Greetings,
Quick update for those interested.
The poll closed this weekend - as scheduled (it was a faster timeline given the urgency of the case/request). Right now, we await assessment and closure of the straw poll by a Steward (request has been made on their Noticeboard).
At the time of closing, the banner campaign had 158 in favor (62.45%) and 95 against (37.55%).
Again, thank you to everyone that participated.
As we await closure, reminder that there is info on what actions you can take at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Free_Bassel
I was also interested if folks on this list had any ideas for possible next steps - regardless of outcome of banner straw poll.
-greg (User:Varnent)
On Nov 28, 2015, at 3:17 AM, Gregory Varnum greg.varnum@gmail.com wrote:
Reminder that the current discussion on the banner will be continuing on Meta-Wiki for another 12 hours: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Free_Bassel/Banner/Straw_poll https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Free_Bassel/Banner/Straw_poll
As of this email, 142 people have shown support for the banner campaign and 84 have opposed the banner campaign.
Thank you to everyone that is participating in the poll and discussion.
Given the scope of this list, I hope people will also review and consider taking action as suggested at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Free_Bassel https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Free_Bassel
-greg (User:Varnent)
Begin forwarded message:
From: Gerard Meijssen <gerard.meijssen@gmail.com mailto:gerard.meijssen@gmail.com> Date: November 26, 2015 at 12:55:57 AM EST To: Wikimedia Mailing List <wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org mailto:wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org> Subject: Re: [Wikimedia-l] Free Bassel
Hoi, As this is not a Wikipedia article, it is more of an advertisement, a call to action. Urgency is key. This is not about the well known patterns of a Wikipedia article.
This is not understood, it results at this late stage in an edit war. Either we have a point and make it or we have a Wikipedia style article which is to long to read. It will not be read because there is nothing urgent, nothing that demands attention. Thanks, GerardM
On 25 November 2015 at 11:20, Gerard Meijssen <gerard.meijssen@gmail.com mailto:gerard.meijssen@gmail.com> wrote:
Hoi, I have looked at the article. It does not have the necessary urgency. He is likely to have been sentenced to death and the article reads like a Wikipedia article. This is Meta, it is not Wikipedia and it needs urgency. We appeal to the world to get involved to let his death not happen. That is imho what the message needs to be. Thanks, GerardM
On 25 November 2015 at 02:57, Asaf Bartov <abartov@wikimedia.org mailto:abartov@wikimedia.org> wrote:
FYI: User:Odder has now created [[m:Free Bassel <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Free_Bassel https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Free_Bassel>]], as a landing page to link from the banner.
If anyone would like to help with a design for the banner (I concede not everyone shares my taste for 10pt-black-on-white text), we would be able to move ahead. There is, so far, nothing but support.
A.
On Tue, Nov 24, 2015 at 10:57 AM, Katherine Maher <kmaher@wikimedia.org mailto:kmaher@wikimedia.org> wrote:
Hi everyone,
Thank you for raising this issue here on this list. I wanted to share
some
more information about how we’ve been working to support Bassel to this point, in public and behind the scenes. Unfortunately, some efforts are sensitive, so can’t be shared in full on public mailing lists. But we’re committed to supporting next steps or decisions by the community, and keeping you updated going forward.
Working with some other colleagues at the Foundation, we have been
tracking
Bassel's case for some time now, in direct contact with the organizers
of
the #FreeBassel campaign <http://freebassel.org http://freebassel.org/> [1], and Bassel's
family.
The actions we have taken to date have been in coordination and approval with the #FreeBassel campaign, including:
- Coordination and communication with related organizations, such as
the
Electronic Frontier Foundation and Amnesty International. (ongoing)
- Regular contact and updates with senior human rights officials at
the
U.S. State Department. (ongoing)
- Outreach to the press around Bassel’s arbitrary detention and
contributions to the free knowledge movement. Please see this WIRED story, “A Jailed Activist’s 3-D Models Could Save Syria’s History From ISIS <
http://www.wired.com/2015/10/jailed-activist-bassel-khartabil-3d-models-coul... http://www.wired.com/2015/10/jailed-activist-bassel-khartabil-3d-models-could-save-syrian-history-from-isis/
.”
[2] (Although we did reach out to WIRED, we cannot say for certain if that story was the direct result of our efforts or others within the #FreeBassel coordination community). (10/21)
- Raising Bassel’s case in public speaking opportunities, including
Lila’s keynote to the Creative Commons Summit. (10/15)
- Blog post #FREEBASSEL: Free culture advocate who built 3D
renderings
of Palmyra missing in Syria https://blog.wikimedia.org/2015/10/08/bassel-missing-syria/ [3]. (10/08)
- Ongoing participation in #FreeBassel social media campaigns on
Facebook and Twitter.
