Dangers of DXpeditions: DJ6SI Arrested In Greece

DX Coffee has written an excellent piece on the dangers of DXpeditions in places where diplomacy and human rights are not up to par.

7O6T and 6O0CW: All Things Considered

This piece was spoken of on the heels of breaking news which has come from the VU Amateur Radio mailing list. A ham in Greece has been arrested on suspicion of spying. DXCoffee references the Global Peace Index in the piece.

From DX World: 

World traveller and well known DXer, Baldur DJ6SI has been arrested on the island of Kos for alleged spying.


Whilst Dx World does not know the precise details, this story is all over the Greek ham radio blogosphere.
SV2DCD blog
SV8CS blog
SV5BYR blog
Recent cluster spottings prior to Baldur’s arrest.

 

DXCoffee makes the following points which are quoted here: 

"The 2011 ranking of the “Global Peace Index” (created by “Vision of Humanity“) sees Somalia at the bottom of the list (ranked #153), which thusly conveys the unenviable distinction of “Most Dangerous Country on Earth.” Yemen, in contrast, is “only” 138th, while still in the top 20 worldwide."

"We should give back in like measure for that which has transpired, by way of thanks and gratitude to the handful of radio stars involved in the activations of Socotra Island and Galkayo. They have willingly made possible for each us to conquer one more piece of the DXCC puzzle. There was an implicit acceptance of risk of sufficient magnitude."

"(the license qualifies us as operators, not necessarily as “courteous people”), but if a human being stopped being like this, alas, he could no longer be a ham. Responsibility is the first real virtue of an OM, and our search for those famous “fifteen minutes” (although in this case the duration of 15 days) is not enough, in spite of our freedom to choose; and individual motivations should remain unchanged in justifying even the slightest conditon relating to our physical security." 

"respectfully bear in mind the reflections of others in our reading over the past several days, the alleged communications restrictions (we have not heard from the team regarding this) in contacts with Israeli stations imposed by Yemeni authorities on the team of 7O6T."

"The Amateur Service is not put into operation by divine investiture, rather by permission of a government entity"

"DXCC does not assign values to the level of democracy of an entity; it’s not Amnesty International. It recognizes that an activation has occurred in accordance with procedures and requirements and makes it valid for the achievement of the given award."

"Politics has no place in radio (behind the microphone) – and this is an inviolable principle and one to defend – but it’s impossible, given the nature of a government action"

The SV2DCD website has some more talk about the situation involving DJ6SI.  

There is only speculation as of this time, some of it, not so nice. We will have to wait and see how this case plays out before we really know anything solid about the allegations and facts. There will likely be different versions of what happened and why. Shortwave America would urge the amateur radio community to think responsibly and act wisely until more details are known.