Using Opera Mini in prison
Published February 7th, 2007 12:59 PM EST By Daniel GoldmanHere’s a nice story about how Opera Mini is bringing freedom to a prisoner, who was wrongfully imprisoned because of his religious practice, in some Middle Eastern country.
The prisoner wrote about his experience in the Opera Mini forums (see below), so I got in touch with him. When I asked him about the nature of his crime, he said it was merely his religion. He was physically attacked because of his religion, and since the attacker was the government, he says, they put him in prison. Afraid for his personal safety, he didn’t want to tell me which country in the Middle East he’s from.
Cellphones aren’t allowed in prison, he told me, but managed to sneak one in and download Opera Mini onto it. Opera Mini is his window to freedom and the outside world.
Here’s what he posted in the official Opera Mini forums:
If you enjoyed this post, then make sure you subscribe to my RSS Feed.“Hello everybody, this is my first post with you and it is a good chance for me to say million thanks to opera company for its great gift to humanity which is Opera Mini Browser.
This great gift makes me able to be with you here while I am in prison..!? Yes in prison, can you believe it!!
I know it’s unbelievable, but it is a truth.
Opera Mini is my window to freedom, to the world and I’m asking Opera Mini administration to give me permission so I can distribute its product, I have a lot of customers here and I hope to be a distributor or agent for opera products in my city when I get my freedom.
I am so happy being with you and thanks again to opera.
My best regards.”
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Haha. Hope nothing happens to him when they find out.
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I’m pretty sure that’s a fake. Did someone from MyOpera check his IP to locate him?
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Lars, I checked his My.Opera, he was using Opera Mini to post to the forums (I saw it in his browser User Agent).
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So he could be anywhere. Imho this is an obvious fake.
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They have electrical outlets there in prison cells to charge up the phone?
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LOL! Opera Mini gives freedom literally!
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…and some people say that browsing on a phone is useless *looks suspiciously at my brothers and mother*
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“They have electrical outlets there in prison cells to charge up the phone?”
Eddie
You tape batteries together, and then run two pieces of wire from them to charge the phone.
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They have batteries in prison?
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“They have batteries in prison?”
They do in English and Welsh prisons. Although there is mains electricity (almost everywhere), many inmates have battery opperated equipment - beard clippers, transistor radio, etc. The PP9 type battery is now not so common, which is a good thing, as it was a popular assault weapon, when placed in a sock.