The Icelandic artist ODEE has lost his request to appeal against the fishing company Samherji regarding intellectual property infringement, malicious falsehood and passing off. This is a very disappointing ruling that continues to illustrate the power of big business to squash criticism and debate.
Protect has joined more than 25 leading whistleblowing and free expression organistions in calling for one of Europe’s largest fishing companies to drop its punitive legal action against an Icelandic visual artist. The artist, who goes by the name ODEE, has created a series of works drawing attention to alleged corruption committed by the Icelandic firm Samherji. The case centres on practices to secure fishing quotas in Namibia that were revealed in 2019 by the whistleblower, Jóhannes Stefansson, and is known as the #Fishrot Scandal.
