06/04/2024
Piracy Shield: AGCOM Fines ISP Assoc. For ‘Obstructing Supervisory Activities
Speaking with TorrentFreak, Fulvio Sarzana di S.Ippolito, lawyer and legal consultant of ASSOProvider, says the fine “coincidentally” arrived after ASSOProvider appealed against the recent decision of the local court and requested documents related to Piracy Shield.
“ASSOProvider is an Association and not an operator [ISP], and it is not clear what supervision can be done and what obstacle it may have posed by exercising the constitutional rights to appeal to the Court and to submit a FOIA,” Sarzana says.
“AGCOM without any reason requested the list of Associates [ISPs] but the data of all the Italian operators are in its possession, as AGCOM itself clarified in its briefs before the Regional Administrative Court. Furthermore, AGCOM itself sent a notice to all Italian providers asking them to participate in the working table.”
Fine of 1,032 Euros Triggers New Resolve
Exactly how much ASSOProvider has been fined isn’t revealed in its announcement, but Sarzana confirms a figure of 1,032 euros. Not a huge amount in the bigger picture but significant enough to introduce yet another irritant into the Piracy Shield mix and by targeting its most vocal critic, enough to lead some to conclude that a message has been sent.
Even if that was the case, ASSOProvider says it won’t back down. Sarzana says the association will challenge the fine in all courts and “will not retreat an inch in fighting injustices and for legality.”
Indeed, ASSOProvider seems more motivated than ever.
“For almost twenty-five years, ASSOProvider has always been at the forefront in the defense of civil rights,” says ASSOProvider President Giovanbattista Frontera.
“This time too we will fight for the affirmation of constitutional rights and for the recognition of citizens’ right to a fair defense. We won’t stop, and you won’t stop us.”
ISP association ASSOProvider, a vocal opponent of Italy's Piracy Shield system, has been fined by the telecoms regulator for obstruction.
