They never advertised it as anything but "The Star Wars Trilogy," IIRC, but they did acknowledge in interviews/press releases that it would be the Special Editions and not the originals.

HOWEVER, I don't think they ever said that additional changes were being made. When the Hayden-in-ROTJ shot was leaked a few weeks early, most people thought it was a fake, and that Lucas would never do something like that. Obviously, they were wrong.

And despite me being a purist, I hate the idea of bringing the "law" into it, especially as in your last paragraph which is just ridiculous.