Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom has won a major legal battle against New Zealand as the fight to extradite him to the U.S. drags on.
Reuters reports:
The Human Rights Review Tribunal’s decision might be relevant for his high-profile U.S. extradition case, which is with the Court of Appeal. Dotcom says the information he requested in July 2015 and denied one month later could be presented as evidence in that case.
German-born Dotcom faces extradition to the United States relating to his Megaupload site, which was shut down in 2012 following an FBI-ordered raid on his Auckland mansion.
U.S. authorities say Dotcom and three co-accused Megaupload executives cost film studios and record companies more than $500 million and generated more than $175 million by encouraging paying users to store and share copyrighted material.
Dotcom hailed the decision on Twitter.
“Big Win JUDGEMENT: Attorney General of New Zealand broke the law by withholding information I’m legally entitled to. The Government & Ministers are ordered to comply with my requests and provide all documents. Damages for loss of benefit and loss of dignity are rewarded to me.”
Big Win JUDGEMENT:
Attorney General of New Zealand broke the law by withholding information I’m legally entitled to.
The Government & Ministers are ordered to comply with my requests and provide all documents.
Damages for loss of benefit and loss of dignity are rewarded to me.
— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) March 26, 2018
“Former NZ Attorney General Chris Finlayson is a serial law breaker. His security clearance should be revoked and he should be removed from New Zealand’s Intelligence and Security committee. Mini Napoleon is a reason why the NZ Govt and GCSB got embarrassed in this Dotcom fiasco.”
Former NZ Attorney General Chris Finlayson is a serial law breaker. His security clearance should be revoked and he should be removed from New Zealand’s Intelligence and Security committee. Mini Napoleon is a reason why the NZ Govt and GCSB got embarrassed in this Dotcom fiasco.
— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) March 26, 2018
The Intercept‘s Glenn Greenwald weighed in on the ruling.
“A New Zealand court ruled yesterday in favor of @KimDotcom in his suit against the New Zealand Government for its refusal to provide him the information it had about him under the Privacy Act. The court awarded Dotcom $ NZD 90,000 (US$ 65,500). Whatever you think of @KimDotcom politically, or the US’s endless attempt to extradite him to a country to which he has no connection, there is no question his rights have been repeatedly violated by the US & NZ Govts – including illegally spying on him.”
https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/978238916393422848
