In 2016, Nils-Petter received unsettling news from Russia. An anonymous individual had tracked him down on the internet from a Russian internet forum where Ekwall's illustrations had surfaced. The forum members were intrigued and amused by the presence of double-decker buses and left-hand traffic in United Russia's controversial propaganda material. They questioned whether Ekwall had genuinely licensed the rights to his illustrations to Putinist United Russia or if they had simply taken the images without permission, to which Ekwall had neither consented nor had any knowledge.
This revelation sparked a chain of events that uncovered a clear case of copyright infringement by United Russia's party. Leading to 2 x prime time appearances on Swedish television, multiple articles in Sweden and Russia, radio interview in the Czech Republic, as well as unexpected support from the Russian Communist Party...
Nils-Petter took to social media to share his experience, prompting Swedish television to take notice and conduct an interview for Kulturnyheterna SVT 1 (Prime time!). SVT reporters in Russia located one of the United Russia officials who confirmed the unauthorized usage, "but only for a few postcards." However, the photographs from the forum suggested a much larger usage.
With assistance from individuals in Russia, Nils-Petter obtained the printed material providing evidence of a significantly larger usage and more extensive violation of the copyrighted work than the Party official admitted. It was clear that United Russia had systematically plundered Nils-Petter's catalogue of illustrations.
9 sep 2016 Swedish Television SVT 1 conducted a second interview with Nils-Petter at his home in Stockholm.
12 sep 2016 . Andrei Lukyanov from the communist CPRF Party submitted an appeal to the Novgorod Regional Election Commission to undertake responsive measures in accordance with legislation of the Russian Federation upon the fact of the unauthorized use of Nils-Petter Ekwall's work by the Novgorod regional office of the United Russia party." And for immediate withdrawal and confiscation of all printed material that contains Nils-Petter's artwork. kj
The legal team of the Swedish Association of Illustrators and Graphic Designers (Svenska tecknare) began working on the case. They put in significant effort and were in contact with both Swedish and Russian lawyers (who demanded absolute anonymity), as well as with the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (UD) and Swedish Television’s contacts in Russia.
At the last minute, upon recommendations from the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Swedish Association of Illustrators and Graphic Designers withdrew the lawsuit application. The case was closed. Nils-Petter has yet to receive compensation for the usage.
Swedish Television Clips & Interviews Sep 5 and 9 sep 2016;
https://www.svt.se/kultur/det-ar-gangstermetoder (clips has disappeared)
http://www.svt.se/kultur/konst/fler-bilder-stulna-av-putins-parti (clips has disappeared)
Radio interview and articles Radio Free Europe/ RL Radio;
Swedish and Russian articles:
The appeal by Andrei Lukyanov from the communist CPRF Party to the Novgorod Regional Election Commission in Russian;
