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by Mike Masnick


Filed Under:
copyright, dissent, piracy, russia, software



Russia Continues To Use 'Piracy' As An Excuse To Silence Critics

from the good-work,-US dept

For quite some time now, US diplomats have been pressuring Russia to crack down on copyright violations in the country. While Russian officials have mostly given lipservice to the requests, it appears they've now found a convenient way to kill two birds with one stone: shutting up government critics with charges of software piracy. We first mentioned that strategy back in September, but now it appears to be working quite well. A newspaper critical of the government has suspended publication thanks to a criminal investigation into whether or not the newspaper was using "pirated" software. Since we've already seen that piracy convictions in Russia can mean getting sent off to Siberia, it seems like Russian officials now have discovered how to send many critics off to Siberia while appeasing US demands to crack down on piracy.

9 Comments | Leave a Comment..

 
 

Reader Comments (rss)

(Flattened / Threaded)

  1. Nov 14th, 2007 @ 5:25am
    by tony

    tahts the funniest story i have heard in a while

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  2. Nov 14th, 2007 @ 6:00am
    by liam

    that's not funny.
    America isn't the worlds piracy task force.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  3. Nov 14th, 2007 @ 6:03am

    Bust a deal,

    by Ajax 4Hire

    face the wheel!

    Many other countries have non-licensed software laws.
    Not many countries have an named state that strikes fear, sent to Siberia.

    Canada: sent to Nunavut, naa, doesn't work;
    USA: sent to mmm, Iowa, no;
    England: sent to the Falklands,
    France: French Guinea, maybe,
    China, they just send to the local re-education camp.
    North Korea, whole country is a prison.

    Nothing compares to Siberia, it is now a idea;
    like Chihuahua, Mexico, not a dog;

    I perfer to stay unknown.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  4. Nov 14th, 2007 @ 7:20am

    Re:

    by Anonymous Coward

    Try replacing these words and re-reading:
    Russia ==> United States
    Pirates ==> Terrorists
    Siberia ==> Guantanamo Bay

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  5. Nov 14th, 2007 @ 7:33am

    yay!

    by Cixelsid

    Chalk up another one for Team America! Soviet Friends Edition!

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  6. Nov 14th, 2007 @ 9:52am

    Re: Re:

    by EstT

    LOL, that is SO true

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  7. Nov 14th, 2007 @ 4:11pm

    Re: Bust a deal,

    by Anonymous Coward

    USA: sent to mmm, Iowa, no;

    Gitmo? Bingo!

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  8. Nov 14th, 2007 @ 4:11pm

    Good old...

    by Anonymous Coward

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

  9. Nov 14th, 2007 @ 4:12pm

    Good old...

    by Anonymous Coward

    selective enforcement. The favorite of tyrants around the world.

    (reply to this comment) (link to this comment)

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