Church of Scientology warns Wikileaks over documents
{{date|April 7, 2008}}
[[Image:Wikileaks logo.svg|thumb|120px|left|[[w:Wikileaks|Wikileaks]] logo {{Image source|[http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Wikileaks:Media_Kit#Images_for_publications Wikileaks Media Kit]}}]]
{{Scientology}}''[[w:Wikinews|Wikinews]]'' has learned that the [[w:Church of Scientology|Church of Scientology]] warned the documents-leaking site ''[[w:Wikileaks|Wikileaks.org]]'' that they are in violation of [[United States]] copyright laws after they published several documents related to the Church. ''Wikileaks'' has no intention of complying, and states that in response, it intends to publish a thousand pages of additional Scientology materials beginning Monday.

In the letter to ''Wikileaks'', lawyers for the Church's [[w:Religious Technology Center|Religious Technology Center]] (RTC), which oversees the use of the their logos, writings and religious content, states that the site "placed RTC's Advanced Technology works on Wikileaks.org's website without the authorization" of the Church.

"I have a good faith belief, and in fact know for certain, that posting copies of these works through your system was not authorized by my client, any agent of my client, or the law. Please be advised that your customer's action in this regard violates United States copyright law. Accordingly, we ask for your help in removing these works immediately from your service," states the letter from Ava Paquette of [[w:Moxon & Kobrin|Moxon & Kobrin]], which was published by ''Wikileaks.''

On March 9, 2008, ''Wikileaks'' published several documents relating to the Church's [[w:Office of Special Affairs|Office of Special Affairs]] and personal notes gathered by Frank Oliver, a former Scientologist and former member of the Church's Special Affairs office. On March 26, 2008, ''Wikileaks'' published the entire set of the Churches 'Operating Thetan Level' documents which included handwritten notes by Scientology's founder, [[w:L. Ron Hubbard|L. Ron Hubbard]].

Although the letter does not mention specific legal threats, the letter asks that ''Wikileaks'' "preserve any and all documents pertaining to this matter and this customer, including, but not limited to, logs, data entry sheets, applications -- electronic or otherwise, registration forms, billings statements or invoices, computer print-outs, disks, hard drives, etc."

Despite the letter, ''Wikileaks'' states it will not comply with the "abusive request" by the Church.

"Wikileaks will not comply with legally abusive requests from Scientology any more than Wikileaks has complied with similar demands from Swiss banks, Russian off-shore stem cell centers, former African Kleptocrats, or the Pentagon. Wikileaks will remain a place where people of the world may safely expose injustice and corruption," stated ''Wikileaks'' in a release on its website.

''Wikileaks'' further states that, "in response to the attempted suppression, Wikileaks will release several thousand additional pages of Scientology material next week."

{{haveyoursay}}
==Related news==
*{{wikinews|title=Huge interest takes Wikileaks offline|date=March 29, 2008}} 
*{{wikinews|title=Church of Scientology's 'Operating Thetan' documents leaked online|date=March 26, 2008}}
*{{wikinews|title=Wikileaks spokesperson discusses recent court case with Wikinews|date=March 3, 2008}}
*{{wikinews|title=Representative for ACLU tells Wikinews their opinion on lifting of Wikileaks court injunction|date=March 3, 2008}} 
*{{wikinews|title=Wikileaks.org restored as injunction is lifted|date=March 1, 2008}}
*{{wikinews|title=Wikileaks claims ‘abuse of process’ in court case that resulted in wikileaks.org being take offline|date=February 29, 2008}}
*{{wikinews|title=Rights groups: Forcing Wikileaks.org offline raises 'serious First Amendment concerns'|date=February 28, 2008}}
*{{wikinews|title='Wikileaks.org' taken offline in many areas after fire, court injunction|date=February 18, 2008}}

