> While I do not use Sci-Hub, I think that users who use it are doing so morally and ethically (in the sense of conscientious objection). i hope they are also willing to pay penalties if they are found to be violating copyright (this is generally considered a requirement for intential protest).

I'm having trouble expanding this into a sensible-sounding general moral principle. Does this hold regardless of how large the penalties are? (Relevant considering the often very high punitive damages for copyright infringement at least in the case of entertainment media.) Is it specific to some kinds of laws or government system or fully universal in the sense that somebody protesting the policies of a stereotypical dictatorship is also morally obliged to be willing to be shot/flogged/whatever the corresponding punishment under that system is?