Category: Lauri Love

The Courage Foundation, which previously announced it opened an emergency fund for British activist Lauri Love, is now defending Love as an official beneficiary. FreeLauri.com has been relaunched, where you can read about Lauri’s case in full.

Love was first arrested in 2013 and his computers and other digital media were seized. He was released on bail, but had to take legal action to get 25 of 31 of his items back (the rest have not been returned). Now Love has been re-arrested in Britain by officials executing a warrant to extradite him to the United States, on allegations of hacking into multiple major US governmental agencies.

In addition to the persecution he’s already endured, Lauri fears he won’t receive a fair trial or treatment in the United States. The Obama Administration has cracked down harder than any administration before on digital activists, with unprecedented use of the Espionage Act, threats of extremely long prison sentences and solitary confinement.

Lauri thanks the Courage Foundation for its support in a statement:

The support and solidarity provided by the Courage Foundation since its inception to whistleblowers and activists facing political persecution for their efforts to bring transparency to state and corporate governance in the face of an unparalleled crackdown on perceived or actual dissidence is momentous and rivalled only by the stature and breadth of knowledge and experience of its advisory board. When vindictive, disproportionate and excessively-punitive reactions from government are likely consequence of taking action, the support of organisations such as Courage can make all the difference in giving individuals the faith the carry through their convictions and the wherewithal to endure the struggles that may result.

I am humbled and immensely thankful for their assistance and compassion. Solidarity is beautiful.

Love, Lauri

With a hearing to fight his extradition scheduled for 1 September, Courage has commenced a fund drive to finance Love’s legal defence team.

Courage is taking on Lauri Love as an emergency case: we are raising funds for the twice-arrested British activist and alleged hacker who was released on conditional bail after being charged with hacking into several governmental agencies’ websites, including the US Army, NASA and the Federal Reserve. Love has a hearing scheduled for 1 September to determine if he will be extradited to the United States.

Read about Love’s case, why he’s been rearrested now and what you can do to support him. Please donate to Love’s defence fund and help publicise his case — we must collectively oppose his extradition and end his persecution. Emergency fund is here.

Meanwhile, we are closing our emergency fund for UK Trident whistleblower William McNeilly, who was dishonourably discharged from the Royal Navy but isn’t facing further criminal action. We are donating the collected funds to McNeilly to help with his resettlement. We will continue to update on his condition as we learn more.