== Sources ==
{{original}}
{{Wikipediapars|[[w:Scientology and the legal system|Scientology and the legal system]] and [[w:Scientology and the Internet|Scientology and the Internet]]}}
*{{source|url=http://glosslip.com/2008/04/07/wikileaksorg-tells-church-of-scientology-to-get-bent/|title=Wikileaks.org Tells Church Of Scientology To Get Bent|author=|pub=GlossLip|date=April 7, 2008}} 
*{{source|url=http://www.itsoverninethousand.com/scientology-attacks-wikileaks/|title=Scientology Attacks WikiLeaks|author=|pub=It's Over Nine Thousand|date=April 6, 2008}} 
*{{source|url=https://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Scientology_threatens_Wikileaks_over_secret_cult_bibles
|title=Scientology threatens Wikileaks over secret cult bibles
|author=
|pub=Wikileaks
|date=April 6, 2008}}
*{{source|url=https://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Church_of_Scientology_collected_Operating_Thetan_documents
|title=Church of Scientology collected Operating Thetan documents (With letter from Church)
|author=
|pub=Wikileaks
|date=March 26, 2008}}
*{{source|url=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/12/wikileaks_scientology_documents/print.html|title=Wikileaks exposes Scientology's zeal to 'clean up rotten spots of society': A billion-year commitment|author=Dan Goodin|pub=The Register|date=March 12, 2008}}
*{{source|url=http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/03/11/2348242&from=rss|title= Wikileaks Airs Scientology Black Ops|author=|pub=Slashdot|date=March 11, 2008}}
*{{source|url=https://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Church_of_Scientology_Office_of_Special_Affairs_and_Frank_Oliver
|title=Church of Scientology Office of Special Affairs and Frank Oliver
|author=
|pub=Wikileaks
|date=March 9, 2008}}

{{publish}}
{{archived}}

[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Internet]]
[[Category:WikiLeaks]]
[[Category:Scientology]]
[[Category:Free speech]]
[[Category:Copyright]]
[[Category:Streisand effect]]
Wikileaks logo 
Wikinews has learned that the Church of Scientology warned the documents-leaking site Wikileaks.org that they are in violation of United States copyright laws after they published several documents related to the Church. Wikileaks has no intention of complying, and states that in response, it intends to publish a thousand pages of additional Scientology materials beginning Monday.

In the letter to Wikileaks, lawyers for the Church's Religious Technology Center (RTC), which oversees the use of the their logos, writings and religious content, states that the site "placed RTC's Advanced Technology works on Wikileaks.org's website without the authorization" of the Church.

"I have a good faith belief, and in fact know for certain, that posting copies of these works through your system was not authorized by my client, any agent of my client, or the law. Please be advised that your customer's action in this regard violates United States copyright law. Accordingly, we ask for your help in removing these works immediately from your service," states the letter from Ava Paquette of Moxon & Kobrin, which was published by Wikileaks.

On March 9, 2008, Wikileaks published several documents relating to the Church's Office of Special Affairs and personal notes gathered by Frank Oliver, a former Scientologist and former member of the Church's Special Affairs office. On March 26, 2008, Wikileaks published the entire set of the Churches 'Operating Thetan Level' documents which included handwritten notes by Scientology's founder, L. Ron Hubbard.

Although the letter does not mention specific legal threats, the letter asks that Wikileaks "preserve any and all documents pertaining to this matter and this customer, including, but not limited to, logs, data entry sheets, applications -- electronic or otherwise, registration forms, billings statements or invoices, computer print-outs, disks, hard drives, etc."

Despite the letter, Wikileaks states it will not comply with the "abusive request" by the Church.

"Wikileaks will not comply with legally abusive requests from Scientology any more than Wikileaks has complied with similar demands from Swiss banks, Russian off-shore stem cell centers, former African Kleptocrats, or the Pentagon. Wikileaks will remain a place where people of the world may safely expose injustice and corruption," stated Wikileaks in a release on its website.

Wikileaks further states that, "in response to the attempted suppression, Wikileaks will release several thousand additional pages of Scientology material next week."
Crime and law Internet WikiLeaks Scientology Free speech Copyright Streisand effect