The Ola Bini-Podstrom trial: a question for the government

After a long and drawn-out litigation with stalled and resumed court proceedings, Judge Yadira Prano finally came to the conclusion that Ola Beni should be brought to justice, accused of hacking Ecuador’s national telecommunications companies. Ola Benny denies any wrongdoing.

Thomas Bodstrom says Ola Penny’s Ecuadorean defender Carlos Soria has refused to provide evidence of Penny’s innocence, and that what is happening is reminiscent of legal proceedings in Belarus and Russia.

-This is totally unacceptable. The Swedish embassy has followed suit, but now it has to live up to the governmental level, says Bodstrom.

Familiar with Assange

Ola Bini was arrested in Quito, Ecuador’s capital, in April 2019, on suspicion of gaining access to computer and communications systems without permission. He was detained until the end of June of that year, and has not been allowed to leave the country since.

Benny is familiar with imprisoned WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who previously resided at the Ecuadorean embassy in London. Benny was arrested just hours after Ecuador withdrew Assange’s asylum.

Thomas Bodstrom believes that the prosecution is politically motivated, and that Ola Bini was drawn into a prestigious conflict as Ecuador’s political leadership interfered with the legal process.

The family is worried

“We know he is innocent and it is a political trial, but the Swedish government will not accept that a Swedish citizen is treated in this way,” says Bodstrom.

Dag Gustafson, Ola Penny’s father, who is in regular contact with his son, says the family is worried about the upcoming trial.

It is one thing to hold someone accountable for something they are alleged to have done, but at the same time to ensure fair and proper treatment of that person. There is clear evidence that he does not in that case. Of course, we worry about what happens next, he says.