| Other Photos |
 |
|
 |
No Use Going to Court Against Internet
Cheremushkinsky Court of Moscow acquitted yesterday Denis Kvasov, the former general director of Mediaservices and owner of Allofmp3.com store. Kvasov was charged with illegal distribution of audio tracks of the biggest record companies and closing his site was one of the requirements for Russia’s membership in WTO.
The Cheremushkinsky Court found no crime components in Kvasov’s actions and acquitted the businessman yesterday, August 15, 2007. According to the court, the investigator had failed to collect sufficient number of proofs, while the claimant, IFPI, had failed to submit the documents that would confirm the title of EMI, Warner Music and Universal to tracks sold at Allofmp3.com.
Allofmp3.com was an export-targeted store and the western license holders have always viewed it one of the key suppliers of the pirate music worldwide. So, somewhat at the end of 2006, Sony BMG, UMG Recordings, Warner Bros. Records filed a lawsuit to the Court of New York against Mediaservices, seeking the damage compensation of $1.65 trillion on aggregate. Closing Allofmp3.com was one of conditions specified by the WTO nations for Russia’s admission to their club.
Russia’s prosecutors initiated the case against Kvasov October 11, 2005 on count of copyright and adjacent right violation. The suit was filed by IFPI that represented Universal International Music, Warner Music and EMI Music International and, for purposes of the probe, had downloaded music from Allofmp3.com far back in November 2004. The demand of prosecutors was the sentence of three years in prison and payment of 15 million to three affected brands as a set-off against civil suits.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Aug. 16, 2007
|
|
|
