French government is shutting down (and even jailing) bloggers

http://civillibertarian.blogspot.com/2005/11/french-government-wants-to-close-down.html

French Government Wants to Close Down Progressive Internet News Journal

The readers of Barry's Blogs have probably noticed that the sending of my progressive news journal has been erratic the last couple of days. The reason for this is because Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Speech seem to be dying a rather hasty death in France.

Bloggers were recently arrested in Paris for daring to write that they were sympathetic with the social plight of the young people who were rioting at that time. The last I heard they were being taken to jail. (Editors: See the following Internet site for further information: http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=french+bloggers+arrested+&btnG=Search+News) There is evidently a new get tough policy aimed at bloggers and other Internet freedom lovers who use the 'net as a vehicle for expressing their views and beliefs on what's happening in the world today. The freedom of the Internet must be preserved!!!

As the editor of Barry's Blogs, I am now being threatened, by my mainly French government owned Internet Service Provider (ISP), wanadoo.fr, telling me that if I don't stop sending out my progressive news journal, I will certainly be disconnected from the Internet. Further, they inform me, I can expect to be refused service from any other ISP in France. ....

....I ask all my readers today who believe in Freedom of the Press, and Freedom of Speech, to contact the President of France at http://www.elysee.fr/ecrire/ , or contact the French Embassy in your home country, and demand that the French government stop the threats and harassment aimed at my news journal by wanadoo.fr (as earlier noted, wanadoo.fr, is mainly French government owned and controlled)

Thank you,

Barry Fockler, Fil.kand.
Editor
Barry's Blogs
* Barry's Blogs 'Home Page'
http://barryshomepageblog.blogspot.com/

...is on the march.

bloggers belonging to whatever groups were directly appealing to violence, arson and calling to racial hatred against "whites"... 2 or 3 have been indicted.

any government would have shut down such "freedom of speech". I'd like to see appeals in the US to "take out" police and call for burning of property. It's called sedition.

I don't know what was on your blog, you might be wrongly accused. But if you have been reading any media in France, followed the debate, watched the interviews with all parts and even seen TV reports accusing police of unjustified violence, you could understand that the "freedom of speech" isn't dead here.

Going to bed now, but I couldn't let that pass by uncommented.

freedom on the march. :eyes: