UN Rights Chief to World: Play Nice With WikiLeaks

She raises alarm over moves to cut off funding, starve it of server space
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 10, 2010 5:36 AM CST
UN Rights Chief to World: Play Nice With WikiLeaks
A man holds up a sign as protesters gather in support of WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange in Sydney today.   (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Hackers aren't the only ones not happy about companies deciding to stop doing business with WikiLeaks. The United Nation High Commissioner for Human Rights said yesterday that attempts to cut off WikiLeaks' funding and deprive it of server space "could be interpreted as an attempt to censure the publication of information,"potentially violating WikiLeaks' right to freedom of expression, AP reports.

The commissioner said she was amazed at the scale of the "Operation:Payback" attacks on companies like MasterCard. "It's truly what media would call a cyber-war. It's just astonishing what is happening," she said. A WikiLeaks spokesperson said the organization has no connection to the hackers, and didn't condemn or applaud their actions. "We believe they are a reflection of public opinion on the actions of the targets," he said. (More WikiLeaks stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X