Author: Nathan

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German

Über Courage

Die Courage Foundation ist eine internationale Organisation, die jene unterstützt, die ihr Leben oder ihre Freiheit riskieren, die beachtliche Beiträge von historischer Bedeutung leisten. Wir sammeln Gelder, um diese speziellen Menschen, auf die diese Kriterien passen, gesetzlich zu verteidigen, wie auch in der Öffentlichkeit zu unterstützen und die ernsthafter Strafverfolgung und sonstiger Verfolgung ausgesetzt sind. Wir kämpfen auch um den Schutz jener, die die Wahrheit ans Licht bringen und für das Recht der Öffentlichkeit im Allgemeinen alles zu erfahren.

Das Recht der Öffentlichkeit, alles zu erfahren

Wenn einflussreiche Einrichtungen sich hinter der Wahrheit verstecken, verhindern sie rechtmäßige Überprüfungen und die Aufsicht. In letzter Instanz werden Whistleblower zum Regulator der Öffentlichkeit. Ohne sie würden wir viel weniger über die internationale Diplomatie, Auslandsbankwesen oder die Kompetenzüberschreitung des Terrorkrieges wissen. Weil Whistleblower ein unerlässliches Glied der Kette sind, sind sie auch so verwundbar. Courage forciert den Grundsatz des öffentlichen Zugangs durch ihre Unterstützung der Whistleblower, die uns das ermöglichen, weil wir ihre Fälle in der Öffentlichkeit halten und sie durch die Finanzierung im Gerichtssaal verteidigen.

Pressefreiheit

Journalisten und Herausgeber finden sich vermehrt den gleichen Arten von Vergeltungsmaßnahmen ausgesetzt, wie sie die Whistleblower erleiden, mit denen sie zusammen arbeiten. Drohungen gegen jene, die vertrauliche Informationen heraus suchen und publizieren sind auch Drohungen gegen die unverzichtbare Funktion der Presse: die Mächtigen aufhalten, um die Schwachen zu stärken. Indem wir Whistleblower schützen, können wir eine Kultur der Unterstützung für eine totale Transparenz, antagonistischer Journalismus und demokratische Verantwortlichkeit erreichen. Courage erkennt den Mut an, indem sie für die kämpft, die sich der Macht widersetzen und die Wahrheit verbreiten.

Menschenrechte

Whistleblower in der ganzen Welt sehen sich einer Vielzahl negativen Konsequenzen gegenüber, von Isoliertheit und Abtun einer strafrechtlichen Verfolgung bis hin zu herabwürdigenden Gefängnisbedingungen. Gewissenhafte Gegner, die zügellose oder abscheuliche Menschenrechtsverletzungen bloß stellen, sind ihrerseits ihrer Grundrechte, so wie der Aussicht auf menschliche Behandlung oder einem schnellen und fairen Prozess beraubt. Courage bereitet rechtliche Verteidigungsfonds vor, um Whistleblower vor Gericht zu verteidigen und kämpft für ihre Freiheit und ihren Schutz. Courage kann verhindern, dass der nächste Whistleblower ein politischer Gefangener wird, allein durch das Publizieren irgendwelcher Strafmaßnahmen, denen diejenigen ausgesetzt sind, die die Wahrheit verbreiten, und die Garantie, dass ihre Notlage von der Presse nicht ignoriert wird.

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German

Berufungsgericht hält LuxLeaks Whistleblower-Verurteilungen aufrecht

Ein Luxemburger Berufungsgericht hält die Verurteilungen aufrecht, aber reduziert die Urteile von zwei ehemaligen PwC Angestellten, die über grassierende Steuerhinterziehungen auspackten. 2014 wurde bekannt, dass Antoine Deltour und Raphael Halet vertrauliche Steuerbescheide an Journalisten übermittelten, die weitreichende multinationale Steuerhinterziehung dokumentieren. Das ICIJ gab die Dokumente als LuxLeaks heraus, in einer Veröffentlichung, die den Präsidenten der Europäischen Kommission Jean Claude Juncker direkt darin verwickelte. Just in dieser Woche hat das EU-Kommisionsmitglied für Wettbewerbspolitik Margrethe Vestage die Enthüllungen als gerechtfertigt bestätigt.

