Yahoo’s and Amnesty International’s position on the Shi Tao case
Amnesty International has raised its concerns with Yahoo. The company has responded but has not addressed all the concerns raised.
Yahoo's response claims they received a valid and legal demand for information according to Chinese law. As a consequence, Yahoo China was legally obligated to comply.
According to Yahoo, their priority is to remain in business in a country even if this means complying with national laws that violate human rights. Yahoo therefore balances the requirement to comply with laws that contradict their own values against the belief that active involvement in China contributes to the continued modernization of the country.
Amnesty International believes that Yahoo’s arguments do not justify the company’s behavior. Yahoo’s contribution to the modernization of China must be respectful of international human rights.
The company has a responsibility to guarantee the integrity of the product they provide to the Chinese people, and to ensure it is not used in a way that assists the government to abuse human rights. Internet companies can exert considerable influence and jointly challenge China’s practices.
China has signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which guarantees respect for freedom of expression. This right is entrenched in the Chinese Constitution. In this context, Yahoo's compliance with Chinese law is a weak claim to legitimacy. Yahoo risks being complicit with the Chinese government in violating international human rights law.
This article was written by Amnesty International, for detailed information, please click on the heading or refer to:
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/chn-310106-action-eng
