It wont be long before the Syrian regime, with the help of four Western companies, sets up perhaps the world’s most sophisticated online tracking and surveillance system. Its goal? To assist Syrian security forces in their door-to-door hunt for activists. These companies have been racing against the clock to complete this extensive network. Since March, 3,500 citizens have been killed, including the deliberate targeting of human rights activists. Before time runs out, we must stop these companies.
We’re told by insiders that their CEO’s are on high alert, including one CEO who has announced a temporary hold on activities. Sustained public pressure will force them all to permanently withdraw. Add your name to this urgent petition now, and we’ll deliver it to their boardroom doors.
The four companies involved, Area (Italian), NetApp (American), Qosmos (French) and Utimaco (German), directly or indirectly provide the technologies needed to monitor the communications of activists on the ground fighting for democracy. The technologies of all four of these companies are required to enable the surveillance system to work properly. We just need one of them to pull out and President Assad’s latest deadly plan will stumble before it properly gets off the ground.
The decision to sell surveillance technologies directly or indirectly to Syria’s regime is made by people. These are the executives at the top ultimately responsible for those decisions:
– Andrea Formenti, Area President and Chief Executive Officer
– Tom Georgens, NetApp President and Chief Executive Officer
– Thibaut Bechetoille, Qosmos Chief Executive Officer
– Steve Munford, Sophos (owner of Utimaco) Chief Executive Officer
These CEOs are seriously debating what to do next – to complete their part or pull out for good. Area’s CEO has even made a public statement that they’re considering ending their operations in Syria. Sustained public pressure will force their hand, but we need to act fast. Tell them to permanantly stop providing technology that will undoubtedly result in the detainment and possible death of Syrian citizens:
https://www.accessnow.org/stop-syrian-surveillance
The Access community has stood in solidarity with Syria’s protestors and asked the world’s leaders to act on the deaths of thousands in Syria. Now we’re taking it to the corporate world, telling them it’s time to put rights before profits.
With hope,
The Access Team
Call on the CEOs of four Western companies to permanently stop providing surveillance technology to Syria used in the door-to-door hunt for activists.
Source: http://linksunten.indymedia.org/de/node/49974
