Massive protests in Turkey. Activists being arrested for using Twitter.

Turkey Is Now Arresting People For Using Twitter to Spread "Untrue Information"

By Josh Voorhees

 | 

Posted Wednesday, June 5, 2013

A Turkish art group preforms in support of protestors at Taksim Square onJune 5, 2013 in Istanbul, Turkey

Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images

As my colleague Will Oremus wrote about earlier this week, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has made no secret of how he feels about the use of Twitter. "Now we have a menace that is called Twitter," Erdoğan said on Monday, day four of the mass protests that are now in their sixth day. "The best example of lies can be found there. To me, social media is the worst menace to society."

At the time of those remarks, the Turkish government appeared to have no immediate plans to combat this menace/curse/scourge—despite scattered reports of Internet outages, the tweets continued to roll in, along with the Facebook posts, Instagram pics, and Vine videos. That may have changed Wednesday, via the Associated Press:

Turkey's state-run news agency says police have detained 25 people for "spreading untrue information" on social media and provoking protests. The Anadolu Agency says Wednesday the people were detained in the city of Izmir for allegedly "inciting the people to enmity and hate." It said police were still looking for 13 others.

No one seems to have any idea exactly which tweets in question landed the offending users in jail—something that only highlights the fact that Turkey's main media outlets have been noticeably slow to give the protests the coverage they deserve (which, in turn, has left many Turks relying on the social media site for their updates). Regardless, the arrest of a couple dozen Twitter users is unlikely to deter the thousands of others using the social media site to voice their displeausre with Erdoğan any more than the several thousands of arrests on the streets is going to deter the mass demonstrations that are now occuring across Turkey.

source: http://www.slate.com

Dozens arrested in Turkey over protest tweets, accused of 'inciting hatred'

Published time: June 05, 2013

Turkish police have detained at least 25 Twitter users for allegedly spreading false reports, as anti-government demonstrations in Turkey continue for a sixth day.

Social media activists have been accused of using Twitter to “instigate public hatred and animosity,” according to Turkish media. Police raided 38 addresses to locate the suspects. 

A protestor uses a mobile phone to give latestt news about the clashes near Taksim in Istanbul on June 3, 2013. (AFP Photo / Ozan Kose)

The activists were arrested early Wednesday in the western city of Izmir. Police said that their tweets contained “misleading and libelous information,” state-run news agency Anatolia reported. However, Ali Engin, an official from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said that they were detained for urging people to protest. 

Police tracked down the activists through their IP addresses, and were reportedly able to locate most of them. CHP said that they have sent lawyers to assist the arrested individuals.

The lawyers revealed to the media that police files on the individuals included tweets about where to meet, about police actions, and about the names of volunteer doctors and lawyers.

Earlier on Tuesday, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc apologized for the treatment of protesters during riots that grew out of a demonstration last Friday against the planned demolition of Taksim Gezi Park to build a mall. The police use of teargas and pepper spray to disperse protesters has been heavily criticized. 

Turkish riot police officer fires tear gas during clashes with protestors between Taksim and Besiktas in Istanbul on June 3, 2013 during a demonstration against the demolition of the park. (AFP Photo / Bulent Kilic)

Arinc said that the police’s actions were wrong, and that security forces have been ordered not to use teargas except in cases of self-defense. "The excessive violence that was used in the first instance against those who were behaving with respect for the environment is wrong and unfair. I apologize to those citizens," Arinc said at a news conference on Tuesday. 

After unrest began last Friday, tens of thousands of anti-government protesters held demonstrations in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Mugla, Antalya, and many other cities and towns across Turkey. At least two people were killed and thousands were injured in the nationwide protests. 

Source:  http://rt.com/news/turkey-arrests-twitter-activists-258/

Turkey protests continue despite apology

Protesters meet with deputy PM to demand cancellation of Gezi park demolition and release of dozens arrested in Izmir. Last Modified: 05 Jun 2013 12:19

Protests have continued in Turkey as demonstrators defied a government appeal to end deadly unrest in which two people have died.

On Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arnic apologised for "excessive violence" against protesters trying to save a park in Istanbul, a campaign which acted as catatlyst for deeper tensions within the country.

A meeting between the deputy prime minister and some of the protesters took place on Wednesday in Ankara. 

Police used tear gas and water cannon overnight and into Wednesday morning on hundreds of protesters, who ignored warnings to disperse in Istanbul, Ankara and the southeastern city of Hatay.

In Istanbul, thousands gathered peacefully at Taksim Square on Wednesday yelling defiance at Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had earlier dismissed the protesters as "extremists" and "vandals".

read more at http://www.aljazeera.com

Bill 78. Martial Law. Canada.

Martial Law In Alberta? 


BY TERRY WILSON
POSTED IN:NATIONAL NEWS


Under the Alberta Emergency Management Act, The Alberta Provincial Government has given themselves the power to do the following things to you and your family under anything they deem to be an emergency.

Authorize the conscription of person(s)…


(“Conscription” is legally defined as a “draft” for armed service)

Authorize the entry into any building or on any land, without warrant…

Control or prohibit travel to or from any area…

Acquire or utilize any real or personal property considered necessary… (Your food, fuel, vehicles, home , land etc.)

“Procure”…food, clothing, fuel, equipment…property, services, resources… (Anything and everything as well as forced labour)

Section 17 (a) & (b) of the Alberta Emergency Management Act states:

Any person who: contravenes this Act or the regulations, or interferes with or obstructs any person in the exercise of any power or the performance of any duty conferred or imposed by this Act or the regulations, is guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than one year. ( in other words… if you resist…. your going to prison)

Under the Act it also states that:

“Neither council nor any member of council, and no person appointed by council… is liable in respect of damage caused through any action taken under this bylaw, nor are they subject to any proceedings by prohibition, certiorari, mandamus or injunction.” ( giving no legal recourse under the ACT for the actions listed above)

The main stream news in Alberta has been very critical about the push against this, one writer Paula Simons. Has posted an article on both the Calgary Herald and the Edmonton Journal. But even Paula admits:
“The law does give local and regional governments extraordinary powers. Under its provisions, governments can order people to evacuate an area. They can seize or demolish property. They can fix the prices of food and equipment. They can impose a quarantine, banning people from leaving a region or the province. They can even conscript people into government service.” The Edmonton journal article is titled: Run for the hills, the government is coming for us and can be read below Global TV Lethbridge has covered the the repeal of this bill, but the Alberta government will have it re introduced within a month.


Source: http://canadianawareness.org/2012/03/martial-law-in-alberta/


Simons: Run for the hills, the government is coming for us 
Overstatements and stretching of the truth affect us all 
BY PAULA SIMONS, EDMONTONJOURNAL.COM 
MARCH 16, 2012

The Alberta Legislature Building in Edmonton.
Photograph by: Ryan Jackson , edmontonjournal.com


EDMONTON - I turned on my computer Thursday night to find four identical emails waiting for me. In the most lurid terms, they warned me of a secret provincial conspiracy to seize my property, and potentially conscript me and my family members into quasi-military service. 


The legislation in question? Alberta’s long-standing Emergency Management Act, which does indeed give the provincial government, municipalities, counties, First Nations, and Métis settlements, sweeping powers to seize property or press people into service in the event of an emergency such as a forest fire, flood or deadly pandemic.


The email, which was copied to dozens of journalists, politicians, and media outlets, was engineered to spread. “Simply hit the “REPLY TO ALL” button in your email program and write your response of opposition,” it advised.


“Your email will INSTANTLY go to virtually all the media, and the official opposition party members of the Alberta Government. We NEED to let them know, we are against this horrible legislation and we don’t live in RED COMMUNIST CHINA and THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! This goes hand in hand with the Nazi Style “Land USE” legislation. More of the same!”


“If you are feeling REALLY disgusted or Violated that the government would do this to you and your family,” it continued, “feel free to hit the “REPLY TO ALL” button as many times as you wish.”


“For those of us on Facebook and Twitter.... Lets make this insane violation against us as HUMANs go viral.... Lets get the word out there and bring this horrific legislation Down!!!”


