Five of the largest international broadcasters, including the BBC, have called on delegates to the World Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva to take action over a practice known as "satellite uplink jamming."
This is the intentional interference by states to block transmissions in order to prevent messages getting out.
The European Broadcasting Union contends that such jamming contravenes the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states:
"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."
According to the EBU, the use of satellite uplink jamming is spreading. It wants the Geneva conference to draft a treaty to stop the practice.
Apart from the BBC, the idea is backed by Germany's Deutsche Welle, Audiovisuel Extérieur de la France, Radio Netherlands Worldwide and the US Broadcasting Board of Governors.
Source: BBG