Deltour und Halet waren wegen Diebstahl und Gesetzesbrechung angeklagt, und gegen Deltour wurde eine 12monatige Gefängnisstrafe verhängt, die ausgesetzt wurde. Edouard Perrin, ein involvierter Journalist der Anfänge dieser Enthüllungen, war einer der ursprünglichen Beschuldigten, neben den Whistleblowern, wurde jedoch freigesprochen. Alle drei Entscheidungen wurden angefochten, und heute hat ein Berufungsgericht die Urteile bestätigt, jedoch verkürzte es Deltours ausgesetzte Strafe auf 6 Monate.

Das Beschwerdeurteil wurde von einer Reihe von Abgeordneten prompt verurteilt:

In einer von seinem Unterstützungsnetzwerk freigegebenen Erklärung antwortete Deltour: “Dieses enttäuschende Urteil stellt ein zusätzliches Argument dar, um die jüngsten europäischen Initiativen zum Schutz der Whistleblower voranzutreiben.”

Wie das Unterstützernetzwerk erklärt, die Entscheidung “enthält einen beunruhigenden Widerspruch: es erkennt die Rolle der Whistleblower und das öffentliche Interesse der Enthüllungen an, aber irgendwie wird es mit Veruteilungen abgeschlossen. Noch einmal, private finanzielle Interessen scheinen höhere Priorität zu haben als das öffentliche Interesse und auf das Recht auf Information. Dieses Urteil schiebt den erwarteten Wechsel in der europäischen Ära bezüglich der Steuerangelegenheiten, den Schutz der Whistleblower und das Recht auf Information hinaus.”

Das Berufungsgericht hat die Möglichkeit ausgelassen über offentsichtliches Unrecht zu richten. Diese Entscheidung sollte der Bewegung neue Impulse geben, einen Whistleblowerschutz auf EU-Ebene einzuführen. Die Europäische Kommission führt derzeit eine öffentliche Beratung durch, Abschlusstag ist der 29. Mai 2017.

Antoines Unterstützungsgruppe stellt fest: “Deltour wird die im schriftlichen Urteil vorgebrachten Argumente durchgehen, bevor er entscheidet, ob er einen möglichen Einspruch an das Kassationsgericht richten wird oder nicht.”

Aktualisierung

Die Entscheidung des Luxemburger Berufungsgericht ist jetzt online (Französisch). Bemerkenswerterweise erörtert das Gericht die Anrufung des Beklagten zu Artikel 10 des Europäischen Übereinkommens, welches die Meinungsfreiheit schützt. Jedoch, wie die Entscheidung besagt, “beabsichtigen” die Whistleblower “nicht, sich auf die Ursache der Begründung auf Artikel 10 des Übereinkommens zu berufen, stattdessen bitten sie aber das Berufungsgericht nachzuprüfen, ob der Gesetzesverstoß ihr Recht auf freie Meinungsäußerung, insbesondere ihr Recht auf Informationen zu gewähren, oder ob das in einer demokratischen Gesellschaft nicht notwendig sei.”

Wichtig ist, dass das Gericht anerkennt, dass die LuxLeaks-Veröffentlichung im “Allgemeininteresse” war. Das Gericht schreibt, “diese wesentliche Freiheit [der Meinung], die durch einen überstaatlichen Text verankert ist, kann nicht durch nationale Regeln ausgehebelt werden. Folglich, kann im Rahmen einer Debatte über eine Frage von allgemeinem Interesse auf Steuervermeidung, Steuerbefreiung und Steuerhinterziehung, die Freiheit der Meinungsäußerung der Whistleblower, wenn nötig und unter bestimmten Voraussetzungen überwiegen und als eine Tatsache verwendet werden, die die Verletzung des nationalen Rechts rechtfertigt.”

Deltour’s Unterstützungs-Team bemerkt: “Zum ersten Mal erkennt ein europäischer Richter die Rechtmäßigkeit der Verletzung des Berufsgeheimnisses für das allgemeine Interesse an. Es ist ein unbestreitbarer moralischer Sieg.”