Comparing the Progressive Conservative government to both the Nazis and Communist China in one email is quite the accomplishment. Think of it as a cross between an old-fashioned chain letter and the Kony 2012 viral social media campaign.


To an extent, the campaign is working. Certainly, people forwarded the letter to me. (And here I am, writing about it.) Beyond that, public outrage about this supposed government plot has already compelled the county council in Cardston to withdraw a proposed emergency preparedness bylaw this week, after hundreds of angry protesters showed up at a meeting to voice their outrage. But just as with the typical viral chain letter — and the Kony 2012 campaign — this email is a mix of exaggerations and half-truths, and dangerous ones at that.


 Alberta’s Emergency Management Act is not new. It was most recently amended in 2011, but legislation with similar wording and intent has been on the books since 1974. The law does give local and regional governments extraordinary powers.


Under its provisions, governments can order people to evacuate an area.


They can seize or demolish property.


They can fix the prices of food and equipment.


They can impose a quarantine, banning people from leaving a region or the province.


They can even conscript people into government service.


But as dire as that sounds, the law also has strict limitations. A local state of emergency can only last seven days. A provincial or regional one lasts for up to 14 days or 90 days in the case of an influenza pandemic. People who have their property seized or destroyed are guaranteed legal compensation.


That’s not enough to soothe the mind of Dan Stephan, the Cardston county man behind this week’s viral campaign. “It’s martial law,” he says. “We’ve got to have this repealed or revised or reworded.” Stephan says he agrees that there should be some kind of emergency management plan in place, but that current legislation goes too far. As he sees it, the law could force people into military service, and lead to political tyranny. “Where do you draw the line? Where do you say no? Citizens are saying, ‘No way in hell do we let this hang over us.’ There is too much power granted — and into whose hands? What if it gets into the hands of a government that goes sideways on it?”


Stephan says he has the support of the Wildrose party and that he hopes to convince the party to make the repeal or amendment of the Emergency Management Act part of the upcoming election campaign. According to Evan Menzies, communications assistant for the Wildrose Party, MLA Paul Hinman agrees the act is too intrusive. Hinman, he says, believes the law is unnecessary, because in times of emergency, Albertans do not need to be forced to help their neighbours.


That’s a nice sentiment. But in times of emergency, governments do sometimes need the power to step in and take urgent action, without being forced to rely on the kindness of neighbours.


Stephan is no stranger to political battles or grassroots activism. He and his family run an Alberta company called Truehope, which spent years fighting Health Canada for the right to market EMPowerplus, a controversial “micronutrient” which, according to Truehope, is a natural treatment for bipolar disorder — a miracle cure to some, snake-oil quackery to others. I can’t speak to the validity of Truehope’s medical claims. But Stephan’s claims about the Emergency Management Act are wildly overstated.


The act doesn’t trump the Constitution, the charter or the Municipal Government Act. It doesn’t give the Town of Slave Lake or Cardston County or the Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement the power to impose a dictatorship or force people into armed conflict.


It does, however, give a local fire department the right to bulldoze your barn to help create a firebreak, the right to seize your pickup truck to help evacuate a flood zone, and even the right to force you to help pile sandbags or open your home to evacuees.


Those powers are extraordinary — that’s why they can only be used for a very short time, under very extraordinary circumstances. In an urgent life-and-death crisis, there isn’t always time to go to court to get a warrant, to hold a hearing, to convene a town council meeting.


This legislation is draconian on its face and it certainly, it should never be invoked lightly. But sometimes, desperate times call for desperate measures. Sometimes, you have to be able to seize first and compensate later. And in all the years that legislation of this type has been on the books in Alberta, it hasn’t led to the end of democracy or the long-term suspension of civil rights.


Eternal vigilance, is, indeed, the price of freedom. And it is a good and healthy thing for people to guard their freedoms zealously and jealously. But whipping up a frenzy about tried and tested legislation, by preying on people’s worst fears, isn’t good citizenship.


