PayPal Cuts Service to Alleged WikiLeaks Whistle-blower Support Effort
UPDATE (2/24/11): PayPal has backed down and reinstated the Courage to Resist account. Read more here.
The online payment provider PayPal has frozen the account of Courage to Resist, which in collaboration with the Bradley Manning Support Network is currently raising funds in support of U.S. Army Pfc. Bradley Manning. PayPal was one way people–especially international residents–were able to contribute to the grassroots effort supporting the accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower.
“We’ve been in discussions with PayPal for weeks, and by their own admission there’s no legal obligation for them to close down our account,” noted Loraine Reitman of the Bradley Manning Support Network (Support Network). “This was an internal policy decision by PayPal.”
“We exchanged numerous emails and phone calls with the legal department and the office of executive escalations of PayPal,” explained Jeff Paterson. “They said they would not unrestrict our account unless we authorized PayPal to withdraw funds from our organization’s checking account by default. Our accounting does not allow for this type of direct access by a third party, nor do I trust PayPal as a business entity with this responsibility given their punitive actions against WikiLeaks-an entity not charged with any crime by any government on Earth.”
The Support Network repeatedly requested and was refused formal documentation from PayPal describing their policies in this matter.
PayPal is a private company and thus under no legal obligation to provide Courage to Resist, the Bradley Manning Support Network, or anyone else with services. This was something made very clear to the Support Network by PayPal representatives.
“They opted to apply an exceptional hurdle for us to clear in order to continue as a customer, whereas we have clearly provided the legally required information and verification. I think our dealings with PayPal should be a cautionary tale for any possibly controversial not-for-profit entity with a PayPal account,” Paterson said, “While there may be no legal obligation to provide services, there is an ethical obligation. By shutting out legitimate nonprofit activity, PayPal shows itself to be morally bankrupt.”
Timeline
Courage to Resist registered the PayPal account in 2006. There were no issues with this account until supporters were encouraged to donate via PayPal to help fund the “Stand with Bradley Manning” public statement and petition effort (www.standwithbrad.org ).
In late 2010, PayPal, MasterCard and Visa closed down payment services to WikiLeaks, severely restricting that organization’s ability to accept online donations. Within days, Courage to Resist project director and Support Network steering committee member Jeff Paterson fielded lengthy calls from executives at PayPal regarding website content, the intended use of the funds being solicited in support of Bradley Manning, and accountings of the recent purchases (primarily envelopes, paper, and postage stamps) made with PayPal funds.
The PayPal account was briefly restricted at that time pending organizational “verification.” To meet PayPal’s standard verification requirements, the Support Network opted to open a line of credit with PayPal and provided Social Security numbers and other financial details in doing so. Approximately a month later on January 29, 2011, PayPal decided that these standard protocols did not apply to Bradley Manning related efforts.
Background
Donations made via Visa, MasterCard, and Discover–along with checks and money orders–remain unaffected. Funds donated to Bradley Manning’s defense fund are used for legal defense expenses, public awareness efforts, and minimal administrative costs. Information regarding donations, including a fiscal accounting of funds, is publicly available on the Internet at www.couragetoresist.org/bradley
Manning is an American soldier who has been held in solitary confinement since June 2010. He is currently being held in pre-trial confinement at the Marine brig in Quantico, Virginia, and is not expected to face court martial until at least October 2011. Manning has been convicted of no crime and has a Constitutional right to a fair trial. The Support Network is dedicated to ending Manning’s extreme and illegal pre-trial punishment, ensuring he receives civilian legal representation of his choosing, and thwarting efforts by the U.S. government to hold a secret trial, out of sight of media and supporters. The Support Network has no organizational ties to WikiLeaks.
You cant go through the proper channels on this. Everything is corrupt in this gov. Im with Randy, we need a fucking revolt and we need it 20 years ago!
PayPal is a private enterprise. But political
discrimination is just as awful as any other form of discrimination. By establishing different standards to “Courage to resist” and “Wikileaks” than to any other customer, PayPal put themselves into the same situation as private companies that under the Third Reich did not want to service Jewish customers just because they were Jewish. According to international law, racist, ethnic, religious and political discrimination is prohibited.
According to international human rights conventions, the states are obliged to protest people against discriminatory behavior, also against discrimination perpetrated by private persons and companies.
