Encryption software volunteers needed in countries without export control

From rms@gnu.org Wed Dec 16 15:54:49 1998
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 03:40:23 -0700 (MST)
From: Richard Stallman 
To: info-gnu@gnu.org
Subject: Encryption software volunteers needed in countries without export control
Resent-Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1998 17:11:20 -0500
Resent-From: info-gnu-request@gnu.org

[Please re-post this as widely as possible, wherever appropriate]

The US has scored a major victory in the global campaign against
freedom and privacy rights, by persuading 33 major countries to
prohibit export of free encryption software.  These countries are the
ones that are party to the Wassenaar agreement (see list below).

The agreement is not final; putting it into effect would require new
laws or regulations in each country, and in some countries it might be
possible to organize politically to block this.  If you are a citizen
of a country listed below, please talk with your legislators and urge
them to refuse to ratify the agreement.  See www.epic.org for more
information.

However, anticipating the possibility that these laws will go through,
we need to find volunteers in countries which are not signatories to
take over development and distribution of encryption software such as
the GNU Privacy Guard and PSST.  We are looking for (1) an ftp site
from which to distribute the software, and (2) people to carry on
the development work.

If you have contacts in any non-signatory country, please circulate
this message as widely as possible in your country, looking for people
who might want to volunteer for GNU software development.
Non-signatory countries that come to mind as possible places where
free encryption software can be developed include Mexico, India,
Croatia, China, South Africa, and perhaps Israel.  However, any
country is ok if its laws do not prevent the work.

Big Brother has won a battle, but the war is not over.


List of countries signing the Wassenaar agreement:

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Netherland, New Zealand, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States.