SYDNEY, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Papua New Guinea's prime minister on Tuesday dismissed allegations the country's new cybercrime laws are a bid to curtail free speech an in the lead up to the 2017 election, claiming they will strengthen public debate.
Like all pacific countries, Papua New Guinea (PNG) is embracing mobile technology for productivity gains but also to discuss matters of local and national importance.
PNG parliament last week pushed through a new cybercrime bill to curtail computer related crimes such as fraud and hacking, however prominent media personalities claim the vague references to "defamation" and "undermining the state" are designed to limit public dissent.
"The Internet also opens up many new opportunities to expand free speech and democratic debate," O'Neill said in a statement on Tuesday.
"It is only people who break laws, incite violence, and who bully or slander who have to be concerned that their actions will see them become the subject of a criminal investigation.
"The internet must be a place where human rights are respected and cowards cannot misuse technology to hurt people and incite violence."
The pacific nation has been riding a groundswell of unrest over calls for O'Neill to resign amid allegations of corrupt, while prominent bloggers and journalists have shed light on the country's economic failings.
Civil unrest erupted in June after police fired live bullets into protesting students who were attempting to march on parliament in support of a vote of no confidence motion against O'Neill. Parliament was abruptly suspended before the bill could be tabled, only to be recalled in July following the Pacific nation's Supreme Court deeming the adjournment unconstitutional.
O'Neill survived the no-confidence motion, however with national elections just 10 months away, political unrest is likely to continue.
Prominent blogger and social media personality Martyn Namorong told Radio New Zealand on Monday the new laws could be used to quash criticism of the government. Namorong has previously won the country's prestigious Crocodile Prize literary award, however in light of the "draconian" laws, his blog is no longer for public viewing.
"You use social media to talk about protesting... is that undermining the state or undermining the government?" Namorong told the broadcaster, questioning where the line will be drawn.
"The rest of the stuff that's in the law, they need to be there. But the other stuff that could potentially prevent community organizing... it's really quite scary."
Namorong's fears aren't without precedent after PNG Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari in July said any civil unrest from striking civil groups was a threat to national security, thus establishing a National Security Joint Taskforce monitoring public dissent.
"Any threats in the form of social media, (mainstream) media as well without checking the facts and your report is a threat," Lupari said, according to local PNG newspaper The National at the height of tensions before the July vote of no confidence.
"Any politician who issues threats through press conferences (and) petitions by landowners, those are potential threats to national security (and) they will come under the scrutiny of the task force now established."
O'Neill said those who feels strongly about their views should seek public endorsement by running for office in the national election instead of hiding behind "fake online names", just as the internet begins to shape the 2017 national election.