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News

Appeals court upholds LuxLeaks whistleblower convictions

Updated with quotes from the ruling below

A Luxembourg appeals court has upheld the convictions but reduced the sentences of two former PwC employees who blew the whistle on rampant tax evasion. In 2014, it was revealed that Antoine Deltour and Raphael Halet passed confidential tax rulings, documenting widespread multinational tax avoidance, to journalists. The ICIJ published the documents as LuxLeaks, in a release that directly implicated the president of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker. Just this week, EU Competition Commisioner Margrethe Vestage has confirmed that the disclosures were justified.

Deltour and Halet were convicted of theft and breaking secrecy laws, and Deltour was given a 12-months suspended prison sentence. Edouard Perrin, a journalist involved in the initial wave of disclosures, was one of the original defendants alongside the whistleblowers, but he was acquitted. All three rulings were appealed, and today an appeals court has confirmed the convictions but reduced Deltour’s suspended sentence to six months.

The appeal ruling was swiftly condemned by a number of MEPs:

In a statement released by his support network, Deltour responded: This disappointing judgment constitutes an additional argument for going ahead with recent European initiatives towards whistleblowers’ protection”.

As the support network explains, the decision “presents a disturbing contradiction: it recognizes the whistleblower’s role and the public interest of the revelations but anyhow concludes on a condemnation. Once again, private financial interests seem to take priority over the collective interest and the rights for information. This sentence postpones the expected change of era in Europe regarding tax issues, whistleblowers’ protection and the right of information.”

The appeals court has missed an opportunity to right an obvious wrong. This ruling should give new impetus to the movement to institute whistleblower protections on an EU level. The European Commission is currently running a public consultation, with a closing date on 29 May 2017.

Antoine’s support group notes, “Deltour will go through the arguments presented in the written judgment before deciding whether or not to go to a possible appeal to the Court of Cassation.”

Update

The Luxembourg Court of Appeals’ ruling is now online (French). Notably, the court discusses the defendants’ invocation of Article 10 of the European Convention, which protects freedom of expression. However, as the ruling notes, the whistleblowers “do not intend to invoke Article 10 of the Convention as a cause of justification, but instead, ask the Court of Appeal to ascertain whether the infringement their right to freedom of expression, in particular their right to impart information, or is not necessary in a democratic society.”

Importantly, the court acknowledges that the LuxLeaks release was in the “general interest.” The court writes, “This essential freedom [of expression], enshrined by a supranational text, can not be defeated by internal national rules. Thus, in the context of a debate on an issue of general interest on tax avoidance, tax exemption and tax evasion, freedom of expression of the whistleblower may, if necessary and under certain conditions prevail and be used as a fact justifying the violation of national law.”

Deltour’s support team remarks, “For the first time, a European national judge recognizes the legitimacy of violating the professional secrecy for the general interest. It is an unquestionable moral victory.”

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News

End persecution of Zambian journalist Dr M’membe

The Courage Foundation calls for an immediate end to all legal and political persecution against Zambian journalist Dr. Fred M’membe, his lawyer and his family.

While he was giving a lecture in Jamaica, Dr M’membe’s home in Zambia was raided and his wife, Mutinta Mazoka M’membe, was arrested, detained for two nights and then released on bail. She’s due to face charges in court on 3 March.

Police are pursuing Dr M’membe on allegations that he is interfering with the liquidation of his former newspaper, The Post. Mutinta launched a new paper, The Mast, in response to the government’s crackdown on The Post, and authorities have attempted to prevent printing of The Mast. An arrest warrant has also been issued for Dr M’membe’s lawyer, Nchima Nchito.

In a statement responding to these developments, Dr M’membe said,

The liquidation of The Post is supposed to be a civil issue. The use of the police, intelligence officers and the entire state machinery, including State House, is unwarranted. It is impunity of the highest order.

Dr M’membe is a fierce advocate of freedom of the press in Zambia. He was honoured with the International Freedom of the Press Award in 1995 and has a long record as an investigative journalist. The Zambia government’s persecution, the raid on his home and legal threats to him and his lawyer constitute a clear attempt to silence his important voice.

