.An Icelandic art trainee is being filed a claim against through Iceland's most extensive sportfishing firm, Samherji, after making an artwork excusing its own claimed role in the alleged Fishrot scandal.
The rumor takes its own title coming from a store of over 30,000 records dripped by a previous Samherij employee in Namibia and posted by Wikileaks in November 2019. The alleged "Fishrot Data" information email correspondence in between Samherji's workers suggesting that the provider paid for countless bucks in perks to high-ranking politicians and authorities in Namibia to obtain the southern African country's sportfishing quota.Samherji had actually firmly rejected allegations of bribery as well as the ten accused Namibian officials have protested their purity amid apprehension for over 4 years. The case reached Namibia's high court of law in the end of in 2015 as well as is actually ongoing.
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In 2023, performer Oddur Eysteinn Friu00f0riksson, known as ODEE, created the art pieces We are actually Sorry. The work was an artificial UK-registered web site imitating Samherji's official site, but with the art pieces's title plastered in big font style around the homepage.
" I burnt and saddened by the actions of Samherji in Namibia, which were exposed through the 'Fishrot Files,' and that after three years no one had been brought to justice or incriminated," ODEE said to ARTnews. "I really felt that no one coming from Iceland had actually reached out to Namibia to apologize for what took place. Therefore, my art pieces is actually an apology on behalf of Icelanders to the Namibian nation.".
Oddur Eysteinn Friu00f0riksson, also called ODEE.Courtesy of Oddur Eysteinn Friu00f0riksson.
ODEE, who is actually studying for a masters in art at the Educational institution of Bergen, Norway, additionally delivered a news release labelled "Samherji Apologizes, Pledges Reparation as well as Participation along with Authorities" to one hundred overseas media electrical outlets in twenty various nations.
" Our team at Samherji want to issue a formal apology for our involvement related to the Fishrot shame," the phony news release reads. "Our team accept the seriousness of the claims versus our company, which include corruption, bribery, and neocolonialism. These actions have weakened Namibia's control and also deprived the nation of essential incomes for health and wellness and education. Our team admit to making use of facilitation fees to allow degrading monetary transactions, removing profits from Namibia, as well as paying for low tax obligations. Our team additionally concede that our team have actually illegitimately benefited from mackerel percentages, which led to work reductions and also durable damage to the Namibian economic situation.".
Samherji responded to the musician's press release through posting a main statement in May in 2015.
" Samherji's interest has been pulled to the truth that unfamiliar unscrupulous gatherings have actually sent out a fake news release in Samherji's name to overseas media outlets," it reads. "The very same parties likewise appear to have set up a phony website in the name of the business ... It ought to be taken note that not either the web site neither the press release possesses any sort of connection with Samherji or the provider's workers. This looks a prepared strike that the firm takes incredibly truly.".
Around the exact same opportunity, Samherji filed a problem in the UK, accusing ODEE of hallmark breach and also destructive fraud and looking for loss in connection with the bunk web site and also news release. A UK higher court judge permitted an interim ruling last Might to take down the web site. The situation is still ongoing.As component of the artwork, the artist also painted words "WE'RE SORRY" on a wall structure at Iceland's Reykjavu00edk Art Gallery. The mural was part of a team exhibit for graduates coming from the Iceland Educational Institution of the Crafts, where ODEE researched before transferring to Norway.
The landscape at Iceland's Reykjavik Fine art Gallery.Courtesy of Oddur Eysteinn Friu00f0riksson.
ODEE has create a GoFundMe webpage to raise money for his defense. He informed ARTnews that he are going to be pushed to guard himself in courtroom if he stops working to elevate $22,500. At that time of creating, donations total merely over $4,500.
" I am today at an essential juncture. My lawful crew has actually been actually functioning pro bono for several months, however Samherji, a multi-billion dollar corporation, has actually hired strategies developed to deplete our sources," he said. "Without financial backing at this critical point, I dread I will certainly stand up alone and also without appropriate protection in the high court of London.".
A hearing is actually set to happen at the end of September in the UK. Andra Matei, a legal professional coming from Paris-based law firm Avant-Garde Attorney, which specializes in speaking up for musicians, has actually been actually embodying ODEE. She told ARTnews that Samherji is actually seeking a recap opinion, which would certainly choose the end result without a trial.
" We want ODEE to possess his time in judge," Matei said. "This scenario is an uncommon and special possibility to harmonize the right to civil liberty of a musician versus the IP liberties of a firm, when factors of public interest go to risk. While this is critical for ODEE, the scenario possesses extensive ramifications for the whole creative area. Providing [Samherji's] claim can truly inhibit artists and everyone else from speaking out in imaginative techniques to generate important talks and keeping the exercise of public as well as exclusive energy to profile.".
Matei said the self defense she has prepared is actually "groundbreaking." "Our team are actually shifting the pay attention to ODEE's right to civil liberty," she described. "Free speech is actually not a protection you would usually make use of in a copyright scenario.".
The Association of Icelandic Artists, in the meantime, launched a statement today putting down Samherji's actions.
" It is a serious matter when a huge range international business organization utilizes it u00b4 s energy as well as financial excellence to describe as well as limit the freedom of speech by taking legal action against a fine art trainee in an international court where the trainee has even less means and also choices to shield himself," it goes through. [Our experts convey] genuine and also obvious uniformity along with the freedom of speech as well as phrase of performers.".
In 2021, Samherji Chief Executive Officer u00deorsteinn Mu00e1r Baldvinsson sent a sworn statement along with the High Court of Namibia, emphatically refuting any type of involvement or know-how of wrongdoing. (Samherji ex-general manager as well as whistleblower Ju00f3hannes Stefu00e1nsson had earlier charged Baldvinsson of being actually the "principal designer" of deals between Samherji and also the Namibian sportfishing institutions. In the sworn statement, Baldvinsson refused involvement in any type of such agreements and said he can "undoubtedly not be called the 'major designer.'").
Around the same time, Baldvinsson released a social statement.
" It is my and Samherji's agency position that no unlawful infractions were devoted in Namibia through companies on our account or their workers, apart from the conduct that the previous managing director has actually directly admitted to and accepted. Nevertheless, as Samherji's magnate, I am responsible for permitting business practices in Namibia to happen. It has distressed our staff, close friends, loved ones, service companions, clients and also others in our area. I am actually really sorry that this taken place, and also I genuinely ask forgiveness to all those involved, both individually and also in support of the firm. Currently it is vital to make sure that nothing like this happens again. Our experts are going to absolutely strive for that.".
Samherji carried out not respond to ARTnews' request for comment.