Trump Admin stops aid for pro-democracy groups in Belarus, Hong Kong and Iran

Donald Trump administration has stopped providing important technical assistance to pro-democracy groups in Belarus, Hong Kong and Iran. The Technical aid helped activists evade state surveillance and sidestep internet censorship. Michael Pack- a new Trump appointee has withheld congressionally-mandated grant of nearly $20m to Open Technology Fund (OTF) a non-profit organisation. Due to this OTF had to stop all its services in Belarus and several of its activities supporting civil society in Hong Kong and Iran.

OTF develops technologies for evading cyber-surveillance and for bypassing internet and radio blackouts imposed by authoritarian regimes. The organisation provides regular help to pro-democracy movements in installing and maintaining technology, with the purpose of staying at least one step ahead of the State. The head of the OTF board, Karen Kornbluh affirmed that the end of funding from the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), would mean that activists living under authoritarian regimes were at increased risk. Pack has been running USAGM since June, she said.

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Adding further she said the freeze also meant that the populations in those countries will find it harder to listen to the Voice of America which is the USAGM’s flagship broadcaster. The people in those countries will also not be able to access USAGM-funded stations like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia, as it would be more difficult to overcome state jamming methods, she said.

Pack stops funds to OTF

Pack an ally of former Trump adviser Stephen Bannon purged all the top management and boards of the broadcasters under its control, stopped spending, and raised the profile of pro-administration comment in relation to the news after taking over USAGM in June. According to Kornbluh, Pack had agreed over a month ago to appear before the House foreign affairs committee on Thursday, however, cancelled with a few days notice and then ignored a committee summons to attend.

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Kornbluh along with former USAGM officials described an environment of chaos and creeping authoritarianism at the agency that was weakening the credibility of VOA, RFE/RL and other US broadcasters, with consequences for US national security while testifying before the foreign affairs committee.

According to Pack’s office, the funds were frozen over security concerns, however, Kornbluh denied allegations that OTF staff used Zoom and were careless with computer drives. The staff do not use Zoom and uses for the cloud rather than physical drives for storage, she said.

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(Image credit AP)