ASL19

ASL19[1] (Persian: اصل ١٩) is an independent technology organisation that works toward practical responses for online access to information. Their work has been mired in allegations of sexual abuse and workplace harassment.

Based in Toronto, ASL19 was founded in 2012 with the support of the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab.[2] Since the arrest of ASL19's director and documentation of the organisation's workplace abuse in 2017, the University of Toronto has sought to distance themselves from the organisation. In a November 2017 statement to Toronto's Metro News a university spokeswoman stated: "ASL19 has collaborated with Citizen Lab on research projects in the past and allowed its staff, including Karimzadeh Bangi, to make use of its facilities in 2012-14. Citizen Lab has not recently engaged in any such efforts with either ASL19 or Mr. Bangi. ASL19 is a completely separate and distinct organization."[3]

Controversy

Workplace Abuse and Arrest of Director

In November 2017 the arrest of ASL19's founder and director Ali Karimzadeh Bangi on charges of sexual assault and forcible confinement came to light.[4] Shortly afterwards it was announced Bangi had stepped down from ASL19.[5] The organisation has attempted to distance themselves from Bangi, alleging his abusive behaviour was not replicated in the workplace and the rest of the organisation's leadership were unaware.[6] An in-depth investigation by The Verge and an open letter from former female employees who documented workplace abuse and harassment proved the abuse and mismanagement went beyond Bangi.[7] Testimonies and a freedom of information request from Ontario courts proved that allegations of abuse and sexual assault by Bangi within the workplace predated his 2017 arrest while other ASL19 managing staff were often complicit in covering up the abuse. In one case the organisation sought out a non-disclosure agreement as early as 2015 to cover up allegations of sexual assault and harassment in the workplace.[8][9]

Digital rights organisation Access Now terminated their partnership with ASL19 for their RightsCon summit series in December 2017.[10] Access Now stated they will only reengage with ASL19 once they "feel confident that any reports of misconduct have been investigated and there has been an appropriate response." The Rights Con code of conduct team has yet to change this policy.

References
  1. "There is Always a Way". ASL19. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  2. Black, Debra (May 17, 2013). "Iranian-Canadians enable Internet access for countrymen back home". The Star. Toronto. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  3. "Toronto researcher and internet freedom activist charged with sexual assault". News Break. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  4. "Toronto researcher and internet freedom activist charged with sexual assault". News Break. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  5. "Toronto researcher leaves internet freedom organization after sex assault charge". PressFrom - CA. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  6. "Statement on Allegations of Sexual Assault Against Ali K Bangi". asl19.org. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  7. Brandom, Russell (2018-02-12). "How a rock star of Iranian digital activism built a culture of misogyny and fear". The Verge. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  8. Brandom, Russell (2018-04-09). "Russel Brandom's Ontario Human Rights Court FOIA". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  9. Brandom, Russell (2018-02-12). "How a rock star of Iranian digital activism built a culture of misogyny and fear". The Verge. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  10. Team, Access Now (2017-12-22). "Our commitment to better combat all abuse, harassment, and violence". Access Now. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
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