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Kim Dotcom Can Be Extradited To US On Copyright Charges, New Zealand Court Rules (yahoo.com)
schwit1 shares a report from Yahoo News: Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom suffered a major setback in his epic legal battle against online piracy charges Thursday when New Zealand's Court of Appeal ruled he was eligible for extradition to the United States. The German national, who is accused of netting millions from his file sharing Megaupload empire faces charges of racketeering, fraud and money laundering in the U.S., carrying jail terms of up to 20 years. Dotcom had asked the court to overturn two previous rulings that the Internet mogul and his three co-accused be sent to America to face charges. Instead, a panel of three judges backed the FBI-led case, which began with a raid on Dotcom's Auckland mansion in January 2012 and has dragged on for more than six years. His lawyer tweeted he would appeal to the NZ Supreme Court.
Kim made millions by making the world happier and more cultured. He (perhaps foolishly) didn't anticipate being dragged to an authoritarian country where he didn't live and didn't do business, for persecution and torture.
When you start an online business, do you ask yourself if you're in compliance with the the laws of North Korea? What about Saudi Arabia? Venezuela?
Even if you love copywrong and intellectual monopoly; even if you hate the idea of the masses having access to culture; even if you think Mr Dotcom is a flatulent shitlord - how can you support his extradition to a country he's never even visited? To a country like ours that's famed for the wickedness of its courts and the cruelty of its vast Gulag?