Before you hit the “forward” button on that email, before you retweet, be very sure you understand what you’re doing and not spreading a virus that erodes public trust and spreads misinformation.


Source: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/hills+government+coming/6314836/story.html

Quebec's Bill 78 threatens freedom of expression

By PEN Canada

Published: Wednesday, May. 30, 2012 - 12:09 pm

TORONTO, May 30, 2012 -- /CNW/ - PEN Canada today voiced further concerns that Bill 78, passed two weeks ago by the Quebec National Assembly, constitutes a serious threat to freedom of expression. Its vague and dangerously overbroad provisions can easily be interpreted in ways that constrain and discourage legitimate collective action and civil protest.

"The whole Bill looks thrown together," said Charlie Foran, president of PEN Canada. "Its penalties are draconian and disproportionate, designed more to stifle free expression than protect public order. The reported mass arrests in Quebec suggest that the authorities have been given too much latitude to interpret and enforce this new law. Legislatively, it's the equivalent of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut."

PEN believes the Bill's prior notification requirements for demonstrations (section 16) are unreasonable and ill-suited to the realities of modern protest. Imposing penalties on organizers who fail to notify authorities "not less than eight hours before the beginning of the demonstration" would, if enforced, rule out all but the most premeditated forms of civic action. The uncertain phrasing of section 30, which may, on its face, make it illegal to attend demonstrations that violate the provisions of section 16, also exposes individuals who attend these gatherings to fines of up to $5000 per day, or more in certain circumstances. In general, the fines provided for breach of theBill's provisions are grossly excessive. Taken together, these measures are easily abused by authorities and likely to result in a serious chill on freedom of expression.

Philip Slayton, Chair of PEN Canada's National Affairs Committee, described the bill as "poorly drafted and too easily open to interpretations that permitunreasonable limitations on freedom of expression. As it stands, the situations in which the Bill's penalties could be brought to bear on individual protesters are so vague and open-ended that they can be used to deter demonstrations that should be perfectly acceptable in a free and democratic society." 

PEN Canada fights censorship and defends the right to freedom of expression.

SOURCE PEN Canada

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/30/4526008/quebecs-bill-78-threatens-freedom.html#storylink=cpy

Published on May 23, 2012 by thetruthergirls

The protests (and the associated police brutality) are still continuing in . In response, the government has brought us one step closer to martial law with the passage of Bill 78, which allows cops to fine people $5k-$125k for attending a protest of over 50 people, where a permit has not been issued or details not reveled beforehand. The fines also apply to anyone attending a protest while wearing a hoodie, scarf or mask. Despite facing such stiff penalties, the protesters continue, undeterred and strong in numbers, and chanting 'La loi speciale, on s'en calisse!' (we don't give a damn about your special law)

Global Statement Through "International Occupy Day". Protests Spread Worldwide.

'Intl. Occupy Day' hits global stage

Sat Oct 15, 2011 

A Japanese man wears a mask during the Occupy Tokyo rally on October 15, 2011.

People across the world are holding protest rallies in the “International Occupy Day” for a cry of rage against poverty, corruption and corporate greed.

The demonstrations targeted 951 cities in 82 countries in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and Africa on Saturday, organizers told AFP.


Inspired by the "Occupy Wall Street" movement in the US, people took to the streets in Australia, Taiwan, and Japan in the opening hours of the global outcry.


Protesters in Japan as part of a campaign named “Occupy Tokyo” protested against social disparity, unemployment and nuclear threat.


Similar protests were also held in Manila, the Philippines, where protesters marched in front the US Embassy against its intrusive foreign policies.


Besides protests in Asian cities, thousands marched in Rome to protest against Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's handling of a sovereign debt crisis.


The largest turnout is expected in London, where organizers called on protesters to gather at St. Paul's Cathedral near the London Stock Exchange.


Several hundred people have occupied a camp in a small park in New York City since September 17 to express their anger against corporatism, poverty and social inequity in the US.


Protesters have adopted the motto "We are the 99 percent." They use the slogan to call attention to the fact that they are treated different than the one percent of Americans that are in possession of most of the nation's wealth.


