Pirate Bay founders could face charges in Italy

Officials in Italy are to continue with their investigation into the activities of the Pirate Bay website.

The founders of the Pirate Bay website could find themselves facing similar charges in Italy to those handed out in Sweden.

Officials in the country have confirmed that they intend to carry on with their investigation into the site's activities, IDG News Service reports.

The announcement comes after four men behind the Pirate Bay were sentenced to a year each in prison in a Swedish court.

Frederik Neij, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, Carl Lundstrom and Peter Sundewere were found guilty of breaking copyright law.

International lawyers acting on their behalf said the men intended to appeal the verdict, arguing that the judge had a conflict of interest.

Tomas Norstrom was a member of two pro-copyright organisations - the Swedish Copyright Association and the Swedish Association for the Protection of Industrial Property.

The Pirate Bay is also under investigation in Italy over accusations that it infringed copyright by allowing internet users to search for and download music and video files without paying for the content.

Prosecutors and music industry experts now believe that the verdict in Sweden will help to propel the Italian case forward.

Enzo Mazza, president of the Italian Music Industry Federation, told IDG: "The guilty verdict will strengthen the hand of the prosecutor in Italy.

"The charge is the same as the one in Sweden, so one can be optimistic about obtaining a similar verdict in Italy."

Meanwhile, a Swedish political party that stands in support of file sharing and advocates a reform of copyright law, is vying for a seat in the European Parliament.

A recent opinion poll carried out in Sweden revealed that the Pirate Party could be in with a chance.