Yes, distributing modifications to GPLed code only in obfuscated form is a clear GPL violation. Distributing ugly and unmaintainable code because that's the on

Yes, distributing modifications to GPLed code only in obfuscated form is a clear GPL violation. Distributing ugly and unmaintainable code because that's the only code you have is allowed (and sometimes that happens because the code works just well enough to get an academic paper published and isn't going to be polished any more than that).