It apparently looks like a 404 “Site Not Found” Error.
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The Register IT news site did a story yesterday on how the Tunisian authorities are surreptitiously blocking access to content on the internet deemed offensive to the regime by throwing up fake 404 “site not found” errors. They do this by reportedly using web filtering software from an American company Secure Computing.
Among the blocked sites are Reporters Sans Frontieres
, Tunisian opposition political party CPR, and Tunisian human rights organisation LTDH. Recently added was the Swiss news website Swissinfo.org, which publicized information on the opening speech of the Swiss president Samuel Schmid at the WSIS. Particularly problematic for the Tunisian authorities was President Schmid’s remarks about censorship:
Of the many individuals who still do not have access to information resources, for many this is due to political reasons. It is not acceptable – and I say this without beating about the bush – for the United Nations Organisation to continue to include among its members those States which imprison citizens for the sole reason that they have criticised their government or their authorities on the internet or in the press. Any knowledge society respects the independence of its media as it respects human rights. I therefore expect that freedom of expression and freedom of information will constitute central themes over the course of this Summit. For myself, it goes without question that here in Tunis, within its walls and without, anyone can discuss quite freely. For us, it is one of the conditions sine qua non for the success of this international conference.
That’s quite a broadside from a rich and influential government.
But so as far as Tunisian citizens are concerned, these sites don’t exist and these words were never uttered.