Since its establishment, Safe Harbor Company has been widely concerned by the media all over the world-not only as the cover company of Wired, but also reported by more than 200 other print media and TV stations around the world. According to these reports, Haven not only has reliable hosting facilities in Reims, but also has started to operate digital paradise business. However, some critics point out that these reports give people a preconceived impression that the safe haven company is registered in Reims, so it can provide international domain registered in Reims, but it actually has no right to do so.
Safe haven company claims that it has been operating normally since June 5438+February 2000. According to their Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), all content is acceptable except child pornography, spam and malicious hacking. They also claimed that because Silan is not a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), it is not within the jurisdiction of international copyright law, so the data stored on their servers can be exempted from copyright and intellectual property laws. Other businesses operated by Haiwen Company include: IT consulting, system management, offshore software development and e-mail services.
On September 1 2006, after the terrorist attacks in the United States, Leckie announced that it would close the safe harbor business that violated international practices and practices. Haven also said that its business has hardly encountered any troubles from any countries and organizations in the world. However, opponents say that the British government has "calmly responded" and strengthened the supervision of unauthorized data entering and leaving Sealand according to the relevant provisions of British law. Although the British government's intention is not clear, there is no evidence that the British government has done so for the time being.
Ryan Lai left Haven Company on 200 1 due to the management differences with Bates family. The safe haven is still in operation, but the specific business scope and situation are unknown to outsiders. On June 23, 2006, a fire caused by a suspected generator occurred in Siranutauta. At that time, a security guard stationed in the tower was injured and was rescued by a British emergency helicopter and taken to the hospital. At the same time, at sea, firefighters also fired water jets from the ship to put out the fire.
Because the firemen did not enter the tower, the extent of the fire damage was not clear. It is reported that Michael Bates, the son of the current prince, tried to enter the tower and planned to rebuild the country. In 2007, the Principality of Sealand advertised for sale, and The Pirate Bay planned to raise money to buy it and establish a free country without copyright law. The fund-raising amount is as high as 1 100 million pounds, and The Pirate Bay promises that all donors will obtain future national citizenship. Unfortunately, the Principality of Sealand did not respond to the offer of The Pirate Bay, which had to change its plan in order to buy other small islands as an alternative. Now their latest plan is to launch an orbiting satellite with a BT server. The world's smallest principality "Fuehrer" died. During World War II, the British government built some concrete platforms with an area of several hundred square meters off the coast of Essex, and stationed artillery to counter the Nazi soldiers who invaded the British coast. These "artificial islands" at sea were gradually abandoned by the British government after World War II. However, in 1967, a retired British army major named Roy Bartz boarded an offshore platform called Raging Tower with his family, and established a "Reims Principality" on it, claiming to be the prince and head of state of the Principality.
On the artificial island, the founding of the country is king.
1967, Roy Bartz, a retired British army major, suddenly boarded an offshore platform called "Tower of Wrath" with his family, claiming "sovereignty" over it. Roy established a "Reims Principality" with an area of 550 square meters on this offshore platform and called himself "Prince Roy".
After the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC), Roy first sent official letters to the foreign ministries of Spain, Portugal, Austria, Germany, France, Finland, Sweden and other European countries, stating his territorial position, and at the same time, he also asked whether all countries had territorial claims. When all the answers are negative, Roy thinks this proves that all European countries have recognized the existence of the "Principality of Sealand". From 1967, Roy issued the currency, stamps, passports and car license plates of the Principality of Ceylon on this tiny "Principality", even though there were no cars on this "artificial island".
The British Prime Minister sent troops to occupy the island.
When Roy claimed the sovereignty of the offshore platform Storm Tower, the British government was surprised and angry. The British Navy then sent a helicopter full of Royal Navy soldiers to the platform of the "Storm Tower" in the sea, ready to forcibly drive the Roy family away. Roy's wife, Joan, took a pistol to "defend herself" and fired a warning shot into the air. Seeing this, the Royal Navy immediately asked the then British Prime Minister Harold Wilson if he wanted to seize the "island" by force. Considering Roy Bartz's outstanding achievements in World War II, British Prime Minister Wilson didn't want to hurt Roy and his family, so he had to order the navy to retreat.
