One of the most prominent trade issues in 2012 centers on
Congressional approval of permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with
Russia. While extending PNTR to
Russia would provide some economic benefits to both countries following
Russia’s WTO entry, we believe that there is another aspect to this issue to be
considered: that of Internet Freedom.
In order for the U.S. to extend PNTR to Russia, Congress
would have to vote to repeal application of the Jackson-Vanik amendment,
originally enacted in 1974 to prohibit normal trade relations with the USSR and
other Communist bloc countries that violated human rights, specifically by
restricting the emigration of dissidents.
Jackson-Vanik was intended for leverage against human rights violations
and restrictions on freedom.
During the Cold War, the U.S. was a beacon of hope to those
behind the Iron Curtain and the champion of freedom. The Cold War ended with the collapse of the USSR but Russia
has increasingly seen a return to authoritarianism. It seems that the tide of freedom in Russia has been
receding rather than advancing.
Now is not the time to reward Russian policies with trade benefits. Now is the time for the U.S. to again
call attention to what Jackson-Vanik stood for: freedom and human rights.
CCIA has long characterized Internet freedom as nothing less than freedom of expression in the 21st century, and has opposed
Internet censorship efforts by governments such as China, which continues to
thumb its nose at the concept of Internet freedom a decade after its own WTO
accession. As we take stock of our
relationship with Russia at this pivotal moment, should we not take the
opportunity to push for specific commitments on the issue of Internet freedom
in exchange for PNTR? In recent
months, there have been stirrings of popular unrest in Russia around the
parliamentary elections held in December.
There have been reports of online monitoring and disruptions by the
government against Internet activism, and government officials have made
statements in support of Internet surveillance and control. Faced with a potential democratic
awakening in the very country that necessitated the enactment of Jackson-Vanik,
we must honor our commitment to human rights and freedom.
For years, CCIA has called for the U.S. government to treat
Internet censorship as a trade barrier. Restrictions on Internet Freedom almost always cause
significant collateral damage to electronic commerce and trade, as filtering
and blocking the flow of information on the Internet not only restricts freedom
of expression but also can have real trade consequences in discriminating against
foreign-based services and content.
The fact that the issue of Internet freedom straddles the two worlds of
human rights and trade makes it a highly appropriate subject to consider in
debating the repeal of Jackson-Vanik, a provision that sought to link trade to
our commitment to the cause of human liberty.
There are some who say that Jackson-Vanik is an outdated
relic of the Cold War. Freedom is
not a relic, nor is the struggle for it ever outdated. On the contrary, our support for
freedom is a timeless and central part of what our nation stands for, and a
discussion of Internet freedom in Russia is both appropriate and necessary as
we consider whether to extend PNTR to them.