Bassel is in a situation known as arbitrary detention <
http://en.alkarama.org/1763-syria-un-calls-for-the-release-of-freedom-of-spe...
[4]. Arbitrary detentions are characterized by uncertainty, lack of information, and volatility. They’re scary because we don’t know what’s happening, and often we are making decisions without a lot of
information.
Our goal is always to support Bassel to make sure our efforts help him without putting him at greater risk. So we’ve been working with
experienced
human rights campaigners, including the #FreeBassel campaign, to
understand
the best actions to take at different times over the past two months.
We’ve been in touch with Bassel’s family, who would support continued efforts to raise awareness about Bassel’s situation through a note on Wikipedia if that should happen. We can also join action letters (like
this
<
http://www.amnesty.nl/nieuwsportaal/pers/syria-fears-life-free-expression-ad...
[5]) where the community agrees it's appropriate. If the community
decides
to move forward with an action, we are here to help. We are monitoring
the
discussions and activity in https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Banner:Free_Bassel as a place where community consensus can form. Please let us know if there’s anything
else
we can do to support efforts to raise awareness for Bassel.
Katherine
[1] http://freebassel.org/ [2]
http://www.wired.com/2015/10/jailed-activist-bassel-khartabil-3d-models-coul...
[3] https://blog.wikimedia.org/2015/10/08/bassel-missing-syria/ [4]
http://en.alkarama.org/1763-syria-un-calls-for-the-release-of-freedom-of-spe...
[5]
http://www.amnesty.nl/nieuwsportaal/pers/syria-fears-life-free-expression-ad...
On Tue, Nov 24, 2015 at 7:38 AM, Daniel Mietchen < daniel.mietchen@googlemail.com> wrote:
Yes, a CentralNotice would seem appropriate here. Please help flesh it out at https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Banner:Free_Bassel .
Daniel
On Tue, Nov 24, 2015 at 3:38 PM, Gerard Meijssen gerard.meijssen@gmail.com wrote: > Hoi, > I have started a text.. > Thanks, > GerardM > > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Banner:Free_Bassel > > On 24 November 2015 at 15:25, Pete Forsyth peteforsyth@gmail.com wrote: > >> +1 >> Gerard, or Andrea, or anybody who knows better than myself, could
you
start >> a draft on Meta Wiki with a proposed text for a banner, and where
it
should >> link/what it should advise readers to do? >> Pete >> On Nov 24, 2015 3:13 AM, "Tito Dutta" trulytito@gmail.com wrote: >> >>> Sad news. Agree with everyone here that we should do something. >>> >>> On 24 November 2015 at 16:38, Gerard Meijssen < gerard.meijssen@gmail.com >>> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Hoi, >>>> Tomorrow we have a platform as well at the Erasmus award
ceremony
in
>>>> Amsterdam. It is Wikipedia, its community that is receiving the award.. >>>> Thanks, >>>> GerardM >>>> >>>> On 24 November 2015 at 12:03, Cristian Consonni < >> kikkocristian@gmail.com >>>> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> 2015-11-24 10:47 GMT+01:00 Andrea Zanni <
zanni.andrea84@gmail.com
> : >>>>>> Use the centralnotice. >>>>> >>>>> [...] >>>>> >>>>>> A Wikipedian, a member of our community sentenced to death
for
>>>> believing >>>>> in >>>>>> our Mission and Vision is something extraordinary. I
understand
the >>>>> caution >>>>>> of setting a precedent, but I think it's worth it. >>>>>> >>>>>> Also, remember: we have few days before we'll ask money
again
to
>> all >>>> the >>>>>> English-speaking countries. >>>>>> How could we ask for money when we are not using the power
that
was >>>>>> bestowed upon us by the very same spirit, love and courage
that
is >>>>>> condemning Bassel to death? >>>>> >>>>> I strongly support this. >>>>> >>>>> As for the precedent, recall that the Wikimedia Foundation supports >>>>> the users, we did this with User:Diu in Greece: >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >>
https://blog.wikimedia.org/2014/02/14/wikimedia-foundation-supports-wikipedi...
>>>>> >>>>> This is much more than a lawsuit. >>>>> >>>>> A message I do not want us to send is that if you enough
force
or
the >>>>> threat is big enough, then we, as a movement, will be scared
away.
>>>>> >>>>> C >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: >>>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines >>>>> Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org >>>>> Unsubscribe: >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, >>>>> mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org ?subject=unsubscribe >>>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: >>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines >>>> Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org >>>> Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, >>>> mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org ?subject=unsubscribe >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: >>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines >>> Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org >>> Unsubscribe:
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