Courage Trustee Renata Avila said:

This raid is only the latest in a long string of attacks on press freedoms in Zambia. Dr M’membe has been hounded for speaking out for journalistic rights, and Zambian authorities should be ashamed. These trumped-up charges must be dropped at once.

Courage demands that the Government of Zambia ceases this persecution immediately so Dr M’membe can safely return home.

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Chelsea Manning Courage News News

Courage Trustees on Chelsea Manning’s commutation

Reacting to the news that President Obama commuted the sentence of Chelsea Manning, Courage Trustee Vivienne Westwood said:

Let’s dance and sing and scream and shout, Chelsea Manning is let out!

Courage Trustee John Pilger said:

Barack Obama, no doubt in the spirit of cynicism and opportunism that has characterised his presidency, has released Chelsea Manning – whom he declared guilty even before Chelsea’s travesty of a trial was over. This is wonderful news and justice for Chelsea, a hero of our times. Now Julian Assange, whose struggle for justice is also a universal struggle, should be set free unconditionally.

Courage Trustee Renata Avila said:

When Chelsea Manning was arrested, I tried to activate the Interamerican System of Human Rights for her protection. The response was a timid statement, only in December 2010, and only when her revelations were under unprecedented extrajudicial censorship. The regional human rights protections failed. Likewise, neither Amnesty International nor Human Rights Watch would advocate for her and the other people subject to political persecution and a secret grand jury for years.

This is a lesson for the time to come. We need expedite, efficient, resourceful and above all, free and fearless mechanisms to protect whistleblowers. They are risking their entire life and future. As Chelsea, they risk their lives. They can´t wait. Let´s all work in solidarity for all cases against journalists and whistleblowers to be immediately shut down.

Courage Trustee Susan Benn said:

Chelsea Manning certainly deserves her freedom after facing inhumane cruel treatment in a male prison for almost seven years, all condoned by Obama. This President has issued an unprecedented number of prosecutions of whistleblowers during his time in the White House as well as an extensive ongoing Grand Jury investigation, held in secret, of the activities of Julian Assange. This investigation should now be closed.

 

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Justin Liverman News

Alleged Crackas With Attitude associate Justin Liverman signs plea deal

Justin faces up to five years in prison; sentencing scheduled for 12 May 2017

Justin Liverman, center left, with his legal team
Justin Liverman, center left, with his legal team

Computer science student Justin Liverman, who was arrested by the FBI in September on suspicion of involvement with Crackas with Attitude (CWA), has signed a plea agreement. CWA claimed to have accessed emails from the AOL account of CIA Director John Brennan in late 2015, which were later published by WikiLeaks as the Brennan emails.

Justin is one of five individuals arrested on suspicion of involvement with CWA, and one of two – both US nationals – to face likely charges under the notorious Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

Justin was scheduled for indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia on 28 December 2016. Working with his legal team of Tor Ekeland, Jay Leiderman and Marina Medvin, he instead opted for an agreement in which he pleads guilty to one felony count of conspiracy in return for a reduced sentence. The agreement stipulates that CWA caused 1.5M USD of damage, with $95,000 of that due to Justin.

Justin still faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment and likely restitution payments. His sentencing hearing will be held on 12 May at 9AM.

Sarah Harrison, Acting Director of Courage, said

Without CWA, the public would not know that the Director of the CIA did not take adequate precautions around his own security clearance questionnaire. There’s barely any point talking about “cyber attacks” from sophisticated nation state actors when the highest level officials are leaving the front door wide open.

If John Brennan will not face any penalty for his negligence, there’s no good reason why anyone else should do. Justin Liverman’s potential sentence is outrageous given the relative triviality of the Department of Justice’s allegations. Courage’s emergency appeal for Justin will remain open until he no longer needs our assistance.

