Ms Nica DUMLAO, Philippines, Programme Coordinator, Internet Rights, Foundation for Media Alternatives

Nica Dumlao is a young feminist activist from the Philippines. She currently leads the Internet Rights programme of the Foundation for Media Alternatives by coordinating its content-development, public information and communication, constituency-building, and capacity-building initiatives to advance Human Rights in digital environments. Nica is part of the steering committee of the Philippine Internet Freedom Alliance, the broadest nationwide network of organizations and individuals fighting for the promotion and protection of rights and freedoms in cyberspace in the Philippines who challenged the constitutionality of the Cybercrime Law before the Supreme Court.

Mr Faheem HUSSAIN, South Korea, Assistant Professor in the Department of Technology and Society, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at State University of New York

Dr. Faheem Hussain is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Technology and Society at State University of New York (SUNY), Korea. He holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. degree in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), an M.S. degree in Telecommunications Management from Oklahoma State University, and a B.S. degree in Computer Science from Dhaka University. His principal research interests encompass social impact assessment of Social Media, Net Freedom, Digital Afterlife, and Women Empowerment. Besides academia, Dr. Hussain focuses on evidence based research on Digital Rights. He regularly publishes in academic journals and popular online outlets on Social Media, Development, and Internet Freedom.

Mr Kirk WIEBE, USA, Former Senior Analyst at the US National Security Agency

Among Kirk Wiebe’s many achievements during his career at NSA, he led a team of analysts that received the National Meritorious Unit Citation from the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and he was awarded the Meritorious Civilian Service Award, the NSA’s second highest honor, for important work done on foreign strategic weapons systems.  In 2002, when it was clear NSA was headed down the wrong path, Wiebe attempted to blow the whistle about NSA’s illegal collection of information about innocent U.S. citizens.  Despite talking to two different congressmen on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and despite sending a letter about the matter to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, nothing changed and no one was held accountable. Kirk and his colleagues, along with former NSA executive Thomas Drake, continue to actively advocate through affidavits to lawsuits, the media, and through personal appearances for justice and legislation to rein in the NSA’s violations of the U.S. Constitution.

Mr Erdoğan İŞCAN, Turkey, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Turkey to the Council of Europe

Erdoğan İşcan is Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Turkey to the Council of Europe since 2014. Before coming to Strasbourg, he has been Deputy Undersecretary of Political Affairs, as well as Director General of Multilateral Political Affairs, at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2009 to 2011 Mr İşcan has been Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Seoul, and from 2005 to 2009 he has been ambassador to Ukraine in Kyev.