Yahoo! Asks That Chinese Rights Suit Be Dismissed

Eviliza writes that Yahoo! is asking that the suit filed against it over the infringement of a Chinese journalist's civil rights be dismissed in US courts this week. The company has stated that it had no choice but to give up the journalist's information, as it's Chinese subsidiary is subject to Chinese laws. "'Defendants cannot be expected, let alone ordered to violate another nation's laws,' the company said in its filing. But Morton Sklar of the World Organization for Human Rights said the company had failed to meet its ethical responsibilities. 'Even if it was lawful in China, that does not take away from Yahoo's obligation to follow not just Chinese law, but US law and international legal standards as well, when they do business abroad,' he said."

Comments

Just following orders is not an excuse.

[twitter]

If you set the legal precendent that you can sue in one country about something you were forced to do according to the laws of another country, chaos would ensue.

Ask the journalist who's going to be tortured in jail for the next ten years what chaos is.

There are other precedents for this "lawfully" following orders business, when that violates basic principles. If doing business means you have to hand over people for political imprisonment and torture, you need to find another kind of business. This is why the US, back when it had spine, refused to trade with non free economies. It is wrong to aid and comfort oppressive regimes. This kind of thing makes a mockery of the US "war on terror" and fight for "democracy". Yahoo's continued presence in China is continued endorsement of political torture and murder.

Yes, Yahoo has lost.

[twitter]

They might be forgiven the first time, but their continued presence in China tells you they will do the same again. Why anyone, including China, should trust them is a mystery. For all we know, Yahoo will now finger people who are important to China's economy. Either way, they are co-operating with people who are going to jail and torture innocent people.