2012-11-08
Charges against G20 blogger Dan Kellar are expected to be dropped at a court appearance on Thursday.
Kellar was charged with criminal harassment and intimidation after writing about his experience with two undercover police officers leading up to the June 2010 G20 summit.
According to Kellar’s lawyer Davin Charney, the Crown has indicated it will withdraw the charges.
“It is fundamental that people be free to criticize police. The police didn’t want these charges to go before a judge because they are totally and utterly baseless,” Charney said in a statement.
“The charges were laid to muzzle an activist.”
Kellar was arrested on Aug. 25, 2011, after he posted comments about the undercover officers on his blog.
Kellar said the officers had posed as his friend, and one of them even visited him at home and at work.
He was charged with two counts of criminal defamation and counselling to commit assault. The defamation charges were withdrawn but additional charges of criminal harassment and intimidation were laid.
He was released on bail after promising to remove the post and not publish anything online about the two agents.
Kellar and Charney are expected to hold a news conference after the court appearance.
Another G20 blogger, Julian Ichim, was charged with breaking a publication ban after he wrote about his experience with an undercover police officer.
Ichim refused to remove the post.
He will appear in court on Nov. 16.