Online protests in Poland over anti-piracy pact

A controversial global pact to battle counterfeiting and online piracy was dealt a new setback Thursday as a key European Parliament panel rejected the deal.The international trade committee voted 19-12 against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), recommending that the full European Parliament bury the international pact next month.Several European governments and lawmakers have voiced reservations about the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) while protesters have marched against it in some cities, voicing fears it would curtail Internet freedoms.

A controversial global pact to battle counterfeiting and online piracy faced a new setback on Thursday as the European Parliament's pointman on the legislation urged fellow lawmakers to reject it.Several European governments and lawmakers have voiced reservations about the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) while protesters have marched against it in some cities, voicing fears that it may curtail Internet freedoms.

A controversial international accord billed as a way to beat online piracy has sparked a fightback led by Internet users in ex-communist countries who say the region's past underlines the need to defend freedom.An international day of rallies against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has been scheduled for Saturday.For weeks, the hub of discontent has been Poland, whose centre-right government last week pledged to freeze the ratification process after a storm of protest.

Poland's prime minister said Friday that Warsaw would put on ice plans to ratify a controversial international online anti-piracy accord after massive off-and-online protests in his country."I consider that the arguments for a halt to the ratification process are justified," Donald Tusk told reporters."The issue of signing of the ACTA accord did not involve sufficient consultation with everyone who is part of the process," Tusk said, adding that he would hold broad talks on what to do next.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) -- Several popular Polish websites are planning to go dark for an hour Tuesday evening to protest the government's plan to sign an international copyright treaty....

The European parliament massively rejected a controversial global pact to battle counterfeiting and online piracy Wednesday, quashing any possibility of EU ratification.Twenty-two of the 27 EU states as well as other countries, including the United States and Japan, signed the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in January but the treaty has yet to be ratified anywhere amid protests that it would curtail Internet freedom.

Hackers identifying themselves as the "Polish Underground" took down the Polish government website early on Monday, the most recent in a series of attacks protesting against anti-piracy legislation.At the weekend, the computer hacker group Anonymous launched attacks on official websites belonging to the Polish president, prime minister and parliament, also in protest against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA).

More than 3,000 Bulgarians rallied in Sofia, kicking off a series of European protests on Saturday against a controversial anti-online piracy pact that critics say could curtail Internet freedom.Rallies were also beginning to get under way elsewhere across Europe against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), which was negotiated between the 27-nation European Union and 10 other countries.