Drug maker Abbott Laboratories is suing an AIDS activist group for an alleged cyber-attack on the company’s website.
For Chicago Public Radio, Alex Helmick reports.
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Abbott is battling with the Thai government on the price of its AIDS drugs in that country. Because of the conflict, Abbott says the activist group Act Up-Paris shut down the company’s site just hours before a shareholders’ meeting.
Eric Sawyer is with Act Up. He says the group did nothing illegal but did launch a campaign to bombard the site with emails and activity.
Sawyer: It’s not Act Up-Paris’ fault that their website doesn’t have sufficient server capacity to handle the volume of consumer outrage over their action.
Abbot says in a written statement people have the right to protest and disagree with its decisions but not to break the law.
The company says Act Up violated French penal code by unlawfully interrupting business activities.
A hearing is scheduled for a Paris criminal court in October.
For Chicago Public Radio, I’m Alex Helmick.