[free-sklyarov] Visa glitch delays trial for Russian

[Vladimir Katalov]

Visa glitch delays trial for Russian software firm
Reuters, 10.17.02, 9:14 PM ET
By Elinor Mills Abreu

http://www.forbes.com/markets/newswire/2002/10/17/rtr756896.html

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The trial date for a Russian software
company accused of violating the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act
(DMCA) was pushed back Thursday after a defendant and a witness were
denied visas to come to the United States.

Trial for ElcomSoft Co. Ltd., set to begin Monday, is now scheduled to
start Dec. 2 in federal court in San Jose, California, officials said.

The delay is designed to give the U.S. Attorney's office time to work
on getting ElcomSoft President Alexander Katalov and employee Dmitry
Sklyarov visas to come to the United States, said Judy Trummer,
spokeswoman for the defense team.

Katalov is named as a defendant, while Sklyarov is expected to be a
witness in a trial that will focus on U.S. efforts to force greater
copyright protections in the fast-growing world of digital media.

A spokesman for Consular Affairs at the U.S. State Department
confirmed that U.S. officials denied Katalov and Sklyarov visas under
a section of immigration law frequently invoked when officials see a
risk that visitors will immigrate to the United States rather than
just visit.

He declined to comment further, saying visa applications and the
decisions on rejecting them are confidential.

"We are working with both the State Department and the Department of
Justice on this issue," Marina Serebreyanaya, an immigration lawyer
who is helping the defense, said in a statement. "Obviously, not
having Dmitry and Alex here in the U.S. is a problem for both sides."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Nadel said he could not comment on the
visa situation beyond confirming that the trial was postponed.