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TRANSFORMING DESERT: Workers plant vegetation in Hobq Desert in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on August 30 (REN CHUANJUN) |
CONNECTED: A prisoner in Beijing has an online conversation with his daughter on February 14, 2010 (HE JUNCHANG) |
Orest Nowosad, an official at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the UN, also highlighted the strong connection between the environment and human rights in his speech, saying that a healthy environment is indeed the precondition to the enjoyment of a wider range of human rights, including the most fundamental right to life.
The Internet and its place in society was also raised at the forum. Experts agreed that the Internet is a two-edged sword, which both facilitated the protection of human rights while posing challenges.
Nowosad said that the Internet has transformed the human rights movements. It is an indispensable tool for people to receive information. For example, it promotes the right to education by offering online classes.
The Internet has also offered a channel for common people to express their opinions, thereby promoting freedom of speech. "In traditional media, only opinions that meet the political needs of a small group of people will be published; however, with the Internet, everybody can express their concerns," said Li Yunlong, a professor at the Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.
Statistics from the China Internet Network Information Center show that the country's Internet users was 538 million at the end of June, more than a third of the country's population. The Internet has become an important means for the public to supervise the government. Chinese citizens disclose social problems, criticize government and supervise officials via the Internet. In November alone, discipline violation and corruption cases of more than 10 officials were exposed by netizens online.
According to Feng Jiancang, head of the Human Rights Office of the Institute for Crime Prevention under China's Ministry of Justice, the Internet is also becoming popular among Chinese inmates.
In his speech at the forum, Feng cited the example of a Beijing prison where the inmates can order food from the canteen and shop the prison commissary online.
"The system which we now use to browse information, order food and shop online enables us to keep up with the latest trends in society and experience a modern way of life so that one day when we get out of the prison, we can be accustomed to it," said an inmate surnamed Wu as quoted by Feng. "In addition, this system broadens our horizons. Since we can learn all the major news and events, we are no longer isolated from society."
"Although some of the prisoners' rights are restrained or suspended, the rights that are not restrained should be well-respected," Feng said.
However, Nina Karpachova, a member of the Board of the European Ombudsman Institute, was concerned with the side effects of the Internet. She said that people, especially children, remain vulnerable in the modern global network. "They can be victims of criminals, swindlers, preachers of hatred and terrorists, or be exposed to pornographic videos," Karpachova said.
In addition, people's privacy might be easily infringed upon on the Internet. For example, sexually explicit photos of a dozen of Hong Kong entertainers spread online in an incident dubbed the 2008 Edison Chen photo scandal.
"The Internet was partly to blame for the scandal because without the Internet, the photos couldn't have been so widely spread," said Si Jinquan, Deputy Director General of the Publicity Department of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, in a paper submitted to the forum.
Karpachova said that the UN should create an international legal framework to regulate cyberspace by consensus.
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