ArmA 3 developers imprisoned in Greece on espionage charges, community holds petition to free them
62 replies, posted
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[Quote=Verge.com]Two employees of ARMA 3 studio Bohemia Interactive were arrested after taking photos and film of military installations in Lemnos, Greece, it was confirmed by Bohemia CEO Marek Spanel on the developer's official forums.
The two developers stated they work for the studio and were compiling footage for ARMA 3.
"This is true," wrote Marek. "We prefer this topic not to be discussed on our forums atm, at least until we know more specific details about the case so I am going to close this topic and our moderators are going to close any related dicussion here, thank you for understanding."
Set in the mid-2030s, ARMA 3 will take place on the Aegean islands of Lemnos and Stratis of Greece in the Mediterranean Sea, where the United States Army's 7th Infantry Division are attempting to hold off an Iranian offensive. ARMA 3 is scheduled to release to PC in Q4 of this year.
We have contacted Bohemia Interactive for further information on the situation and will update when it becomes available.
Source: [url]http://www.theverge.com/gaming/2012/9/11/3314618/arma-3-developers-arrested-for-spying-on-military-in-greece[/url]
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[Quote=Verge.com]Bohemia Interactive's CEO, Marek Spanel, released a statement this morning in support of two employees who are currently being detained in Greece on allegations of espionage.
Spanel defended Martin Pezlar and Ivan Buchta – two developers working on Arma 3 – saying that they were holidaying on the Greek island of Lemnos and had no intention to threaten Greek national security.
"The guys visited the island as tourists," Spanel said in his statement. "Their trip to Lemnos was personal, organized via travel agent, with the single goal of experiencing the place that has inspired the virtual environments of Arma 3, a computer game that they've been working on over the past two years.
"Our company has never gathered or collected any restricted information, such as photos or blueprints of military installations of any nation, nor have we ever tasked anybody else to do it on our behalf. We always respect the law and we develop all of our products using publicly available materials only – Arma 3 is no exception."
Spanel says that media sources have reported that the Greek Ministry of National Defence examined Arma 3 and were assured that the game did not raise any problems. The game is based upon a fictional future set in the year 2035.
"The whole incident is a terrible personal tragedy for Ivan, Martin and their families; I believe it to be no more than a deep misunderstanding, one which will be swiftly explained. I'm ready to support the guys and their families in these difficult times as much as I can," he said.
A petition has been launched to protest the arrest of the two developers. Both men face up to 20 years in jail if found guilty.
Source: [url]http://www.theverge.com/gaming/2012/9/20/3362148/bohemia-interactive-ceo-says-arma-3-developer-arrests-are-a-terrible[/url]
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[quote=eurogamer.net]Two ArmA 3 developers arrested last week on charges of espionage have spoken out from their Greek prison.
The duo, Martin Pezlar and Ivan Buchta, are being held in Mytilene - the capital of Greek island Lesbos.
"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," the pair wrote in a joint statement.
"We mainly think of you, our families; you have to stay calm and not to worry about us. We hope we will meet soon."
Both men deny the charges and argue they were on the island - which features in ArmA 3 - simply as tourists.
"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," Bohemia Interactive spokesman Ota Vrtatko said.
"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."
There was no need for the pair to photograph military installations on Limnos, Vrtako added, as ArmA 3's fictional version will be very different.
"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 per cent of the real island, and it does not attempt to display any real world military installations situated on the island.
"To summarise 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."
One ArmA 3 fan previously tried to warn the developers from taking photographs near military installations while on the trip.
A party of British planespotters were arrested in similar circumstances in 2001. The group were held for six months before being released on £9000 bail.
Source: [url]http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-09-17-detained-arma-3-devs-speak-the-conditions-are-tough[/url]
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Ota Vrtatko's statement with more info involving their arrest: [url]http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=17655[/url]
Marek Spanel's statement: [url]http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=17671[/url]
The petition to free Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar: [url]http://www.helpivanmartin.org/[/url]
This really sucks. I hope they are released so they can get back to their families.
fuck the greke
What the fuck Greece, what do you think you're doing?
I think they hold them for a ransom.
They need every cent they can get to help their country. :v:
I bet those 2 guys can boost the economy by 250% there.