Tor Ekeland said:
This is yet another instance where the CFAA’s potentially draconian penalties outweigh the actual harm alleged. That the head of the CIA, an agency that undoubtedly hacks the personnel emails of adversaries around the world to blackmail them, failed to use two step authentication is scandalous. The same can be said of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Service, a national law enforcement database that was allegedly accessed through the same simple social engineering technique. Nothing was really hacked in this case because important government officials and agencies left the door wide open. One hopes that hostile nation state actors didn’t walk through that open door before Justin did.
Jay Leiderman said:
Justin has today admitted to taking part in the relatively newly-minted beneficent tradition of providing information the public must know to WikiLeaks. Crackas With Attitude have shown the world that the heads of the CIA, the National Cyber Command and US Homeland Security are themselves so cyber-insecure that it appears they were cut straight outta incompetence. It’s time for the US to stop snooping on citizens and to get its own house in order.
Marina Medvin said:
Crackers with Attitude, aptly named, cracked entry into our highest ranking government officials’ accounts; easily too. What they also did was “crack” our over-trusting, optimistic perception of the American government. They showed us the need to second-guess our government’s promise of security and trust. I personally believe that significant good will come of this; that our government will implement stronger and more secure data policies – hopefully strong enough to keep kids from reading it and redistributing it.
Courage will continue to support Justin Liverman through his sentencing and beyond. Please contribute to Justin’s emergency appeal to help pay his legal expenses.
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News

VIDEO: “Relatively Free” Barrett Brown out of prison and already hard at work

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Chelsea Manning News

Chelsea Manning spends her 7th birthday in prison

The whistleblower turns 29 as she awaits Obama’s response to clemency request

Imprisoned whistleblower Chelsea Manning turns 29 today, her seventh birthday in prison, just days after a White House petition calling on President Obama to grant her time served has reached 100,000 signers, forcing the White House to respond.

Chelsea’s year has been marked by prison punishment, outrage at her treatment and widespread support for her freedom and proper medical care for her gender dysphoria. Chelsea attempted to commit suicide earlier this year, feeling her fight for adequate treatment was futile. In response, rather than providing Chelsea with what she desperately needs, Fort Leavenworth punished Chelsea with solitary confinement for the attempt. When that punishment was enforced without warning, Chelsea made a second attempt on her life.

Since then, Chelsea has been resilient and inspiring, reinvigorating her dual fights, for rights for trans prisoners and for her freedom. She has written eloquently throughout 2016 for a Medium column on her progress and feelings. On her medical care battle, she wrote,

The bottom-line is this: I need help and I am still not getting it. I am living through a cycle of anxiety, anger, hopelessness, loss, and depression. I cannot focus. I cannot sleep. I attempted to take my own life. When the USDB placed me in solitary confinement as punishment for the attempted suicide, I tried it again because the feeling of hopelessness was so immense. This has served as a reminder to me that any lack of treatment can kill me, so I must keep fighting a battle that I wish every day would just end.

In May, Chelsea’s legal team has launched an appeal with the Army Court of Criminal Appeals, protesting the “grossly unjust” 35-year prison sentence. In November, the team petitioned President Obama for clemency, asking for her to be released on six years of time served.

Asking for clemency, Chelsea wrote,

I have served a sufficiently long sentence. I am not asking for a pardon of my conviction. I understand that the various collateral consequences of the court-martial conviction will stay on my record forever. The sole relief I am asking for is to be released from military prison after serving six years of confinement as a person who did not intend to harm the interests of the United States or harm any service members.

I am merely asking for a first chance to live my life outside the USDB as the person I was born to be.

This month, the White House petition for Chelsea’s clemency topped 100,000 signatures, which means the Obama Administration must respond to the request. Her freedom is long overdue.

Celebrations of Chelsea’s birthday are taking place around the world: connect with fellow supporters near you.

Write Chelsea a birthday card: here’s more information on how to write.

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News

Barrett Brown has been released from prison; WikiLeaks publishes to celebrate

Barrett Brown, just out of prison, enjoys an Egg McMuffin
Barrett Brown, just out of prison, enjoys an Egg McMuffin

Today, investigative journalist Barrett Brown has been released from FCI Three Rivers to a halfway house outside Dallas, earlier than initially scheduled. His parents picked him up from the federal prison to drive him six hours to his new residence. Brown’s release comes with several post-imprisonment restrictions, including a “computer and internet monitoring program”, a ban on firearms, and forced drug tests and participation in a drug treatment programme. It is as yet unknown how long Barrett will spend at the halfway house.

