Wikipedia founder's extradition petition hits 50,000 signatures

A petition calling on UK home secretary Theresa May to block the US extradition of TVShack founder Richard O'Dwyer has received over 50,000 signatures since it was published.

The petition was started on Sunday by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales claiming that the extradition is unjust and would set a dangerous precedent.

"[Richard] O'Dwyer is not a US citizen, he's lived in the UK all his life, his site was not hosted there, and most of his users were not from the US. America is trying to prosecute a UK citizen for an alleged crime which took place on UK soil," reads the petition.

"The internet as a whole must not tolerate censorship in response to mere allegations of copyright infringement. As citizens we must stand up for our rights online."

The scope of response in the two days since the petition was published hints at a growing dissatisfaction with the UK's willingness to agree to US extradition requests.

The mother of Richard O'Dwyer, Julia O'Dwyer, appeared to have signed the petition herself, thanking Wales for his support in bringing the matter to the UK public.

"This is not only a matter of British national importance but of global importance too," she wrote.

"We so appreciate Jimmy Wales launching this petition in support of Richard, to have such support and endorsement from such a knowledgeable and respected figure is fantastic."

Many signatories backed Wales' call and urged the government to reverse their decision.

"To submit a UK citizen to the vicissitudes of the so called
judicial system of the USA for an alleged crime that took place on UK soil is morally wrong," wrote one.

"Theresa May's decision is cowardly, immoral, a deep affront to natural justice," added another.

O'Dwyer is one of a handful of British citizens the US is seeking to extradite for alleged computer related crimes. Famously, the country is also seeking to extradite Gary McKinnon, accusing him of hacking into 97 US military and Nasa computers.