A reader of The BFD attempted four months ago to get material that they considered objectionable classified by the NZ censor. Despite repeated follow-up e-mails they have got nowhere and 44 Ways to Support Jihad more than four months later remains online.
Read the e-mail trail below and be amazed at how the writer is continually fobbed off and offered apologies for inaction while absolutely NOTHING is done.
The reader writes:
It took approximately two minutes for the Office of the Censor to suppress, under pain of stiff penalties, the “manifesto” of the Christchurch terrorist. Four months later, the Office of the Censor is having meetings and consultations and “background searches” into Muslim terrorism and, apparently because “they have a number of publications and articles to work through in this area”, it’s going to take some time.
Oh well, no need for any urgency in regard to Muslim terrorism.
Below are extracts from e-mails exchanged up until this point.
Subject: Classification of ’44 Ways to Support Jihad’
Dear [redacted]
I apologise for the delay in responding to your email.
I can confirm that the request for an update on June 12th was taken seriously. Following that request the Classification Office undertook some background searches in relation to this publication, and arranged a meeting in early July with us here at Internal Affairs to discuss the overall approach to public referrals and complaints in the area of online extremism.
The Classification Office has confirmed that it is working through the classification of the publication; this is being done as part of a broader approach to this type of content. We understand that they have a number of publications and articles to work through in this area and as such cannot give us a timeframe for a conclusion for the classification of this publication.
Once a classification decision has been made, we will notify you.
If you have any further questions about the classification process or the classification of this publication, you can contact Information.Unit@classificationoffice.govt.nz.
Subject: RE: Offensive online material – 44 Ways To Support Jihad – Four months on !!
Good afternoon, [redacted] I can’t believe that on Thursday it will be four months since I first asked for the banning of this absolutely obnoxious material. And nothing has happened, not even to make a decision to approve the material, which is what, however, has happened de facto.
I can only assume that your June 12th request for an “update” was ignored by the Censor.
Can I expect any action from the Censor’s Office, or is there some higher authority that I can address?
Subject: RE: Offensive online material – 44 Ways To Support Jihad
Dear [Redacted]
The publication has been submitted to the OFLC for their assessment.
At this stage I have not been provided any information from that office on how long the examination and decision process will take.
I will seek an update and let you know what their response is.
Subject: RE: Offensive online material – 44 Ways To Support Jihad
Good morning, [redacted] You will realise that it’s now over two months since I emailed seeking a ban on vile online material promoting Moslem jihad.
I realise that some delay came about because of your neglecting to present my submission to the Censor’s Office, but you advised me that you had then (May 23rd) presented it as a matter of urgency.
I am a little perplexed that, apparently, no progress has yet been made. This is material advocating and assisting in the murder of non-Moslems. It is patently worse than the “manifesto” of the Chch gunman, which the Censor acted to ban within hours of its emergence.
What’s going on here?
Subject: RE: Offensive online material – 44 Ways To Support Jihad
Dear [redacted]
The right to make a submission is provided to parties that have an interest in the publication being classified.
It is an opportunity to provide an input to the classification decision, before the formal classification is finalised by the OFLC.
Once a classification has been entered, the process for appealing a classification involves the Film and Literature Board of Review; the details of which can be located here.
Subject: RE: Offensive online material – 44 Ways To Support Jihad
Thank you, [redacted] for your prompt reply. I am somewhat gobsmacked by what appears to be your oversight in regard to careful and urgent processing of my complaint, a complaint concerning life and death. But what is done is done, and I thank you for now moving with urgency on the matter.
In regard to my making “a submission on the classification”, do I understand correctly that you are referring to an outcome/classification with which I am not satisfied? Well, I will certainly not be satisfied with any “classification” which does not impose a complete ban on the subject material. There are surely no grounds upon which material promoting, aiding and abetting the murder of non-Moslems by Moslems could be acceptable. I assume that such was the disposition of the Censor in regard to the “manifesto” of the Christchurch mosque gunman.
I await your notification of the outcome of my complaint with some impatience.
Subject: RE: Offensive online material – 44 Ways To Support Jihad
Dear [redacted]
Thanks for making contact.
I must apologise for the delay, it is entirely my fault. I had prepared the submission but it did not get sent to the Office.
I have rectified this and have sought urgency from the OLFC on the classification.
