[sklyarov-chicago] Future Plans...?

[Nate Riffe]

On Tue, 24 Jul 2001, Igor Matlin wrote:

> Hello, people.
> 
> I may be in the minority here, but I think the FBI has nothing to do
> with the controversy.  They did not pass DMCA, and they did not
> initiate the investigation.  They did their job, based on the current
> law.

I agree.  On a sidenote, the FBI has been a pain in the ass from time to
time, however, this has been true at least since the Nixon administration
and people just deal with.  The DMCA and Sklyarov's arrest are new and the
majority are completely unaware of it.  I consider it tantamount to our
success as a politcal front to foster non-acceptance of the DMCA, in
contrast to the mass acceptance of the FBI and its occassional antics.

> 
> Neither this has anything to do with Ashcroft and GW, whether you like
> them or not.

In fact, I think Bush is just dumb enough that we could get his support
for repealing this law if we can dupe him into thinking that's it part of
the "trash that needs to be collected" from the Clinton administration.

>  DMCA has been passed in 1998 by voice vote in the House,
> and *unanimously* in the Senate.  The provision against manufacturing
> of encryption circumvention devices is designed to bring US into
> compliance with WIPO - the international treaty on intellectual
> property - see http://www.wipo.org/eng/diplconf/distrib/94dc.htm,
> Article 11.  The resulting U.S. law, as quoted in the original
> complaint against Dmitry, seems on the surface to apply here.  This
> means that our concern is the 'root' of the problem: WIPO and DMCA.  
> Neither FBI nor DOJ can do anything about them.  Only the Congress or
> the courts can overturn the law.  Opposing Mueller's nomination for
> the top FBI post won't help the cause.
> 
> Now, the immediate concern is to get Dmitry of our prison, of course,
> and that's where Mueller (as U.S. District Attorney for Northern
> California) can help.  There are provisions in the law for scientific
> research.  Perhaps we can come up with a letter and get a bunch of
> signatures in support of Dmitry's release on that basis.  Or, we could
> join others if there's already a similar letter going around.  Just a
> thought.

Here here!! (or is it "hear hear"?  Any Brits on the list?)

> 
> Inn general, y'all can cound on my support for any anti-DMCA
> activities, but I'd rather keep politics out of this fight

Unfortunately, the politics of the situation cannot be ignored.  This is a
political issue and our voice will not be heard if we resign ourselves to
a "technical" discussion of the facts.

-Nate

> 
> Cheers,
> 
> 
> -Ig.
> 
> 
> > Hey all,
> > 
> > What future plans should there be regarding Dmitry? I think we should
> > wait a day or two and see what the DoJ decides to do regarding him,
> > since Adobe has asked the FBI to release him.
> > 
> > Are people willing or interested to possibly go downtown again in the
> > future and do this again, with a specific focus on the DoJ dropping the
> > charges, or what are your thoughts?
> > 
> > Interesting to note that Mueller, the FBI prosecuter who is handling the
> > case, is GW's top pick for head of the DoJ. (Or is it the FBI?) Anyway,
> > his confirmation is coming up relatively soon.
> > 
> > pedro
> > 
> > -- 
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> >    FREE DMITRY SKLYAROV -- FBI has imprisioned a Russian software 
> >    engineer for promoting and teaching the concept of "fair use".
> > Read more: http://www.eff.org/alerts/20010719_eff_sklyarov_alert.html
> > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > http://www.freesklyarov.org/ -- FREE DMITRY!
> > sklyarov-chicago@ufo.chicago.il.us
> > http://ufo.chicago.il.us/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sklyarov-chicago
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> _______________________________________________
> http://www.freesklyarov.org/ -- FREE DMITRY!
> sklyarov-chicago@ufo.chicago.il.us
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> 


------------------------------------------------((\))<----------------------
Nate Riffe			Help Dmitry Sklyarov find freedom in the so-
inkblot@geocities.com		called "Land of the Free."
                  http://www.eff.org/alerts/20010719_eff_sklyarov_alert.html