Gottfrid Svartholm – Pirate Bay’s Founder – Apprehended By Authorities In Cambodia

September 3, 2012 by
Filed under: Announcements & Events, File-Sharing Programs, Networks & Services 

Phnom Penh, Cambodia: Also known under the alias Anakata, Pirate Bay’s founder was convicted to one year in jail due to his ties with the world’s leading torrent hub – The Pirate Bay. Although he was nowhere to be found for quite some time, Cambodian authorities managed to finally arrest the Swedish citizen on Thursday.

Phnom Penh is the city that housed Gottfrid for several years now. Local sources confirm that he was taken from his former apartment, placed above the Cadillac Bar. Pirate Bay’s founder was convicted to one year in jail earlier this year and was bound to serve the sentence in Sweden.

Although there’s no extradition treaty signed by neither Cambodia nor Sweden, his lawyer considers that Gottfrid could be sent back to Sweden.

In 2010 Gottfrid filed an appeal, but failed to be present as he was hospitalized in Cambodia due to an illness that took over him. What followed was another hearing, but he once again failed to get there. As such, the Court of Appeal decided to agree on the initial verdict – one year in jail and a fine of $1.1 million.

Initially, his lawyer was not sure whether his arrest was related with the sentence or not.

“As far as I understand it is because he is on an international wanted list,” he said.

However, later on Sweden’s authorities made an official statement in which they explained that Gottfrid was arrested at the request of his home country:

“His arrest was made at the request of the Swedish government for a crime related to information technology,” a police spokesman told AFP.

Last but not least, we should mention that Gottfrid was subject of an Interpol “Red Notice”. Translated, that request is to “seek the location and detention, arrest or restriction of movement of a person wanted by a national jurisdiction or an international tribunal for the purpose of extradition, surrender, or similar lawful action.”

What follows is still uncertain, but we’ll keep you updated as soon as something new comes up.

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