Press release archive for July 2012

Today Paul Chambers saw his conviction for sending a "menacing electronic communication" quashed. He had been convicted for tweeting "Crap! Robin Hood airport is closed. You've got a week and a bit to get your shit together, otherwise I'm blowing the airport sky high!!". This appeal was the latest stage of what has become known as the 'Twitter Joke Trial'.

Pirate Party Leader, Loz Kaye commented:

"I am happy that this long running nightmare is over for Paul. But this case should never have gone this far, it has been a huge waste of Police and Court time. Today's verdict is a win for common sense as much as freedom of speech.

Loz Kaye commented on Verizon's claim that broadband providers "possess editorial discretion. Just as a newspaper is entitled to decide which content to publish and where, broadband providers may feature some content over others:

"Verizon's claims to have 'editorial control' over content are absurd. Imagine applying this principle to mail deliveries or telephone calls, it would be dismissed out of hand. This is more than a threat to net neutrality, it is potentially anti-competitive and a threat to freedom of speech"

Loz Kaye made the following comments after meeting with Ofcom to discuss the draft Initial Obligations Code for regulating the online copyright enforcement provisions of the Digital Economy Act:

"According to Ofcom the first letters accusing people of piracy will be going out in 2014. Looking at the details of the scheme, it is clear that it is not just objectionable, it is ridiculous. We will end up with a government mandated junk mail programme, one making accusations that cost £20 to appeal against."

Loz Kaye commented on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a trade agreement being sought between Canada and the EU, intended to give Canada preferential access to European Union markets in return for Canada lifting restrictions to its own markets:

"The European Commission EC has tried to push ACTA through the European Parliament, employing a number of tactics, there now seems to be a new strategy to push through the most discredited aspects of ACTA via a different trade agreement. "

ACTA Dead in current form

Today the European Parliament rejected the controversial ACTA treaty by 478 votes to 39, with 165 MEP's abstaining. Canada, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Korea, Singapore and Switzerland, ACTA would have imposed draconian restrictions on the freedom of the Internet and access to generic medicines for the world's poorest.

Pirate Party Leader Loz Kaye commented:

"The European Parliament vote is a triumph of democracy over special interests and shady back-room deals. This is a significant victory for digital rights, and it's thanks to the tireless work of activists and grass roots organisations, including the Pirate Party world wide. Without this opposition, our representatives would have waved this agreement through. It is now clear that it is becoming increasingly politically poisonous to be 'anti Internet'."