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.

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's detention.

Ola'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 'loke', Seph, JesCov, JRuby, JtestR, etc..

    "The case against me is based on the books I've read and the technology I have."
    -- Ola Bini, statements from his imprisonment. ([9])

- Sign the solidarity letter (https://freeolabini.org/en/statement/) 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!

- FreeOlaBini.org For updates and how to help.

- #FreeOlaBini Concerning Ola Bini's situation, but also broader, given that related events may be tagged as well.

    "I'm being held under the best circumstances and it's still despicable."
    -- Ola Bini, statements from his imprisonment. ([9])

[1] https://goatsing.wordpress.com/2019/04/13/press-release-on-the-detention-of-ola-bini-2/ [2] https://twitter.com/koolfy/status/1118834216589045760 [3] https://twitter.com/davidakaye/status/1117489081397547008 [4] https://twitter.com/MikaelSGB/status/1118221145013145600 [5] https://github.com/otrv4/otrv4 [6] https://petsymposium.org/2018/files/hotpets/7-bini.pdf [7] https://twitter.com/decodeproject [8] https://github.com/olabini [9] https://freeolabini.org/en/statement-from-ola/

[young_unixer]

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.)

[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

[kristianp → contingencies]

What's the relevance of that?

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

[contingencies → kristianp]

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

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