[QUOTE=Appolox;37759924]What the fuck Greece, what do you think you're doing?[/QUOTE]
they're fiending for large amounts of cash in any possible way they can
They probably should of asked to film, regardless if they were coming in as tourist. Most military's are pretty sensitive about what gets film or photoed of.
The unquoted part of Marek Spanel's statement also reveals that the guys had just caught some distant hangars and military buildings on video, not actually trespassed on military property or directly filmed any bases.
Edit: Whoops im talking about a different statement, here's what they've said though [quote=Ota Vrtatko]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.
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[QUOTE=Falchion;37760015]The unquoted part of Marek Spanel's statement also reveals that the guys had just caught some distant hangars and military buildings on video, not actually trespassed on military property or directly filmed any bases.
Edit: Whoops im talking about a different statement, here's what they've said though[/QUOTE]
I was unaware they didn't actually film or photo anything that was sensitive. I assumed they were filming aircraft and whatnot.
This is the new plot for Arma 3. Freeing captives from Greece.
[QUOTE=Rich209;37760109]I was unaware they didn't actually film or photo anything that was sensitive. I assumed they were filming aircraft and whatnot.[/QUOTE]
It's funny how you can assume so much without knowing :v:
With all the technologies todays militaries have, you would expect them to not be fucking retarded.
[QUOTE=LewyJudge12;37760217]Any link to the petition?[/QUOTE] Updated the OP.
this is the part where an elite team of arma players are assembled and break the 2 devs out in a glorious baptism by fire
[QUOTE=Xenak;37759879]
The petition to free Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar: [url]http://www.helpivanmartin.org/[/url]
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[img]http://yalam.co.uk/i/8y7.png[/img]
[QUOTE=W0w00t;37760327]this is the part where an elite team of arma players are assembled and break the 2 devs out in a glorious baptism by fire[/QUOTE]
we'd all get shot trying to yell out an enemy's location
[QUOTE=JerryK;37760475]we'd all get shot trying to yell out an enemy's location[/QUOTE]
binocular run to victory
i really hope they add a mission in arma 3 where you have to rescue two game developers from a terrorist group or something
would be hilarious
well assuming this all goes ok it would be
[QUOTE=JerryK;37760645]i really hope they add a mission in arma 3 where you have to rescue two game developers from a terrorist group or something
would be hilarious
well assuming this all goes ok it would be[/QUOTE]
there was a mission on Armaholic called Espionage. but i think they took it down or something cause i can't seem to find it.
[QUOTE=JerryK;37760645]i really hope they add a mission in arma 3 where you have to rescue two game developers from a terrorist group or something
would be hilarious
well assuming this all goes ok it would be[/QUOTE]
If the developers don't, the community will.
I both find this hilariuse and awful
Espionage is serious shit, if they go down, they're going down hard.
[QUOTE=NoobieWafer223;37760934]there was a mission on Armaholic called Espionage. but i think they took it down or something cause i can't seem to find it.[/QUOTE]
Yep it looks like it, found part of the description of it on google
[quote]This morning, two Chernarussian Citizens were arrested by a Takistani patrol while taking photos of the Landscape around Lake Charsu.[/quote]
I don't see why they took it down, would of been hilarious to play :v:
I think a lot of the people in the legal system are on strike in Greece, probably why nothing's really happened so far.
Lemnos island is a really disputed zone between the greeks and the turkish so taking photos of military bases might have not been the best call and they knew that
[QUOTE=recolour;37761217]Lemnos island is a really disputed zone between the greeks and the turkish so taking photos of military bases might have not been the best call and they knew that[/QUOTE]
yeah so thats why known czech game devs are "spying" on them
[editline]22nd September 2012[/editline]
its the perfect crime
and then the turks will use arma3 as a training tool
[editline]22nd September 2012[/editline]
and then the turks invade lemnos and they're all like "oh i know where we're at, i remember this from arma, lets go x direction"
So now all the people from Shacktac can use their abilities that they had trained to rescue them.
Or the hordes of people from the dayz community
Damn. Never knew Ivan had a child.
Guys can you stop being Offensive? Cause i am getting quite offended.
What the army did was something they and only they hold responsible, it wasn't an action made on the behalf of whole greece. So when making a reference take into consideration the army as a seperate fragment of the country. What they did is something that any army of ANY country would have done.
So please be reasonable when you're throwing out words like that, you can hurt someone.
And I'm greek btw, if you didn't know and i am not defending the army
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