An English judge later ruled in Roy's favor. The judge said that the British government only has control over the waters within 3 miles from the coast, while the platform "Storm Tower" is 7 miles from the coast, so it does not belong to the jurisdiction of the British government. 1974, "Prince Roy" promulgated the first constitution of the Principality of Ceylon. The Principality also designed its own red, white, black flag and national anthem, and declared that the currency of the Principality was equivalent to the US dollar, with the head of Princess Joan engraved on it.
Gangster invasion
In addition to the British government, many people covet the offshore platform of the "Principality of Sealand". 1978, at the instigation of German businessman Professor Alexander Aschenbach, several Dutch gang members attempted to kidnap Roy's son and forcibly seize the offshore platform. Aschenbach hopes to seize this offshore platform and transform it into a tax evasion paradise. Roy and his son Michael urgently turned to the outside world for help, formed a defense force including helicopters, and finally defeated the invaders. Professor Aschenbach and others became "prisoners of war".
Illegal country
In the past 40 years, this "artificial island" has been completely modernized, with generators and various modern settings. In 2000, a company named "Safe Harbor" was even established on the "Reims Principality". The "Safe Harbor Company" claimed that any business was allowed on their "artificial island" as long as it did not involve child pornography and terrorism. In fact, the "safe haven company" later became a gambler's safe haven and tax evasion paradise. A number of "online gambling" transactions are conducted through the servers in the Principality of Lance, and hackers all over the world want to use the servers on the island as their "bases", so even if Interpol tracks down the Principality of Lance, Prince Roy cannot accept summonses from any country, including the British police.
To make matters worse, some people even cheat with passports issued by the "Reims Principality". At one time, 6.5438+0.5 million passports of the so-called "Reims Principality" passed through all parts of Europe, and at least several major cases that alarmed Interpol were related to these fake passports.
Roy passed away.
However, in 20 12, members of the royal family of "Kingdom of Ceylon" posted an obituary on their website, saying that Prince Roy, the founder of "Kingdom of Ceylon", died on Tuesday at the age of 9 1 year. It is reported that Prince Roy has been fighting Alzheimer's disease in recent years. Although he always claimed that the "Principality of Sealand" had independent sovereignty and was not subject to British jurisdiction, he eventually died in a nursing home in Lille, Essex, England, because his "Principality" had no hospitals and medical equipment. It is reported that after the death of Prince Roy, his wife, Princess Joan, will take over the sovereignty of the Principality of Sealand.
In addition to the Principality of Ceylon, there are other "micro-countries" that claim to be principalities but have never been recognized by the international community. At present, there are the Italian Principality of Saboga, the Australian Principality of Hutt Province and the South Pacific Principality of Minerva.
On June 8, 2007, The Times published a special advertisement: "Anyone who is willing to bid 8 figures or more can have a panoramic view of the sea, absolutely guaranteed privacy and a tax haven." After the news was released, The Pirate Bay, the world's largest anti-copyright organization, immediately announced its intention to acquire the Principality of Ceylon, and began to raise funds on a large scale, hoping to raise 6,543.8 billion pounds in donations, and all donors will obtain future national citizenship. The world's largest BT download website was established by Swedes in 2004, with the aim of establishing a country with no copyright restrictions at all. The Principality of Sealand is the smallest "country" in the world, with a permanent population of never more than five. As an independent sovereign country, its legitimacy is widely disputed and has not been recognized by the international community so far.
The Origin of the Principality of Lance Even knowledgeable geography lovers may not be able to find the exact location of the Principality of Lance on the most comprehensive map. The Principality of Sealand is located about 10 km east of Suffolk, England. It is neither an artificial island nor a natural reef, but an abandoned building standing in the sea.
From 65438 to 0942, during World War II, as one of the many fortresses in Mer Engzell's sea fortress plan, the Royal Navy began to build storm fortresses in England. At the bottom of the stormy fortress is a barge. Two towers on the barge connect the barge with the top deck, and the building is located on the deck. After the completion of the construction, the barge was towed to the designated area of the rough shoal off Suffolk, and then deliberately sank to the predetermined position of the sandbar. So the visible part of the water rage tower is actually only the upper part of the whole building, with a steel platform on it, which is very simple.
