the Syrian people will – and should – find a way to make their voices heard.
“The United States stands for universal human rights, including freedom of expression, and we call on all governments to respect them.”-Ms. Clinton