I have also asked them consider offering you the opportunity to make a submission on the classification, which is entirely your decision if you take it up or not.
If I hear anything more from the OFLC I will be certain to communicate it with you.
Again I can only apologise for my oversight on this submission.
Subject: RE: Offensive online material – 44 Ways To Support Jihad
Good afternoon, [redacted]
It’s now 52 days since I asked for the banning of the very offensive internet item “44 Ways To Support Jihad”, perhaps similarly to the ban placed by the Censor on the “manifesto” of the Christchurch mosque gunman.
Why am I getting a perception that the Censor is not much worried about material promoting Moslem jihad?
I acknowledge that my being offended is, by itself, insufficient cause for such a ban, but I have thought that having had such material brought to the notice of the Censor’s Office, there would be some urgent action taken to assess the content and the objective(s) of the internet item so that, if deemed necessary, such a ban could be implemented expeditiously.
Can I expect to be apprised of some progress any time soon?
Subject: RE: Offensive online material
Dear [redacted]
The Office of Film and Literature Classification has referred to this office, the matter you laid with them relating to a blog post on a WordPress.com page.
I do apologise for the delay in responding.
In following up on this referral I have read the content of the post in question, and it does discuss the idea of ‘jihad’ and offers a range of methods to support a jihad.
Under the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993, for something to be deemed to be objectionable it must meet the following criteria:
- It must describe, depict, express, or otherwise deal with matters such as sex, horror, crime, cruelty, or violence in such a manner that the availability of the publication is likely to be injurious to the public good and
- The publication must describe, depict, express, promote or encourage criminal acts or acts of terrorism.
After assessing the site carefully, the content is such that I believe it warrants a formal classification and as such I will submit it to the Office of Film and Literature Classification.
As the person who raised the concerns around the material, you may be contacted by the Office and offered the opportunity to make a submission on the classification.
Again, I do apologise for the delay in responding to you
Subject: FW: Offensive online material
Good evening.
Please take a moment to read the correspondence hereunder, and ban the offensive item.
Information Unit [mailto:Information.Unit@classificationoffice.govt.nz]
Subject: RE: Offensive online material
Kia ora [redacted]
We are not an enforcement agency. As previously stated, you will need to report this content to the Censorship Compliance Unit at the Department of Internal Affairs.
You can fill out a complaint form here. You can also email the Compliance Unit at censorship@dia.govt.nz
To: Information Unit <Information.Unit@classificationoffice.govt.nz>
Subject: RE: Offensive online material
Ave, [redacted]
Please advise what action you are taking in regard to this offensive material/ hate speech.
Dominus vobiscum
Information Unit [mailto:Information.Unit@classificationoffice.govt.nz]
Subject: RE: Offensive online material
Kia ora [redacted]
Thanks for clarifying how to access the post you are concerned about which appears on the website ‘Wordpress.com’.
You can report online content that you are concerned about to the Censorship Compliance Unit at the Department of Internal Affairs here.
Thanks for sharing your concerns with us.
I would be grateful if you could give me some feedback via return email about my response to your inquiry/complaint.
1. Did I adequately address your questions? No
2. Were you satisfied with my overall response? No
3. Was there something I could have done to make this response more helpful? Yes, you could’ve pursued the matter with some expediency. At this stage, it seems you’ve decided to sit on your hands.
Information Unit <Information.Unit@classificationoffice.govt.nz
Subject: RE: Offensive online material
Ave, [redacted]
Please follow my link again. When you get to the Error 404 – Not Found page, look across to the centre right. You’ll see a link to 44 Ways To Support Jihad there. Click on that link, and you’ll access the item.
Dominus vobiscum
From: Information Unit [mailto:Information.Unit@classificationoffice.govt.nz]
Subject: RE: Offensive online material
Kia ora [redacted]
Thank you for forwarding the link you have concerns about. The link appears to be have been removed as when we try to access it we get the error message below.
I hope this puts your mind at rest.
To: Information Unit <Information.Unit@classificationoffice.govt.nz>
Subject: Offensive online material
Dear whomever, please ban this online item – https://alanireland2.wordpress.com/44-ways-to-support-jihad-by-anwar-al-awlaki/._ which incites hatred of non-Moslems, and proposes their elimination.
