[free-sklyarov] (no subject)

[ercole at speakeasy.org]

ADOBE, ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION CALL FOR RELEASE
OF RUSSIAN PROGRAMMER

San Jose, Calif. - July 23, 2001

Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq: ADBE) and the
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) today jointly
recommend the release of Russian programmer Dmitry
Sklyarov from federal custody.

Adobe is also withdrawing its support for the criminal
complaint against Dmitry Sklyarov.

"EFF praises Adobe for doing the right thing," said
Shari Steele, EFF Executive Director. "We are pleased
to see that Adobe has lived up to the high standard of
integrity that has made the company successful. While
we don't agree on every detail of the Digital
Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), we look forward to
working together with Adobe to secure Dmitry's
immediate release."

"We strongly support the DMCA and the enforcement of
copyright protection of digital content," said Colleen
Pouliot, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for
Adobe. "However, the prosecution of this individual in
this particular case is not conducive to the best
interests of any of the parties involved or the
industry. ElcomSoft's Advanced eBook Processor
software is no longer available in the United States,
and from that perspective the DMCA worked. Adobe will
continue to protect its copyright interests and those
of its customers."

Sklyarov was arrested July 16 on a criminal complaint
filed by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District
of California under the DMCA. ElcomSoft is the
Moscow-based company employing Sklyarov.