German providers continue to censor XS4ALL network

[Felipe Rodriquez <felipe@xs4all.nl>]

Released by:	XS4ALL Internet BV
Date	   :	17-september-1996
Author     :	Felipe Rodriquez (felipe@xs4all.nl)


			*** PRESS RELEASE ***


	GERMAN PROVIDERS CONTINUE TO CENSOR XS4ALL NETWORK


German providers have continued their ip-filtering actions against
dutch provider XS4ALL. These ip-filtering actions where started
after the German Authorities ordered the providers to block access
to a specific document on the XS4ALL website. The document is not
illegal in Holland, and is the property of one of XS4ALL's customers.
So far German authorities have not contacted XS4ALL, no official
requests where made to remove these documents from our server. 

Xs4all customers are prevented from communicating with German
internetusers, because Email is not passed through a number of German
internet routers. Xs4all customers are prevented from accessing German
websites. Therefore German providers, particularily EUnet Germany GmbH,
are violating article 10 of European Convention on Human Rights:
"Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. this right shall
include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information
an ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of
frontiers." They are preventing our Xs4all subscribers to execute their
rights of free expression.

Some of our customers have terminated their account at Xs4all, 
because of these restrictions, that were imposed by German providers,
after an order from the German government. These restrictions have
caused a major disruption on the business interests of XS4ALL Internet BV.