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Pirate Bay Founder Warg Being Held in Solitary Confinement

From Torrent Freak comes news that one of the Pirate Bay founders is now being held in solitary confinement after Sweden turned him over to Denmark. From the article: "In a recent letter sent to Amnesty and shared with TorrentFreak, Gottfrid’s mother Kristina explains her son’s plight. She says that Gottfrid is being kept in solitary and treated as if he were a 'dangerous, violent and aggressive criminal' even though his only crime — if any — is hacking. Gottfrid’s lawyer Luise Høi says the terms of his confinement are unacceptable and are being executed without the correct legal process. 'It is the case that Danish authorities are holding my client in solitary confinement without a warrant,' Høi explains, noting that if the authorities wish to exclude Gottfrid from access to anyone except his lawyer and prison staff, they need to apply for a special order."

6 of 192 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Solitary Confinement by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    In Scandinavia it's a common pre-court procedure to deny the suspect of news and other means to by which they might influence or be influenced by the world outside.

    And no, Amnesty does not like it.

  2. Re:The Nordic "bend over and take" countries by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This was discussed in the diplomatic cables @ wikileaks. Our (I'm a Swede) rulers - our foreign minister especially - really like the feeling of being "important allies" to the Americans. (And they don't realize (or acknowledge, since they must know now after the leak) that the Americans are laughing at them behind their back for their servility).

  3. Re:Solitary Confinement by fnj · · Score: 4, Interesting

    While entirely true that The Great Escape was not a documentary, it was based on a non-fiction book of the same name by Paul Brickhill, who was in fact involved as a POW in the very real Great Escape, though due to claustrophobia he did not participate in the actual tunneling or the escape itself.

    The characters in the film were based on real men and composites of real men. The character "Cooler King" Virgil Hilts, played by Steve McQueen, whom we see sent to solitary multiple times, was based on David M. Jones, who participated in the Doolittle Raid, survived same and escaped captivity at that time, only to be shot down in North Africa and sent to the very real Stalag Luft III. He actually led the digging team on the real tunnel "Harry".

    On balance I believe The Great Escape is about the closest thing to an accurate depiction of such an arresting historic episode as you can get in a dramatic film.

  4. Re:Solitary Confinement by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    How about when they asked mentally challenged people to help them run a sting operation and then charge them with the crimes they asked them to commit? ATF uses rogue tactics in storefront stings across nation.

  5. I've always been in the opinion by C_Kode · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've always been in the opinion that anyone who serves as a figure of authority (this includes government officials) and uses that authority to commit a crime should receive a minimum of double the maximum sentence of that crime in the same manner than you get double the fine for speeding in a work zone.

    If they commit a crime that is punishable by 5-7 years in prison using their given authority, then they should get a minimum of 14 years in prison period. No less.

    Of course, to get this double sentence, they have to be using their authority to commit the crime. They should also be removed from service and ban from ever working for the public in any form again. (which includes a private sector job that is doing government contract work)

    Abuse of power should have absolute ZERO tolerance.

    In this case, I believe putting someone in solitary confinement without a valid reason is abuse of power. Whoever made this decision should be removed from power and should have to serve twice as many days in solitary confinement as Gottfrid has.

  6. Re:Solitary Confinement by similar_name · · Score: 3, Interesting

    No, I do not believe it. I believe that you just made it up. Do you have a citation? Because a Google search finds nothing except a law banning "aggressive begging" (blocking traffic, badgering or pursuing people, loitering next to ATMs, etc.).

    I wouldn't go so far as to accuse him of just making it up. There are several places he might have picked up the idea. Some, the courts overrule the laws or parts of it. Some are just proposed. Some require a permit to 'gather' (eg more than 5 people). On Thanksgiving, the church should have 1 person with food in the park. 4 at a time, the homeless could come over. Then, walk away and 4 more could come up. I think the homeless should not be able to look at each other either ;) Get a permit right? I believe in the Orlando case, the problem was, you can only get a permit twice a year for each park so you have to move around. Are the activist intentionally getting in trouble making their point? Sure. Does feeding the poor in the same park, week after week, putting wear and tear on the park? Sure.



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