Russia Silencing Dissent With Microsoft’s Cooperation [Microsoft]

The recent York Times has a fascinating report on Russian authorities’ newest tactic for silencing dissenting groups: claiming that they’re using pirated Microsoft software and confiscating all their computers. What’s worse is that Microsoft hasn’t stopped them from doing it.

The Baikal Environmental Wave, a prominent environmental group, was planning to protest the reopening of a factory that had polluted nearby Lake Baikal when plainclothes officers seized their computers, claiming that they were under suspicion of using pirated Microsoft software. After all, the gang had purchased their licenses legally to circumvent such harassment, but Russian authorities didn’t care, and surprisingly, neither did Microsoft itself:

As the ploy grows common, the authorities are receiving key the help of an unexpected partner: Microsoft itself. In politically tinged inquiries across Russia, lawyers retained by Microsoft have staunchly backed the police.

Interviews and a review of law enforcement documents show that in recent cases, Microsoft lawyers made statements describing the company as a victim and arguing that criminal charges must be pursued.

…In Russia, leaders of advocacy groups and newspapers subjected to antipiracy raids said Microsoft was cooperating with the authorities because the company feared jeopardizing its business inside the country. They said Microsoft needed to issue a categorical public statement disavowing these tactics and pledging to never cooperate in such cases.

Microsoft has not done that, but has promised to study its policies in Russia.

Microsoft’s director of public affairs, Kevin Kutz, says that the company is ” open to feedback” on how they must handle such instances, but for lots dissenting groups and newspapers the wear and tear has already been done. For Baikal Environmental Wave, the NYT explains, the raid was devastating: ” the gang’s Website was disabled, its finances left in disarray, its plans disclosed to the authorities.” Inspect the full article for more about how using Windows, although purchased legally, is really a liability for the groups who are speaking up in Russia. [ NYT via BoingBoing ]

Update: CNET reports that Microsoft is hiring an out of doors law firm to research the Times report, and a post on the official Microsoft blog says that the company is working to keep the sort of thing from happening sooner or later:

Whatever the circumstances of the specific cases the recent York Times described, we wish to be clear that we unequivocally abhor any try to leverage intellectual property rights to stifle political advocacy or pursue improper personal gain. We are moving swiftly to seek to remove any incentive or ability to interact in such behavior.

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This post is tagged: dissenting groups, enforcement documents, environmental group, microsoft lawyers, microsoft software, russian authorities