Russian teacher faces new Microsoft court battle

MOSCOW, Mar 27 (Reuters) A Russian teacher accused of pirating Microsoft software faces a new legal battle after a court overturned a ruling today throwing out the case.

Alexander Ponosov is accused of installing pirate copies of Microsoft software on 12 school computers in a remote region of the country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticised the decision to mount a prosecution as nonsensical and the last president of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, has pleaded with Microsoft chairman Bill Gates to intercede.

Ponosov faces up to five years in jail if convicted and a fine of 266,596 roubles (10,220 dollars).

A lower court ruled last month the case was too trivial to consider because of the insignificant losses to Microsoft.

Prosecutors appealed that ruling, as did Ponosov who said he wanted a formal acquittal.

The Perm regional court, in the Ural mountains, ruled today the entire case should be sent back to the lower court and heard in full.

Ponosov told Reuters by telephone: ''My position has not changed, I am innocent. Of course it is very unpleasant.

''The court overturned the ruling of the Vereschagin court and returned the case for a retrial. This is what the prosecutor was seeking. I was pushing for an acquittal straight away.'' Ponosov, 40, says he was not aware the licences for Microsoft Office and Windows on computers delivered to his school by a sub-contractor were fake.

Microsoft insists it has nothing to do with the prosecution.

''Our interest is not in prosecuting schools or teachers,'' it said last month.

Russia has been urged to crackdown on the widespread availability of cheap pirate software, DVDs and music as it prepares for the final round of talks to enter the World Trade Organisation.

Russian media reports have cast Ponosov as a heroic David pitted against a Goliath legal system.

Reuters DKA DS1602