UK: IPI CONDEMNS BRITISH AUTHORITIES.(International Press Institute)(Brief Article)

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, leading journalists and media executives in over 120 countries, condemns the seizure by the British authorities of two Web servers used by an Internet media organisation. Based on information provided to IPI, on 7 October, Rackspace Managed Hosting (RMH), an American Web hosting company with offices in Uxbridge, Middlesex, received a court order instructing it to hand two Web servers over to the British authorities. The Web servers are used by Indymedia, an international media network that describes itself as "a network of collectively run media outlets for the creation of radical, accurate and passionate tellings of the truth." With more than 140 Web sites around the world, Indymedia operates without centralised editorial control and encourages users to freely post messages and articles. RMH, which operates 21 Indymedia Web sites, subsequently complied with the court order causing the immediate closure of the Web sites maintained on the servers. Fortunately, some of the Web sites were able to come back online within 24 hours, while others faced more severe problems, including worries over the retrieval of their media archives. The hosting company later issued a statement saying that, in complying with the order, RMH was "acting as a good corporate citizen and. cooperating with international law enforcement authorities." On 13 October, the servers were returned, but no explanation was offered for their removal.