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Pirate Bay Founder's Custody Extended to February 5th

The Pirate Bay co-founder Warg has been held in solitary confinement since being turned over by Sweden to Denmark in December. Yesterday, he appeared in a closed court session where the judge ordered he continue to be held until at least February 5th. From the article: "In an attempt to free the Swede, or at least improve his circumstances, a petition was launched recently, directed at the Danish Prime Minister. Initially there were only a few hundred backers but when a banner was added to the homepage of The Pirate Bay this quickly grew to more than 50,000. Among other things, the petition demands that Gottfrid is given free access to books and other reading material." Although kept from computers and books, he is at least no longer being held in solitary confinement as of last week.

15 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. COMMENT TITLE SUBJECT DESCRIPTION INFORMATION by binarylarry · · Score: 5, Funny

    Captured Al-Qaida operatives probably look at him and go "Whew, I'm glad I'm not THAT guy!"

    --
    Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
  2. Well yeah by Stargoat · · Score: 5, Funny

    You absolutely need to keep him from books. Good God, the man could copy/steal Pride and Prejudice and post it to a website! Or he could read the Daily Telegraph and learn how poorly Manchester United is doing.

    For the love of Pete. Has this American sickness infected everyone?

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    Hoist Number One and Number Six.
    1. Re:Well yeah by umafuckit · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Well, you could always get a bunch of your friends together, storm the prison, and free him yourself.

      You don't need a bunch of friends, just a helicopter: http://www.badassoftheweek.com/index.cgi?id=29600886975

  3. The books thing seems a bit harsh. by tlambert · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The books thing seems a bit harsh.

    PS: If you locked me away without books for 3 months, I'd probably come out of it as a supervillian, bent on wreaking vengeance on society. I'm just saying.

    1. Re:The books thing seems a bit harsh. by lgw · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yes, that's exactly why "solitary confinement" is the closest thing to brutal torture most modern societies will inflict. Vile mental punishment.

      WTF has this guy done to anger the authorities to such an extent? Do American corporations really have such reach? I doubt that - makes me wonder what the rest of the story is.

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      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
  4. EU human rights court by EMG+at+MU · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Maybe after the EU human rights court gets done listening to Snowden they can take a look inwards at their own terrible examples of not respecting human rights.

    Puting a guy in solitary because he ran a file sharing website? God in Wisconsin you can drive drunk and your first offence is just a traffic ticket. You can kill people driving drunk, I don't understand why we punish guys who threaten profits more than guys who threaten lives.

    1. Re:EU human rights court by Narcocide · · Score: 4, Insightful

      When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

      Human life must be practically valueless compared to corporate profits.

  5. Solitary Confinement? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So he gets the same treatment as mass murderers? Clearly the copyright barons have 1) swung the pendulum to have copyright last far longer than is reasonable (20 years, 1 generation, is reasonable, forever is what we have now), and 2) they have corrupted anyone they deal with into 'going along' with their 'forever copyright, infinite profits, infinite fines and jail' mentality.

  6. this is all just a big misunderstanding. by nimbius · · Score: 5, Funny

    sweden: ok Denmark here ya go. Finland, tell Denmark This hooligan is wanted for pirating everything from independence day to terminator.
    finnish translator relays information
    Denmark: Jesus Christ this guys the Terminator and hes trying to destroy our independence?!
    Finnish translator:....perkele.....

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    Good people go to bed earlier.
  7. Solitary confinement is standard practice by johnjaydk · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If you and a mate steals a couple of bicycles, only you get nicked and don't rat on the mate immediately then it's solitary for you pal.

    Standard practice in Denmark and it's a fucking disgrace. Amnesty International have been all over this for years but without any results. Makes us look like a bunch of savages.

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    TCAP-Abort
    1. Re:Solitary confinement is standard practice by xaxa · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Here's a link for anyone else interested in further information on this: http://www.humanityinaction.org/knowledgebase/323-solitary-confinement-a-threat-to-denmark-s-credibility

  8. Nothing to do with TPB or copyright infringement by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Gottfried is charged for hacking the largest financial service in northern Europe. He claims being a victim of malware on his personal pc.
    Generally speaking the Scandinavian countries has one of the most fair justice systems in the world.

  9. charges? by kervin · · Score: 5, Informative

    According the the petition link in the summary ( I know it's a lot to ask that you read it ), these accusations were dropped. And he isn't charged with anything currently.

  10. Re:Nothing to do with TPB or copyright infringemen by FriendlyLurker · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Generally speaking the Scandinavian countries has one of the most fair justice systems in the world.

    That may have been the case several decades ago. That is defiantly no longer the case, especially in Swedens case - they have fallen far and fast.

  11. Nazi war criminals were treated better by cpm99352 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I posted this the last time this topic arose. Whereas Warg has not yet faced trial (thus guilt in doubt), convicted war criminal Albert Speer had access to books (and was allowed to write) after being convicted. Fascinating difference in treatment.