IP: drug treaty

[Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>]

As John Barlow keeps saying, the Bill of Rights is a local ordincance in
cyberspace and this shows it very well. Next in the EC no nasty comments re
politicians and the LEADER.


I seem to have seen this type of thing start before when I was 4 years old


Dave




From: Dennis Derryberry <dennis () eff org>


This just in from Europe. According to this translation, new treaty would 
make it illegal to discuss *any* positive aspects of illegal drugs, 
presumably including medical values. - D


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 23 Nov 1996 20:04:02 +0100
From: mario lap <mlap () xs4all nl>
To: ask () eff org
Subject: drug treaty


L.S,


The European Union is about to sign a new treaty on drugs.


Now particular notice should be paid to an article of this treaty 
introducing the prohibition of incitement, advocacy or stimulation of drug
use and production. (I have added the original french text and a brief
translation)


In France where this particular article comes from it is therefore almost
impossible to produce and disseminate unbiassed harm reduction prevention
material.


Now the article contains a specific sentence mentioning Internet as the
major concern.


I believe immediate action is to be taken before french and european
government will make further steps down the road of taking away our freedom
of expression


mario lap
lapnet
drugtext foundation


Article 8


Les Etats membres s'engagent, dans le respect de leurs principes
constitutionnels et des principes fondamentaux de leur droit national, a
interdire et sanctionner, lorsque l'acte a ete commis intentionnellement,
le fait d'inciter ou d'amener publiquement aubrui, par quelque moyen que ce
soit a l'usage ou a la production illicites de produits stupefiants. Ils
font preuve d'une particuliere vigilance en ce qui concerne l'usage fait
des serveurs informatiques et particulierement Internet


(draft english translation)


Respecting the constitutional and fundamental national legal principles,
the member states will prohibit and sanction, the incitement or public
stimulation of the use or illegal production of drugs regardless of the
means by which this is taking place. Notably a particular vigilance is
necessary concerning the use of information servers and especially
Internet.
 If anyone's proficient at French legalese, the text of this proposed treaty
is now online at:


http://www.drugtext.nl/conseil.htm
http://www.drugtext.org/conseil.htm