The low and narrow steel buildings echoed with the roar of generators. It can only be reached by boat or helicopter, and foreign tourists who come to visit even describe it as "incredibly ugly".
Despite the harsh conditions, the short history and anecdotes of the Principality of Sealand are worth mentioning. Although the sparrow is small and complete, as a "country", the Principality of Reims not only has a constitution, a national flag, a national emblem, currency, but even a coup. The government in exile, which considers itself the orthodox ruler of Reims, is in Britain.
After the end of World War II, the British officers and men stationed in Nvtaota were evacuated one after another. Former Royal Navy Colonel Di Roy Bates is staring at the abandoned fort.
1September 2, 967, Roy and his family came to the tower of fury. According to his own interpretation of international law, he claimed to exercise sovereignty over the Tower of Anger. Later, Roy Bates and his wife Joan Bates claimed the titles of "His Royal Highness Prince Roy and Princess Ceylon Joan". Roy Bates called himself "the monarch", and Joan was made the ruler of "* * *" by Roy. Their son Michael Bates (titled "His Royal Highness Prince Michael") became the Regent of the Principality in 1999, and now he is the head of state of Sealand.
1968, a British navy patrol boat sailed into the principality of sealand. Roy and his son Michael fired warning shots at them and threw molotov cocktails at the patrol boat. As a result, they were summoned to stand trial by a British court. There are two theories about the purpose of the crew at that time. One is to expel Bates and others who live in the fortress, and the other is just to repair the nearby navigation buoy. Finally, on1October 25th, 1968+065438, the court declared that they had no right to intervene in this incident because it happened outside British territorial waters.
1978, Professor Alexander G. Aschenbach, the "Prime Minister" of the Principality of Sealand appointed by Roy Bates, took several Dutch people to the island to discuss business while Bates was away, and kidnapped Roy's son Michael. Roy Bates recruited a group of mercenaries after hearing the news and regained control of the fortress by helicopter landing. He captured the invaders, declared them "war criminals", and the Dutch citizens who participated in the coup were sent back to China. However, Professor Aschenbach, the former "Prime Minister" of the Principality and a German citizen, was not so lucky. He was accused and detained as "treason" for holding a passport of the Principality of Ceylon. Later, the Dutch and German governments both asked the British government to try to facilitate Aschenbach's release. However, the British government cited the case of 1968, claiming that Lance is not within their jurisdiction and they have no right to interfere in this matter.
The German government had to send its own diplomats to Nutaota to negotiate directly with Bates on the release of Aschenbach. After several weeks of negotiations, Bates' attitude was obviously relaxed, and Aschenbach was finally released. Later, he claimed that the German diplomat's visit to Reims marked the German government's "de facto" recognition of the Principality of Reims, although the German government never recognized his statement.
History of Principality The Principality of Europe has a long history. Since the disintegration of the Holy Roman Empire, a large number of European aristocrats have retained their aristocratic titles and independent territories. In the Middle Ages, France and Britain strengthened centralization and evolved into kingdoms. Germany and other countries are still divided among many vassal States. Poland, Moscow and other principalities have developed into grand duchies through development and growth. Austria is also a grand duchy, but Prussia, Austria and a large number of small countries formed the Rhine Federation to form the Holy Roman Empire. The famous ones are the Principality of Weimar (the hometown of Goethe) and the Principality of Bavaria.
The head of the principality is the Grand Duke, and the Grand Duke is the Duke, but not all dukes can be called the Grand Duke. Only princes and heads of principalities can be called archduke. Principality is similar to a vassal state, but generally exists as an independent state.
Today, some monarchies have never even become truly sovereign countries. They named their territory only to retain the title of hereditary aristocrat, and sometimes even went beyond the geographical boundaries of vassal States. The existing principalities are Liechtenstein, Monaco and United Andorra. However, asturias (Spain) and Wales (Britain) are principalities with the existing system of primogeniture. Luxembourg is the only existing example of the Grand Duchy system in European history.