By Karen Freifeld and David Shepardson
NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. judge in California declined to block the Commerce Department order issued Friday that will prohibit U.S. app stores from offering Tencent Holding’s WeChat for download starting late Sunday.
Judge Laurel Beeler said the request for a preliminary injunction in a suit brought by U.S. WeChat users appeared moot after the Commerce order but said in an written order “the court is available today for a hearing on any emergency motions.” A lawyer for the WeChat users did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether they will move forward with an emergency motion.
