The extradition may be televised: Dotcom wants to livestream trial

Kim Dotcom's extradition appeal with the New Zealand High Court isn't far off now, with a planned six weeks set aside for the hearing. Because of international interest in it, Dotcom has requested it be live streamed around the world, but the government wants to stop that and has counter-requested that the court not allow it.

MegaUpload, Mega and Baboom founder Kim Dotcom, lost his original extradition trial at the tail end of 2015. He announced shortly after a plan to appeal, because otherwise he would be deported to the United States, where he would likely stand trial for copyright infringement, money laundering and other various charges related to the running of his original file locker.

Because of global interest in my case we have asked the High Court to allow live-streaming of my 6 weeks of copyright extradition hearings.

— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) August 23, 2016

Now with the appeal approaching, Dotcom wants as much publicity on it as he can get, hence asking the court for a live-stream to be broadcast around the world. He believes that he will be exonerated in the appeal and that the extradition order will be overturned. It would certainly be egg on his face if he televised a confirmation of the original trial.

However in what may be an early indication of a lack of confidence that that would occur, the New Zealand Government has made a counter request to the court that it not allow the streaming of the appeal process. Dotcom took to Twitter to mock that request.

The U.S. Government has asked the New Zealand High Court not to allow live-streaming of my global interest copyright hearing. Worried? 🙂

— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) August 24, 2016

If the livestream is given the go ahead, it will likely present a good opportunity for Dotcom to increase his exposure and highlight some of the issues with the trial that he feels are still unknown in the public eye. If it isn't, he'll be able to continue mocking the government and courts for being afraid.

It sounds like a win win for the German national.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I don't plan to sit through six weeks of trial footage to find the nuggets, but I'm sure they'll be in there and someone will turf them up.

Image source: Dotcom/Twitter

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