
Ola Bini: privacy defender, free software developer still in detention in Ecuado - cobratbq
Ola Bini, privacy defender, cryptography expert, free software developer, is currently detained as political prisoner in El Inca prison, Ecuador. He was arrested on Thursday afternoon, 2019-04-11.<p>This is the result of an irregular detention process[1], dubious claims of evidence[2], and by violating his legal rights. Many, including David Kaye - UN Special Rapporteur[3], have concluded that there is no real basis for Ola&#x27;s detention.<p>Ola&#x27;s detention is a threat not only to Ola himself[4], but to research projects, such as OTRv4[5], PET Symposium contributions[6], DECODE EU-funded project[7], free software projects Coy.IM, and everything Ola has done[8], in the past: programming language &#x27;loke&#x27;, Seph, JesCov, JRuby, JtestR, etc..<p><pre><code>    &quot;The case against me is based on the books I&#x27;ve read and the technology I have.&quot;
    -- Ola Bini, statements from his imprisonment. ([9])
</code></pre>
- Sign the solidarity letter (https:&#x2F;&#x2F;freeolabini.org&#x2F;en&#x2F;statement&#x2F;)
  There has been quite some coverage by news sites. Groups and communities have posted their opinion. We want to show that individual people care as well!<p>- FreeOlaBini.org For updates and how to help.<p>- #FreeOlaBini Concerning Ola Bini&#x27;s situation, but also broader, given that related events may be tagged as well.<p><pre><code>    &quot;I&#x27;m being held under the best circumstances and it&#x27;s still despicable.&quot;
    -- Ola Bini, statements from his imprisonment. ([9])
</code></pre>
[1] https:&#x2F;&#x2F;goatsing.wordpress.com&#x2F;2019&#x2F;04&#x2F;13&#x2F;press-release-on-the-detention-of-ola-bini-2&#x2F;
[2] https:&#x2F;&#x2F;twitter.com&#x2F;koolfy&#x2F;status&#x2F;1118834216589045760
[3] https:&#x2F;&#x2F;twitter.com&#x2F;davidakaye&#x2F;status&#x2F;1117489081397547008
[4] https:&#x2F;&#x2F;twitter.com&#x2F;MikaelSGB&#x2F;status&#x2F;1118221145013145600
[5] https:&#x2F;&#x2F;github.com&#x2F;otrv4&#x2F;otrv4
[6] https:&#x2F;&#x2F;petsymposium.org&#x2F;2018&#x2F;files&#x2F;hotpets&#x2F;7-bini.pdf
[7] https:&#x2F;&#x2F;twitter.com&#x2F;decodeproject
[8] https:&#x2F;&#x2F;github.com&#x2F;olabini
[9] https:&#x2F;&#x2F;freeolabini.org&#x2F;en&#x2F;statement-from-ola&#x2F;
======
sandov
Wow, this seems important.

Maybe post a link to a press article leaving the body of the submission empty
so that it doesn't go to /ask and it goes to /news instead.

Remember to not editorialize the title. Submit the actual title of the news
site as "title".

I don't remember the exact system for submissions but I'm trying to help you
as you said that you're new here (and I'm commenting from my phone.)

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bored_12
This is extremely important news. They are detaining him for doing privacy-
related software. This should not happen!

------
contingencies
This is a good time to review the information at
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_name_record](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_name_record)

~~~
kristianp
What's the relevance of that?

I remember Ola from his work on jruby in the early jruby days.

~~~
contingencies
It's one method the Five Eyes[0] use to obtain information regarding specific
travel plans in the majority of cases. Given the nature and timing of the case
I would be surprised if the US didn't use back channels to suggest this arrest
by Ecuador, based on knowledge of his upcoming movements.

[0]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Eyes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Eyes)

------
cobratbq
Updates on his situation (more recent on top):

\- 2019-04-18: Ola Bini's statement, from arbitrary detention, statement
discussed in an article. [10]

\- 2019-04-16: Ola's parents are able to visit him in prison, Ola has been
getting threats in prison. [11]

\- 2019-04-16: Press conference organized for parent and lawyer to give
updates concerning Ola's situation.

\- 2019-04-16: Ola's detention is full of irregularities, as concluded by his
lawyers. [12]

\- 2019-04-15: Ola's parents on their way now to Quito, address press in
Quito.

\- 2019-04-15: Charges against Ola Bini are known, judge orders preventitive
detention, Ola's lawyers file appeal.

\- 2019-04-14: many news sites, communities and research group find out about
Ola's detention. Opinions and statements get published in support. (See
FreeOlaBini.org)

\- 2019-04-12: Ola has finally been able to speak with lawyers, after being
detained for 17 hours.

\- 2019-04-12: Friends, colleagues start discovering about his detainment. The
statement issued by his employer. First news reports. [13]

\- 2019-04-11, 15:20h local time: Ola Bini arrested at Quito airport in
Ecuador. (Martin Fowler [14])

\- 2019-04-11: First signs of trouble, already identified by Ola himself. [15]

\- 2019-04-10: Ola announcing his flight to Japan, which was already known 2
weeks prior. This trip will later be explained as "Ola fleeing Ecuador" after
Ola has been detained.

[10]
[https://twitter.com/freeolabini/status/1118911539707248640](https://twitter.com/freeolabini/status/1118911539707248640)
[https://apnews.com/fdd20f1e9ea04eb18e11374647b59dd8](https://apnews.com/fdd20f1e9ea04eb18e11374647b59dd8)
[11]
[https://twitter.com/freeolabini/status/1118211351971811328](https://twitter.com/freeolabini/status/1118211351971811328)
[https://twitter.com/aosita/status/1118228547213103107](https://twitter.com/aosita/status/1118228547213103107)
[12] [https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/04/free-ola-
bini](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/04/free-ola-bini) [13]
[https://autonomia.digital/cad/2019/04/12/ola-bini-
arrest.htm...](https://autonomia.digital/cad/2019/04/12/ola-bini-arrest.html)
[https://gizmodo.com/ecuador-arrests-digital-privacy-
activist...](https://gizmodo.com/ecuador-arrests-digital-privacy-activist-and-
programmer-1833993784) [14]
[https://twitter.com/martinfowler/status/1116520916383621121](https://twitter.com/martinfowler/status/1116520916383621121)
[15]
[https://twitter.com/olabini/status/1116341908371062794](https://twitter.com/olabini/status/1116341908371062794)

Please take any (unintended) violation of the guidelines as my personal
mistake. This is one of my first times posting at HN.

