[Community-Discuss] FUNDRAISING & DONATIONS - TO KEEP AFRINIC RUNNING

[Ronald F. Guilmette]

In message <CANanHixXM=cnePg6Qtn5wM5265Z9zYL5HnYnUdHwBoOawjWsBQ at mail.gmail.com>, 
Ibeanusi Elvis <ibeanusielvis at gmail.com> wrote:


>Regarding the legalities of this initiative, I would want to verify

>something; did a lawyer review this idea to ensure that this initiative

>will not be viewed in contempt with regards to the decision of the

>Mauritius court?


The court placed a (temporary) freeze on AFRINIC's bank accounts.

If I, as a generous netizen, elect to send $50 USD -directly- to some
Afrinic employee, then that is not something that either can or will
concern the Mauritius court that created the AFRINIC bank account freeze,
as long as I do not attempt to route the money through any of the frozen
AFRINIC bank accounts that existed on the date and time when the judicial
freeze order took effect.  (If AFRINIC were to open a -new- account, either
in Mauritius or elsewhere, then that account would not be in any sense
frozen by the current operative judicial order, I believe.)

It's the same story if one was to create a GoFundMe campaign for AFRINIC.
The court order did not specify that GoFundMe.com is prohibited from
forwarding funds to AFRINIC or to its officers or employees.

In fact, if this entire sad episode has taught us anything, it is that all
five of the Regional Internet Registries should at all times hold bank
balances ONLY in Nevis & St. Kitts, where those bank balances would be
essentially immune from any and all legal encumbrances.


Regards,
rfg