Consultation is a sham to tailor results in favour of the Rules which trangress PECA & infringe on rights. Content of Rules & secretive, non-transparent process of their introduction should be challenged not legitimized
#NoToConsultation #WeRejectTheRules https://twitter.com/ramshajahangir/status/1268097261126529024

I received an invitation from the PTA to tomorrow's consultation on the Online Harm Rules 2020. Below is my response: "Thank you for the invitation. I regret neither I nor my colleagues will join this consultation. We stand by our earlier position that any consultation must...

take place once the Rules are withrawn and denoitified by the Cabinet,without which any consultation is disingenuous. Both the content of the Rules and process through which they were introduced is undemocratic.The PM, committee set up by him and PTA lack legal authority to...

...make changes to the Rules as they stand therefore we do not believe joining the process and legitimizing it is something any rights organization should do. Moreover, discussion on the Rules and the draft Personal Data Protection Bill 2020 should be kept separate...

...Input on the draft data protection Bill has been emailed to the address provided by the Ministry on its website by my colleague, Usama Khilji, who is cced on this email. If the goverment, the committee and PTA are genuinely concerned about stakeholder input, they should...

...consider the position of over 100 local organizations and individuals, ensure Cabinet withdraws and denotifies the Rules and makes the notification public. For reference:
Feb 29, 2020 statement: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pvTqMRF3_fWaH5gQg6DNa9G2ldpAdY_3/view

Reaffirmation of position June 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/BoloBhi/status/1267427330240270339?s=20
Our views on Rules & position on Sec 37 remain consistent. Rules must be withdrawn & Sec 37 repealed. Input to this extent can be found on our website & social media accounts which includes legal & academic opinion."

We have always provided input when asked. In court, to parliament, previously to the PTA too and publicly. But this time the government must first clarify status of the Rules and refrain from rushing anything. Or there can be no meaningful engagement. @UsamaKhilji @BoloBhi

Just like PTA is seeking yes & no answers in the survey, in this case, so are we because so far every official has given a different answer. All news reports stated Rules approved by Cabinet. Post outrage, "implementation" stopped. So did the Cabinet approve the Rules? Yes or No?

There isn't much point getting into anything else as all other arguments follow this. Cabinet approval can only be withdrawn & Rules changed by the Cabinet. Not PM, not committee, not PTA. Not difficult to clarify status, withdraw, begin afresh. Unless that is not the intent.

Put this on record officially and submit replies in court regarding their status (IHC, LHC and SHC have all inquired). Let's get clarity, then proceed.