Vic: Apparently confused Chinese hackers target arts festival

AAP General News (Australia)
08-06-2009
Vic: Apparently confused Chinese hackers target arts festival

The Melbourne International Arts Festival appears to be an innocent victim of the storm
over a visit by exiled Uighur leader REBIYA KADEER.

Ms KADEER is in Victoria for the Melbourne International Film Festival .. but it appears
someone has hacked the Arts Festival site and placed a Chinese flag in the middle of it.

Arts Festival general manager VIVIA HICKMAN says they've referred the matter to the
police and it's being investigated .. but hasn't caused much disruption to their plans.

Chinese authorities wanted Ms KADEER and her movie banned from the Film Festival because
they claim she's behind riots between the Uighar and Han Chinese on July 5.

The film festival's refusal to remove her movie from its program has sparked a mass
boycott by Chinese film-makers .. its website has been hacked and its online ticket booking
system and the festival organisers have received threats.

AAP RTV RTV mok/gfr/crh

KEYWORD: KADEER (MELBOURNE)

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