Personally i think PayPal is not only showing contempt for our basic freedom rights, but the enterprise is also actively trying to prevent us from exercising our rights. In this way PayPal put themselves in the same league as Islamic fundamentalists that want to destroy democracy and freedom.
Shame on PayPal.
This is bullocks. But shit does roll downhill.
I believed in “eat the rich” since I was around 10, and I still do.
And my body is even quite sensitive to rich foods.
I understand the nature of business, but it is natural of me to oppose oppression and tyranny esp when it comes from corporations and such “superior forces” per se.
Just more for PsyOps to document on the psychology of “we the people”.
This is why I don’t vote or other things that people tell me to do.
I know how “good” people are treated. It is in our history books and other “documents”.
Grassy Knoll, people… Grassy Knoll. Someone got blamed for shooting JFK, tried, and executioned as well when it was “we the people” of the government that killed him. Death is their business, and the blood-money is “pouring in”. Whom of us do not have blood on our hands beknownst or unbeknownst? Pilat (sp?) washed his hands and sealed his fate, yet he was a just and fair loving man of position and power having to do a cruel job or he would probably suffer dire consequences by his superiors and possibly the angry mob right in front of him.
This oppression, tyranny, and such does stink to high-heaven though.
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. . .Boycott Pay-Pal. . .
~Free Manning~
yet another american company that blindly obeys to the US administration orders to block supporters of human rights and impose censorship. I grew up under a dictatorship and I have to say that the US system is far more dangerous and perverse because in such a dictatorship you know from the very start what the rules are and the risks you run if you fight the system, while in the US people are mislead, they think America is a free country where the freedom of speech is guaranteed. There’s nothing more false.
Great comment Lola. America hypocritically critizizes overt “dictatorships, while becomming more and more a “soft tyranny” at home. The pity is that most Americans are cheering it! The abuse of the Soldiers civil rights are because he is being held under the so-called Patriot Act. Being a “patriot” in America today apparently means giving away your constitutional rights.
i applied for a job at paypal last year, ()their offices are in the Omaha Ne area. I guess i made the mistake of asking the interviewer about the problems they have with freezing vendor accounts and the bad publicity that those problems bring…i didn’t get the job and I have never used paypal…never will. Free the kid…
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Bradley Manning is a hero in every way, I for one know that this is another act against anon and their partners…this is treason…anon will come back…the ones who did this need to watch their backs…I know anon will not play around in this scenario..
http://anonnews.org/?p=press&a=item&i=576
Anonymous has started Operation: “BRAD’S THE MAN” the website i provided in this message and as my optional website links to anon’s page on this travesty our government has created…
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The article relies on Pay Pal’s private corporate nature as a basis for it’s ability to thake the adverse actions based on the content of it’s customers, like this web site. However, Pay Pal’s Corporate headquarters is in California which has adopted Civil Code Section 51 outlawing “arbitrary” discrimination by ANY California business and the attorneys can get their fees paid if they win. Go get ‘em.
Honourable members of the Committee for Nobel Prize for Peace,
The Nobel Prize to Barak Obama was not wrong but too early.
I have been working long time on Atman or soul and like Mahatmans (Maha+Atman) like Mahatma Gandhi (title Mahatma to Karam Chand Gandhi by Rabindra Nath Tagore, who got Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913).
I think, Olof Palme was a better candidate for peace prize than Kissinger (his son was a better candidate).
If I were you, I would suggest Bradley Manning for the next Nobel Prize in Peace.
I am a sceptic who was doubtful about men in military service. Have you ever found any military man worth of peace prize?
Therefore,
Bradley Manning, a prisoner of Conscience, is the right candidate for the next peace prize!
Regards
Dr. S. M. Babulanam
a Physicist
and a Humanenist (a derivated word invented by me)
You need an anonymous, uncensorable and free-of-charge money-booking method? Many FOSS and independant organisations (like AnonNews) already use http://www.bitcoin.org/. Looks pretty smart to me.
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This wreaks of Joe Lieberman. I cannot believe this is our America where a politician can go to a private company and try to restrict the ability of individuals and organizations to speak out against govt oppression.
Is this our America???
Keep up the good fight- FREEDOM FOR BRADLEY!
He should be nominated and should win the Nobel Peace Prize. History will show he is a courageous young man of conscience.