[p2p-research] Fwd: [fcf_discussion] Italian magistrate against proxies

[Michel Bauwens]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Paolo Brini <paolo.brini at iridiumpg.com>
Date: Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 1:34 AM
Subject: [fcf_discussion] Italian magistrate against proxies
To:


Dear friends... FYI

A 21 years old student in Rome who was the admin of an italian proxy
(labaia.net), which, like any other web proxy, allows to bypass The
Pirate Bay or any other web censorship in Italy, has seen his computers,
hard drives and other material seized by a magistrate mandate. The
Pirate Bay public prosecutor's office of Bergamo, according to a local
newspaper, "L'Eco di Bergamo", requested the shutdown of the proxy, the
search in the house of the student and the seizure of all computers,
hard drives and related materials.

http://forum.tntvillage.scambioetico.org/tntforum/index.php?showtopic=205502&view=findpost&p=12188254

Until now it has been impossible to contact the student. Nowadays, there
are about 2.000 web sites and/or domains censored in Italy.

This is another step in the escalation against freedom of expression in
Italy. When a web proxy is used to tunnel precious information from and
to oppressive regimes like Iran or China, the admin of the proxy is a
hero. This appears to be no more true when the very same tools are used
in Italy. The fact that the house of the student was searched is a hint
that maybe enemies of freedom of information or copyright enforcers wish
a climate of fear in Italy.

I have a proxy too (hosted by Google App, so they can't easily shut it
down from Italy), not hidden in anonimity, and I also help in building
tunnels and using tools (much more sophisticated than a trivial web
proxy) to bypass censorship, so theoretically I would be subject to the
same "treatment"; but I will NOT close any service for the climate of
fear. I will NOT surrender to gross intimidations.

Kind regards and a hug,
Paolo Brini


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