Case number 13/2016: Avishai Abrahami (Wix) – David Rusenko (Weebly)

JUDGMENT AND ETHICAL CONCLUSION

Dear Prosecutor, Executive Secretary and Jury Members of the International of Buddhist Ethics Committee (IBEC) and Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights (BTHR), concerning the case reported by the World Association of Buddhism (WBA) against Avishai Abrahami and David Rusenko, Directors of the companies Wix.com and Weebly.com respectively, through the present, on day March 21, 2016, I confirm that it is concluded the case thirteen of the Ethics Committee in order to analyze the violation of Buddhist Spirituality and the Human Rights carried out by the accused part. After certifying the evidence as valid by the Prosecutor, and the accused having had the possibility of providing investigative statement, it has proceeded with the vote of four members of the Jury, who issued unanimous verdict of “Responsible” regarding Avishai Abrahami (Wix) and David Rusenko (Weebly) for the crimes of CENSORSHIP, VIOLATION OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, VIOLATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS, ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY, VIOLATION OF THE HUMAN RIGHT TO PEACE, DISCRIMINATION AND VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLES.

The accused’s actions have not only attacked the Buddhist ethical precepts but also the standards of International Law and Human Rights, because their acts of censorship regarding tribal juridical activities of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee show that Avishai Abrahami (Wix) and David Rusenko (Weebly) are complicit in discrimination, violating all kinds of jurisprudence on Freedom of Expression. In effect, these companies do not comply with what they claim to represent that is the freedom of expression of all individuals to publish and disseminate their ideas. Furthermore, in the case of Wix Company, censorship was carried out in defense of Mr. Ole Nydahl, who has been previously sentenced by the Ethics Committee, while in the case of the Weebly Company censorship was carried out probably by complicity with the acts of the Wix Company. Both companies have shown breaching the principles of tolerance advocated both by the Buddhist Spirituality and by international Human Rights instruments.

If society accepts this kind of conducts that censor legal activities and fundamental rights such as Freedom of Expression, as is actually happening in a military, economic, political superpower which shall be investigated, then the world will be routed to an era of absolute government-business control in which the voices of all peoples will be silenced violently through impunity. This dangerous future scenario is factually very likely, since the International Buddhist Ethics Committee has contacted hundreds of lawyers and organizations advocating civil rights, most of which have not only shown no interest in this case of censorship, but have also come to say that the Right to Freedom of Expression – protected by US constitution – should only be promoted by the State and not by private companies, as if they had a special jurisdiction in which there are no human rights. This is not only an example of the ineffectiveness of traditional Law, but is also an evidence of where the global society is headed. This course toward alienation and oppression of fundamental freedoms is a path against which the International Buddhist Ethics Committee is struggling.

Moreover, these companies have been given the opportunity to correct their wrong behavior, but they just have responded with further aggressions, thus evidencing that Avishai Abrahami and David Rusenko have no interest in protecting Human Rights at all. These public conducts by the accused ones are part of a global context of censorship, control and espionage by powerful governments but also with the complicity of big technology firms, which are absolutely ignorant of the fundamental freedoms and Human Rights. In fact, the transcendental rights, among which are the Right to Peace and the Right to Freedom of Expression, according to international law must be practiced and defended by every State, group and human being. The companies are human groups so they obviously have ethical duties to be fulfilled, and must respect pluralism and democracy. In order to create a Pure Earth or better world, the Buddhist Spirituality has the Purpose (Dharma) to fight peacefully against the violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, whether they are committed by States, religions or companies. Indeed, governments and corporations often believe that power and money rule the world, but they ignore the infinite majesty of the word of a Free and Enlightened Being (Arhat-Bodhisattva), whose values of compassionate wisdom (karuna-prajna) are invincible. This demonstrates that the International Buddhist Ethics Committee always fights against impunity of capitalism, which is basically a system of intolerance, exclusion and social injustice. Thus, faced with the evils of greed, hatred and delusion, the spiritual masters respond with the Ethical Path of Detachment, Solidarity and Truth.

Following in the Way of Master Siddhartha Gautama, who has been the embodiment of the appropriate expression and righteous speech, the International Buddhist Ethics Committee and the Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights dictates that Buddhist Spirituality, as supreme Way of the Civil Rights and Freedom of Expression, must establish that Avishai Abrahami (Wix) and David Rusenko (Weebly) have attacked the Buddhist ethical precepts and human rights, reason by which they are the sentenced as “Responsible” for the offenses of CENSORSHIP, VIOLATION OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, VIOLATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS, ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY, VIOLATION OF THE HUMAN RIGHT TO PEACE, DISCRIMINATION AND VIOLATION OF THE RIGHTS OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLES.

Notwithstanding, although it is considered that these behaviors have been abhorrent, the Committee altruistically offers to all staff of the aforementioned companies the possibility to study Human Rights for free under our auspice in order not to return to incur such international violations against Freedom of Expression. The present Ethical Judgment is the first lesson that is offered to them in a completely selfless way, by evidencing that the Righteousness of the Buddhist Path is never complicit in violations of fundamental freedoms.

Always with a spirit of reconciliation (maitri),

Buddhist Master Maitreya

Spiritual Guide and President of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee (IBEC) and Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights (BTHR)