WikiLeaks is celebrating Barrett’s release from prison by publishing a searchable archive of more than 60,000 HBGary emails, which Barrett’s Project PM was investigating before he was arrested. In 2011, Project PM reported on Romas/COIN, a secret surveillance programme. Barrett announced the report at the Guardian: “For at least two years, the U.S. has been conducting a secretive and immensely sophisticated campaign of mass surveillance and data mining against the Arab world, allowing the intelligence community to monitor the habits, conversations, and activity of millions of individuals at once.”

You can search through the emails by keyword or category here: https://www.wikileaks.org/hbgary-emails/

Barrett has been an acerbic, invaluable investigative journalist for years. He’s written books on the modern creationist movement and the failure of elite media figures.  He’s written dozens of articles on contemporary politics and the shadowy world of private and cyber intelligence. He even produced some of the best writing on his own trial and sentence.

Rather than stay quiet as surely the government hoped he would, Barrett continued his work in prison, with a column for D Magazine and then for the Intercept. He reviewed books, reported on life in solitary confinement, and exposed the systematic malfeasance of Bureau of Prison officials. Barrett has been honoured with a National Magazine Award and a New York Press Club journalism award for his column.

This vital work is one of many reasons why the world is a better place with Barrett out of prison. We need his journalism more than ever, and what better way to honour his (relative) freedom than with source documents from a shady private firm that once outlined plans to demonise and take down supporters of WikiLeaks.

On Twitter, we’re commemorating Barrett’s release with links of our favorite pieces and quotes that Project PM and Barrett were involved in. Join us with the tag #BBFree

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Chelsea Manning News

Chelsea Manning petitions Obama for clemency

The legal team for Chelsea Manning, imprisoned WikiLeaks whistleblower, has petitioned US President Barack Obama to reduce her prison sentence to time served. Chelsea has already spent six years in confinement, longer than any other US leaker in history. In 2013, she was sentenced to 35 years in prison after being convicted on several counts under the Espionage Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

In a statement accompanying the clemency petition, Chelsea wrote,

I am not asking for a pardon of my conviction. I understand that the various collateral consequences of the court-martial conviction will stay on my record forever. The sole relief I am asking for is to be released from military prison after serving six years of confinement as a person who did not intend to harm the interests of the United States or harm any service members.

The New York Times reports that Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, former military commissions chief prosecutor Morris Davis and Intercept journalist Glenn Greenwald submitted letters of support for Manning’s clemency.

Chelsea’s legal team, in a letter introducing the petition, emphasized Manning’s intention to “rais[e] public awareness about issues she found concerning, including the impact of war on innocent civilians.”

President Obama has overseen a broad crackdown on whistleblowers, using the Espionage Act to prosecute leakers more than twice as often as all previous presidents combined and initiating an ‘Insider Threat’ programme to root out potential disclosures ahead of time.

However, Obama has used his power of clemency to reduce the sentences of 774 inmates. Just last month, Obama granted clemency to 102 more prisoners, bringing 2016’s total to 590.

Granting clemency to Chelsea Manning, a heroic truth teller who exposed scores of atrocities and abuses despite knowing she was putting her life on the line, and who has inspired people across the globe with her courageous battle for trans rights in prison, is Obama’s final opportunity to begin to reverse his legacy on whistleblowers.

It would also be a chance to signal the proper way to treat truthtellers before the presidency of Donald Trump, who assumes the office on 20 January 2017. While Trump made opportunestic use of WikiLeaks’ 2016 disclosures of DNC emails, it’s unclear how whistleblowers will fare under a Trump administration.

Trump has yet to name his full cabinet but has floated names for various positions. For Attorney General, Trump could choose Chris Christie or Jeff Sessions, right-wing Republicans. For Secretary of State, Trump is considering, among others, John Bolton and Rudolph Giuliani. Exactly how these officials execute Trump’s worldview is yet to be seen, but we expect an even harder fight for transparency, accountability and protection for whistleblowers in the years to come.