Spain lifts blocks on file-sharing websites

Some of the blocked file-sharing sites set up proxies to help people evade the restrictions

A Spanish court has ordered blocks on six file-sharing sites to be lifted.

All six sites were blocked in May after being accused of infringing copyright by the Spanish anti-piracy federation.

The block meant mobile operators and internet service providers (ISPs) in Spain were told to stop letting customers get at the sites.

Now a court in Zaragoza has said there were "insufficient grounds" for maintaining the blocks and has called for them to be lifted.

The decision should mean that mobile companies and ISPs will lift the blocks in the next few days.

The court was considering the blocks after those running some of the accused sites appealed.

The sites blocked were SpanishTracker, PCTorrent.com, NewPCT.com, PCTestrenos.com, Descargaya.es and TumejorTV.com.

Traffic to sites fell sharply after they were cut off but some of them set up alternative domains and proxies to help regular users get around the block.

Spain has been a vigorous pursuer of pirates and has passed tough anti-piracy laws and jailed operators of file-sharing sites.