Week 3 Ivan and Martin arrested. Show them you care

[Mysticales 118]

Dean Hall has made a plea to the DayZ community and gamers from all over to help free 2 of his friends from Greece who have been Arrested for "Spying"

http://rocketkiwi.tu...s-are-in-prison for the info on how you can help.

Also a new site has been opened as well. http://www.helpivanmartin.org/

Also for Twitter, @HelpIvanMartin

So please take a look and try to help Twitter the PM of Greece. Or do as instructed in the websites above. Lets help free these people to the best of our ability with the power of social media!

For those not looking to Tweet. (Which I can understand as I am not a social network type of girl myself) There is a QUICK alternative on the main http://www.helpivanmartin.org/ site. Name, Email, Comment petition. Very simple to sign and show your support.

PurePassion made a nice recap of events and updates in the thread, So putting it on this post:

To resume what information is available and to avoid any further rumours:

• Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar are BIS employees who went on a private holiday trip to visit the island of Limnos due their interest which emerged from working on the game and the island for such a long time.
  

• They were arrested by local police at their hotel.
  

• They did not gain entrance to any prohibited military facilities
  

• The evidence which is held against them are not photos of secret military bases to be used as reference for Arma 3 but 14 snapshots of a video which they took out of the window of a driving car. They were driving on a public street next to the Limnos airport.
  

• Initally, they passed a first sign which stated that photographing and filming is prohibited but they did not see it. As soon as a second sign was visible on the tape, the recording had stopped.
  

• They are now accused of possessing material, that can endanger the national security of Greece and still spend day after day, night after night in prison
  

Edited September 21, 2012 by Mysticales

[rustledmyjimmies 361]

Didn't they get arrested for filming the military or something?

[Man vs Wild 313]

man 20 years thats alot!

[Mysticales 118]

I remember reading the story, however I think "Research" for a game.. is being considered "Military Spying" so in otherwords, sounds like its getting blown out of proportion. Either way, he seems genuine in his call for help. So even if all you do is twitter message the prime minister. Thats least something. =)

[pieeyedsniper 25]

I guess don't take pictures of military installations. Sorry I've gotta do it...Doctor......Doctor....Doctor.

[rustledmyjimmies 361]

20 years?

Damn Greece, you scary

[dallas 5195]

20 years for researching a video game, banana republcish

[DieBrotmafia 79]

This is ridiculous, I'm sure they'll look at the evidence and they will be free (hopefully soon)

[purepassion 383]

This is a call for support to the entire ARMA/OFP/DayZ community, all gamers and non-gamers alike.

An Update about our Colleagues Detained in Greece

Since last Sunday, when two Bohemia Interactive, a.s. employees, were arrested on the Greek island of Lemnos, much speculation about what happened has circulated online.

It’s been rumoured that they entered restricted military areas or gathered photographic references of military bases in order to improve the visual fidelity of Arma 3, a PC game currently under development by our company.

Far in advance of any formal charges - only hours after they were detained by the local police - many media outlets immediately suggested spying and, only one day later, specifically referenced Arma 3.

Having travelled there, and after meeting personally with them both, as well as their lawyer who is fully acquainted with the Greek authority’s investigation file in detail, we can assure you that these insinuations are completely false and without substance.

These employees - our friends, Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar - visited the island as tourists. Their holiday was a product of their interest in the island, triggered by their work on Arma 3 over the past two years of development.

They took photographs and videos in public areas, as countless tourists arriving to enjoy the beauty and hospitality of Greece may well do. These included a short video as they drove through the main road passing around the international airport, where in one short part of the video off in the distance some hangars and other buildings of the complex can be seen. It's very likely that many tourists may have pictures similar to those taken by Ivan and Martin in their own family albums, without being aware that they put themselves or their families at risk.

We sincerely hope that the whole situation is no more than an unfortunate and deep misunderstanding. The in-game Limnos is close to completion, and it’s far from an identical replication of the real place. It was heavily modified to fit the game’s backstory, a purely fictional 2035 setting. It was rescaled to only 75% of the real island, and it does not attempt to display any real world military installations situated on the island of Lemnos.

To summarize the situation:

• They visited Lemnos on their holiday as tourists.
  
• They did not enter any military area.
  
• They did not take any pictures of any military objects to be used in Arma 3.
  

Martin and Ivan, currently being detained in Mytilene, relayed this message to their friends and family:

"The conditions are tough, but the people we meet treat us fairly and correctly. It is all a completely absurd misunderstanding that will certainly be quickly explained. We mainly think of you, our families; you have to stay calm and not to worry about us. We hope we will meet soon."

We apologize for any possible delay or lack of communication regarding this important matter.

At present, all and every possible effort goes towards supporting Ivan and Martin, their families, and to getting the guys safely back home. Any form of support for our imprisoned colleagues and friends will be more than welcome.

It's time to show our support, not only as a community, but as players and concerned citizens, for two developers and family members, who now face a lifetime in prison for an unfortunate misunderstanding.

Ivan and Martin need your support right now, so please share this link with as many people as you can,

sign the petition and leave a message for them as a signal of solidarity, hope and friendship.

Thank you for your time, your help is much appreciated!

----------------------------- http://www.helpivanmartin.org/---------------------------------

[Regicide 111]

Show your support guys. Help out our friends. It take like 4 seconds to send out a freaking tweet.

[rekrul 91]

Upvote here if you have a reddit account: http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/101m6u/help_free_2_game_developers_falsely_accused_of/

It's a self post so the karma won't count.

[urbad 3]

sorry, i would sign but im too busy working to save money for dayz standalone.

[domepx2 23]

sorry, i would sign but im too busy working to save money for dayz standalone.

If you're "to busy working" why are you on the forums then?

[urbad 3]

If you're "to busy working" why are you on the forums then?

lunch break.

[aoshi 32]

sorry, i would sign but im too busy working to save money for dayz standalone.

well, selfish bastard, think on the family of these guys...

[aoshi 32]

some # maybe...

[rocket 16567]

Just to clarify.

They were on holiday. The island, which is not an faithful representation by even the slightest stretch of the real island, is well finished from a map designers standpoint.

It would be far to late for them to be "researching" the island, hence why that accusation makes no sense. But, that's not even what the authorities are saying. That is even crazier.

[torturedchunk 22]

Signed!

For those of you joking about how you don't have "time," get over yourself. I have hard time finding the humor anywhere near this situation.

Grow up.

[GeordieMarv 293]

Signed!

What i find absurd is that it's not as if any of this "map" information won't already be readily available on things like google earth etc etc. And in much more detail.

As for any military equipment or vehicles/aircraft they MAY have allegedly photographed...well have the Greek authorities not heard of people like "Janes". I bet most of the hardware Greece may have is also readily available through military books/databases like these :-

http://www.amazon.co...47920261&sr=1-1

SHIT ... what have i done. I'm gonna go to jail for 20 yrs!!!

The whole situation is laughable for everyone except the 2 poor guys siiting in some Greek jail who are obviously being used as "scapegoats".

We can only hope the Greek authorities see SENSE. Free the Bohemia 2.

Edited September 17, 2012 by GeordieMarv

[Mysticales 118]

Hey for those not looking to Tweet. (Which I can understand as I am not a social network type of girl myself) There is a QUICK alternative on the main http://www.helpivanmartin.org/ site. Name, Email, Comment petition. Very simple to sign and show your support.

[V2_Danny 48]

Signed!

What i find absurd is that it's not as if any of this "map" information won't already be readily available on things like google earth etc etc. And in much more detail.

As for any military equipment or vehicles/aircraft they MAY have allegedly photographed...well have the Greek authorities not heard of people like "Janes". I bet most of the hardware Greece may have is also readily available through military books/databases like these :-

http://www.amazon.co...47920261&sr=1-1

SHIT ... what have i done. I'm gonna go to jail for 20 yrs!!!

The whole situation is laughable for everyone except the 2 poor guys siiting in some Greek jail who are obviously being used as "scapegoats".

We can only hope the Greek authorities see SENSE. Free the Bohemia 2.

Even if, i know i wouldnt be arrested for photographing a military base, or air force base here. And if i got detained it would certainly not be 20 years. And spying on something that can be seen on the internet. Its all absurd and lacking any logic behind it.

[Powell (DayZ) 734]

oh shit Greece what are you doing

[pidian 19]

Hey for those not looking to Tweet. (Which I can understand as I am not a social network type of girl myself) There is a QUICK alternative on the main http://www.helpivanmartin.org/ site. Name, Email, Comment petition. Very simple to sign and show your support.

nice, i try to avoid twitter like the plague

/signed

[djshauny1 222]

Im sorry but you must obey rules in a different country

but ill sign anyway

Edited September 17, 2012 by nicefish

[DGSix 19]

Just to clarify.

They were on holiday. The island, which is not an faithful representation by even the slightest stretch of the real island, is well finished from a map designers standpoint.

It would be far to late for them to be "researching" the island, hence why that accusation makes no sense. But, that's not even what the authorities are saying. That is even crazier.

Wow, our community is now signing the petition and sending prayers