AfterDawn: News

MasterCard no longer blocking donations to WikiLeaks

After almost three years of blocking all donations to WikiLeaks via their processing channels, MasterCard has reversed course following a lawsuit that was filed in Iceland.

Since 2010, VISA, MasterCard, PayPal, Bank of America and Western Union have all blocked processing on donations to WikiLeaks after the group released thousands of classified US diplomatic cables.



Reads WikiLeak's press release:

WikiLeaks was notified of MasterCard International's change in position by VALITOR, the Icelandic partner for VISA and MasterCard.

On April 24, 2013 WikiLeaks and DataCell won a lawsuit, which had been running for two years, against VALITOR for breach of contract and blockading WikiLeaks' donations at the behest of VISA and MasterCard. The Icelandic Supreme Court ordered VALITOR to recommence processing donations to WikiLeaks.

VALITOR complied and reopened its payment gateway, but gave formal legal notice that it would terminate its contract and reclose the gateway on July 1, 2013, citing a unilateral termination clause in the contract.

VALITOR has now fully reversed its position and announces it will honor the contract with DataCell and process payments to WikiLeaks.

In a letter from VALITOR´s lawyers, VALITOR relates how it sought the opinions of MasterCard International and VISA on the proposed July 1 cut-off. In its response MasterCard made clear to VALITOR that it no longer desires to blockade WikiLeaks. VISA has not responded.

No other financial company has made a similar decision.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 5 Jul 2013 20:58

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• 5 comments

• KillerBug

  Looks like people are finally starting to see that the fearmongering is just that...and the people we should really fear are the ones who claim to be defending us.
  

  
  

  6.7.2013 09:39 #1

• xtago

  I'd say this is only on the iceland payments.
  
  To be honest, the whole NSA thing has been bad for the USA as heaps of countries all over the world, like Iran, China, Germany, France etc now want the NSA documents to be given to them and the USA now has to comply with that.
  
  All the while all these countries don't have to hand anything back to the USA.
  
  Is that really a good result for the USA, I don't know as I don't have to care.
  
  And you probably wonder why the US government is after Snowden so bad.

  7.7.2013 10:30 #2

• Jemborg

  Visa... you're next.
  

  Its a lot easier being righteous than right.
  
  
  

  7.7.2013 12:24 #3

• jagman1

  Where are the good men these days........everyone brown nosing the effing USA!! FFS let's stand up to these bastards who want to snoop & spy on our every move! They must fear us I guess so let's band together & DO SOMETHING! Stop using Google, Face ache, etc...... ACCEPT NO COOKIES except sign in sites & CLEAR PRIVACY @ browser exit. Cut down the data flow to them & 'Get a life'!

  11.7.2013 11:55 #4

• Jemborg

  Vote for the Wikileaks party in Oz!!
  
  Julian's father is exactly the same as him... it's a bit uncanny even if he is his dad.
  

  Its a lot easier being righteous than right.
  
  
  

  11.7.2013 23:36 #5