Ola Bini is a Swedish software developer, security expert and human rights activist living in Ecuador. Starting April 2019 - so for more than four years - Ola has gone through a process of legal persecution led by the Ecuadorian government, orchestrated by the justice system and pushed by media and public opinion.
Even though Ola’s innocence has been ratified in court, preventative measures against him are still in place and an appeal of the tribunal’s decision has been announced by the Prosecutor’s office. As far as we can see, Ola’s legal process is far from over.
Ola’s career as a software developer and activist started over 20 years ago when he began using his skills in support of communities of people working to build a better world: journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, and many others.
In addition to his support to many communities, Ola founded the Digital Autonomy Center (CAD) currently based in Quito, Ecuador. CAD is an NGO that works for the defense of human rights in the digital world by means of the development of FLOSS tools and education of civil society. The organization is currently collaborating with communities that share the same interests regarding the defense of privacy and security.
The ongoing case against Ola Bini by the current Ecuadorian Government has raised concerns allover the Cyberrights and civil society community; Wau Holland Foundation has decided to support Ola Bini for his moral courage and collect funds for his legal defense.
The Electronic-Frontier Foundation has followed the case and provided some reports about it:
* 2021-06-28 EFF to Ecuador’s Human Rights Secretariat: Protecting Security Experts is Vital to Safeguard Everyone’s Rights
* 2021-10-19 After Years of Delays and Alarmingly Flimsy Evidence, Security Expert Ola Bini’s Trial Set for This Week
* 2022-05-09 EFF and Other Civil Society Organizations Issue Report on Danger to Digital Rights in Ola Bini Trial
* 2023-01-24 The Next Stage in Security Expert’s Trial Set for January 31
* 2023-03-15 The Aftermath of Ola Bini’s Unanimous Acquittal by Ecuadorian Court
