Police raid Polish subtitle site

May 17, 2007

Police Raid Polish Subtitle Site.jpgPolish police have “held for questioning” at least six people in a crackdown on online movie piracy. Their crime? Providing free subtitles.

In at least four cities across Poland, police were part of a joint operation with German police — and a Polish anti-piracy group affiliated with the recording industry. In Krakow, Slask, Podlasie, and Szczecin, police arrived at the suspected subtitlers’ homes at 6 a.m. — and took them into custody.

The story first appeared on the Polish Linux site, which states that “According to Polish copyright law any ‘processing’ of others’ content including translating is prohibited without permission.” Newspaper accounts report that the detained subtitlers face two years in jail if they’re convicted of illegally publishing copyrighted material — presumably including translated movie dialogue.

The Polish Linux site said they’d received an email from the administrator of the targetted site, Napisy.org, which announced that “[M]ost of the amateurish translations appear long before a ‘professional’ translation is prepared.” It even claimed that “a lot of ‘professionals’ use (or steal, naming the things) our translations to do their job.”

What’s interesting is how many countries have gotten involved, in both the police’s action — and the response. American movies received free translations in Poland, which were sent to a server in Germany. After the German and Polish police moved against the subtitlers, a tip was sent to Blorge’s publisher in Australia. He contacted a reporter in the United States, who researched the story using….Polish web sites.

This proves that while the enforcement of copyright legislation may be a multi-national effort — so is the public reaction!

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8 Responses to “Police raid Polish subtitle site”

  1. steemm:

    Podlasie and slask isn’t city’s this is a historical regions of poland :)

  2. Polander:

    Polish policemen are fucking bitches! How can they close subtitle sites? Now, from where I’ll beent take subltitlest to my divx movies?????

  3. baadnewz's blog:

    traduci = faci pusacarie

    Police raid Polish subtitle site
    Polish police have “held for questioning” at least six people in a crackdown on online movie piracy. Their crime? Providing free subtitles.Citeste in continuare
    Via Zoso
    Etichete: …

  4. DefSquad:

    Fuck the Police…Fuck the Police…Fuck’em !!!!!!
    Fuck the Polcie…..
    You’re Muthafuckin’ right…

  5. Pole:

    This is so insane!!!!
    How can they close a site providing free subtitles…
    But, as I live in Poland, I tell you – here, unfortunately, gansters are never cought (as lame police is so afraid of them), the easiest way is to catch decent citizens and treat them as criminals!!!!
    God, I’m so furious, I can’t even express it… :/

  6. somone:

    anyone know of another site that does this?

  7. babe:

    why fuck police? not that i like them but they just do what they are told to do……
    Fuck hollywood and those greedy bastards over there…

  8. wealltogether:

    I don’t like the so called ‘official’ translations and their translators! If they keep targeting fansubs, why won’t they release their stuff faster then the fansubs and for free as well?

    Society starts to rot from within the core. Soon a lot of usual things will be prohibited. For example movies with the label ‘mature’. Lots of kids are able to access them, because lazy parents/guardians don’t know how to raise kids!!!

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