Press release archive for February 2012

Criticism of ACTA has often focussed on the harm it will do to the Internet, but that doesn't address one of the most important issues that ACTA presents: the fact that it will also kill sick people in developing countries by denying them access to affordable generic drugs - whilst doing nothing to address the issue of unsafe counterfeit medications.

Now that the public debate has caught up with the issues, we've seen massive amounts of objections from civil society and huge protests in the UK and abroad. This referral seems to be a further attempt by those pushing for ACTA to just kick the can down the road and hide the agreement out of public light again in the hope that everyone forgets about it. I am concerned that this treaty, which will do great harm to innovation and development and is a serious threat to civil liberties across the world, is being hidden away again in the hope that it can be slipped past the citizens of the EU when no one is looking.

The UK is sleepwalking in to comprehensive site-blocking. This is not a tool we should be handing our governments or our courts. With the ConLib coalition impotent, and Labour still pushing for crackdowns, it is clearer than ever why the Pirate Party is needed to defend digital rights.

SOCA seizes music blogging site

Visitors warned crime agency can "monitor and investigate you"

Loz Kaye – Pirate Party UK Leader:

The popular music blog RnBXclusive.com has been shut down by the Serious Organised Crime Agency. The site has been replaced with a warning stating that those behind the site have been arrested for fraud and that the majority of music files available via the site were "stolen" from artists. The warning also states that people who downloaded music using the website have committed criminal offences carrying penalties of up to 10 years in prison and unlimited fines.

February 11th has been declared an international day of action against ACTA. The National Executive Committee of Pirate Party UK has voted to support the protests taking place in scores of countries across Continental Europe from Ireland to Bulgaria, from Sweden to Malta.