Another major protest is planned for October 29, ahead of the G20 summit in Paris.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/204719.html

Occupy Wall Street Movement Goes Worldwide

South Korean protesters stage an "Occupy Seoul" rally in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011. (Ahn Young-joon/AP Photo)

AUTO START: ON | OFF

By DAN KLOEFFLER

Oct. 15, 2011

The Occupy Wall Street movement that has been spreading across America is going worldwide this morning.

Protests are planned in solidarity from Europe to Australia in what is being called an "International Day of Action" this weekend.

In Tokyo, protesters are fighting inequality and about 300 Australians chanted the cry that started on Wall Street, "We are the 99%!"

In the Philippines, protesters marched in Manila, where they announced their support for the movement and denounced "U.S.-led wars and aggression," the Associated Press reported.

While the worldwide protests get underway, protesters at the movement's home base in Lower Manhattan said they're not done spreading the message of the so-called "99 percent."

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/occupy-wall-street-movement-worldwide/story?id=14743648

About OCCUPY TOGETHER
September 23rd, 2011


Welcome to OCCUPY TOGETHER, an unofficial hub for all of the events springing up across the country in solidarity with Occupy Wall St. As we have followed the news on facebook, twitter, and the various live feeds across the internet, we felt compelled to build a site that would help spread the word as more protests organize across the world. We hope to provide people with information about events that are organizing, ongoing, and building across the U.S. as we, the 99%, take action against the greed and corruption of the 1%.


We will only grow stronger in our solidarity and we will be heard, not just in New York, but in echoes across the world.


For more information about us, the movement, and answers to questions, please check out our FAQ.


Important note: Occupy Together will never ask for any monetary donations. We suggest that, if you want to donate monetarily, that you visit this site to help those who currently Occupy Wall St.


http://www.occupytogether.org/

Occupy Chicago List of Demands. This Occupation or Protest Session Adds to the List.

'Occupy Chicago' to Participate in Week of Action Finale

Labor activists to march from Federal Plaza to Occupy protests

By Michael Kaplan

|  Friday, Oct 14, 2011  |  Updated 11:04 AM CDT

Protesters from various unions and labor groups have participated in the week of protest.

Chicago's official week of protest is coming to an end.

Activists from Stand Up! Chicago will gather at the Federal Plaza Friday before marching to the Federal Reserve building to join Occupy Chicago protesters. The demonstration marks the end of the Take Back Chicago Week of Action.

More than 150 people from the coalition of labor unions, neighborhood councils and job advocacy groups plan to participate in the event.

On Monday, thousands of labor union members joined Chicago anti-Wall Street protesters as they marched through downtown in a joint effort to demand jobs for the masses.

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/Occupy-Chicago-to-Participate-in-Final-Protest-Day-131860628.html#ixzz1arUGw1so

Occupy Chicago's list of demands

October 16, 2011

1. Pass a bill to reinstate Glass-Steagall, a safeguard separating banks' commercial lending and investment operations. "Its repeal in 1999 is considered the major cause of the global financial meltdown of 2008-09," the group states.

2. Repeal Bush-era tax cuts.

3. Prosecute "the Wall Street criminals who clearly broke the law and helped cause the 2008 financial crisis."

5. Pass the Warren Buffett rule on fair taxation, close corporate tax loopholes, prohibit hiding funds offshore.

4. Overturn a 2010 Supreme Court decision that allows corporations "to contribute unlimited amounts of money to campaigns."

6. Give the Securities and Exchange Commission stricter regulatory power, strengthen the Consumer Protection Bureau and help victims of predatory lending whose home loans have been foreclosed.

7. Take steps to limit the influence of lobbyists and eliminate the practice of lobbyists writing legislation.

8. Eliminate (the) right of former government regulators to work for corporations or industries they once regulated.

9. Eliminate corporate personhood.

10. Insist the Federal Elections Commission "ensure that political candidates are given equal time for free at reasonable intervals during campaign season."

11. Pass the Fair Elections Now Act.

12. Forgive student debt.

Source: Occupy Chicago http://occupychi.org