Re: Democracy gone.
> Publishing something that merely embarrasses the government would make for a tough job for even the best prosecuting counsel.
However, the fact that it might get thrown out by the judge, and possibly the prosecutors given something of a telling off - doesn't help you when you're banged up in a cell, under arrest, your DNA and fingerprints taken by force for storage forever in the "DNA and fingerprints of terrorists" file, your computers taken away (really f***ing up your business that relies on them - but don't worry, you'll get them back eventually (after a couple of years) and they might even still work afterwards), your passwords "volunteered" under pain of a mandatory jail sentence, ...
In short - yes, such a law can be used to make life exceedingly difficult. Having the case thrown out by a judge with "stern words" about the conduct of the prosecution will not help you when you life has been well and truly f***ed over - and you can no longer get a job since you now have a "police record" when anyone does a check on you.
And for good measure, you can't even emigrate (or go on holiday) to some countries as a lot won't let you in if you've ever been arrested.
Think about it - could you afford to go to court and be found completely innocent of all charges ?
Biting the hand that feeds IT
