Politech: FC: Adobe bows to pressure, recommends release of Russian hacker

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,45489,00.html

   Release the Russian, Adobe Says
   By Declan McCullagh (declan () wired com)
   4:33 p.m. July 23, 2001 PDT
   
   WASHINGTON -- In a stunning turn of events, Adobe abruptly bowed to
   public outcry and recommended the release of a Russian programmer who
   was arrested for writing code-breaking software.
   
   Late Monday, Adobe officials said they had changed their minds and no
   longer believed that Dmitry Sklyarov should be prosecuted for alleged
   copyright infringement.
   
   "We strongly support (federal copyright law) and the enforcement of
   copyright protection of digital content," Colleen Pouliot, general
   counsel for Adobe, said in a statement. "However, the prosecution of
   this individual in this particular case is not conducive to the best
   interests of any of the parties involved or the industry."
   
   Adobe's announcement came as hundreds of geeks-turned-activists
   protested Sklyarov's arrest in at least 10 cities, with about 100
   marchers descending on the company's San Jose headquarters, and
   representatives of the Electronic Frontier Foundation met with Adobe
   officials to try and broker a deal.

   [...]



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