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New Zealand High Court Rules Operation Against Kim Dotcom Was Illegal (torrentfreak.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the illegal-spying-operations dept.

Mashiki writes: The New Zealand High Court ruled that spying against Kim Dotcom was illegal and that the GCSB spy agency violated the law, including the observation of citizens and residents within the country. It was also determined by the courts that the operation had gone on longer than was stated by both the police and GCSB. This may leave the extradition case up in the air since the methods used to gain the information have been ruled illegal. In turn, this makes the arrest illegal, along with the seizure of his equipment illegal. "The GCSB has now admitted that the unlawfulness was not just dependent upon residency issues, it went further," reports NZ Herald. The reason it went further was because it didn't have authorization to carry out the kind of surveillance that it was carrying out under the legislation as it was at that relevant time. The GCSB has said that it was impossible to plead the case as it would jeopardize national security.

3 of 72 comments (clear)

  1. Not to share information by Skinkie · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The GCSB has said that it was impossible to plead the case as it would jeopardize national security.

    Should that be understood as: "GCSB - and possibly the government of New Zealand - is controlled by a non-public foreign governance."?

    I find it very interesting that not disclosing this information was more important to this entity than getting Kim to the USA for (false claims of) copyright infringements.

    --
    Support Eachother, Copy Dutch Property!
  2. Re:Why by barc0001 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I know you're going for a laugh, but this shit shouldn't be joked about. Yes Kim Dotcom is a bit of a twat, but his rights still need to be respected and enforced. To paraphrase a wise man - rights must apply equally to everyone or they mean nothing.

  3. Who's the criminal? by NewtonsLaw · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So let me get this straight... the courts have ruled that the GCSB broke the law (and thus committed a crime). Now for that to happen, some PERSON or PERSONS within the GCSB must have given the order to commit this crime and therefore they must surely be culpable and punished for their law-breaking.

    Of course we know that those who are responsible for this crime will never be truly held to account for their actions or punished for their criminal activities -- because they are part of the clique that makes those laws (government).

    Oh the hypocrisy... thou shalt not break the law -- if you're just a regular peasant. If you're a government employee then do whatever the hell you like because there will be no penalty associated with your criminal activity.

    So explain to me again why those responsible (who receive no censure) would be inclined not to break the law again? Laws without enforcement and penalty are a waste of time.

    And here we have Kim... who (unlike the GCSB) has *NOT* been found guilty of a damned thing -- having his assets, his livelihood and his life taken from him on "suspicion", while the true criminals ruled by a court to be guilty of a very serious breach of human rights) suffer no penalty whatsoever.

    Tell me this isn't corrupt practice!

    Why the hell do we stand for this?