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Assange wanted on new charges; Espionage (US) and rape (Swe)
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 2:56 amby Gravlen
WikiLeaks founder arrested for alleged breach of bail at London embassy where he took refuge for seven years
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/apr/11/julian-assange-arrested-at-ecuadorian-embassy-wikileaksAssange arrested following the withdrawal of asylum by the Ecuadorian government
https://www.theguardian.com/media/live/2019/apr/11/wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-arrested-at-the-ecuadorean-embassy-live-updatesJulian Assange, 47, (03.07.71) has today, Thursday 11 April, been arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) at the Embassy of Ecuador, Hans Crescent, SW1 on a warrant issued by Westminster Magistrates' Court on 29 June 2012, for failing to surrender to the court.
He has been taken into custody at a central London police station where he will remain, before being presented before Westminster Magistrates' Court as soon as is possible.
The MPS had a duty to execute the warrant, on behalf of Westminster Magistrates' Court, and was invited into the embassy by the Ambassador, following the Ecuadorian government's withdrawal of asylum.
http://news.met.police.uk/news/arrest-update-sw1-365526Obviously a breaking story, but the question of extradition may now be relevant.
Should Assange be extradited to the US if they request it?
Should Assange be extradited to Sweden if they request it?
I think no and yes, respectively.
UPDATES:
- The US has demanded his extradition.
- Sweden has reopened the rape case against him.
- The US has indicted Assange on 17 new counts of violating the Espionage Act for his role in publishing classified military and diplomatic documents in 2010
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:04 amby Hirota
Gravlen wrote:Obviously a breaking story, but the question of extradition may now be relevant.
Should Assange be extradited to the US if they request it?
Should Assange be extradited to Sweden if they request it?
I think no and yes, respectively.
I agree. The extradition to the US is for his occupational involvement in a journalistic endeavour, as unlikable as that endeavour might be for some people.
The extradition to Sweden is nothing to do with his occupation, so why I might cynically think this extradition is more likely to lead to the one to America, it is only right he stand trial and his guilt be proven.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:05 amby Shamhnan Insir
Gravlen wrote:WikiLeaks founder arrested for alleged breach of bail at London embassy where he took refuge for seven years
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/apr/11/julian-assange-arrested-at-ecuadorian-embassy-wikileaksAssange arrested following the withdrawal of asylum by the Ecuadorian government
https://www.theguardian.com/media/live/2019/apr/11/wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-arrested-at-the-ecuadorean-embassy-live-updatesJulian Assange, 47, (03.07.71) has today, Thursday 11 April, been arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) at the Embassy of Ecuador, Hans Crescent, SW1 on a warrant issued by Westminster Magistrates' Court on 29 June 2012, for failing to surrender to the court.
He has been taken into custody at a central London police station where he will remain, before being presented before Westminster Magistrates' Court as soon as is possible.
The MPS had a duty to execute the warrant, on behalf of Westminster Magistrates' Court, and was invited into the embassy by the Ambassador, following the Ecuadorian government's withdrawal of asylum.
http://news.met.police.uk/news/arrest-update-sw1-365526Obviously a breaking story, but the question of extradition may now be relevant.
Should Assange be extradited to the US if they request it?
Should Assange be extradited to Sweden if they request it?
I think no and yes, respectively.
No and yes too.
Could cause a bit of political wrangling but at this stage just let the Swedes have him.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:07 amby Vassenor
I mean the Swedes were very adamant that they weren't going to turn him over to the Americans.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:12 amby Zrhajan
Vassenor wrote:I mean the Swedes were very adamant that they weren't going to turn him over to the Americans.
And to be entirely honest, if that had been the goal of the Americans, then they chose an absurdly convoluted path to it. Britain has historically been extremely amenable to extradition people to the US, there wouldn't have been any need to do so via Sweden.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:12 amby Gravlen
Vassenor wrote:I mean the Swedes were very adamant that they weren't going to turn him over to the Americans.
An extradition from Sweden was also contingent upon the consent of British authorities, while an extradition from the UK depends on British authorities alone. The idea that it's easier to extradite directly from Sweden is a myth, built upon a case of extraordinary rendition from many years past.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:12 amby -Ocelot-
Should be extradited to the US.
Let his friends in the Russian government care about him.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:21 amby Dushan
Gravlen wrote:Should Assange be extradited to the US if they request it?
Theres no reason to do so. He did distribute the documents that had been given to him by Sgt. Manning.
Unlike Manning he hasnt been a sworn member of the US Military nor is he a Citizen of the United States.
Gravlen wrote:Should Assange be extradited to Sweden if they request it?
Is the case in Sweden against him still a thing?
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:23 amby Thermodolia
Send the bastard to Sweden. If they refuse him send him to the US
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:26 amby The Grims
I thought the "Swedish ladies" turned out to be CIA operatives on a mission of entrapment ?
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:34 amby Alvecia
Feels like he’s been on the run for a while now. Do the charges against him have statute of limitations?
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:34 amby Gravlen
Dushan wrote:Gravlen wrote:Should Assange be extradited to Sweden if they request it?
Is the case in Sweden against him still a thing?
It is currently closed, but only because they couldn't proceed with the case against him without having him present in person. It could easily be reopened now and a new request for extradition made, since the statute of limitations for the most serious accusations (rape) has not run out.
It will be interesting to see if they choose to do so.
The Grims wrote:I thought the "Swedish ladies" turned out to be CIA operatives on a mission of entrapment ?
You thought wrong.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:36 amby The Huskar Social Union
Well, shame for him i guess.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:36 amby Page
I hope the American government does not get its hands on him. At best, Assange would only be subjected to a kangaroo court show trial. Based on the torture Chelsea Manning endured, I imagine Assange would be grievously abused while in American custody.
I want to clarify something though - I do not think of Assange as a hero, and in fact he seems to be quite an odious person. The rape charges he faced in Sweden seemed quite credible. But whether he is guilty or innocent of that, it would be a mistake to make him a hero or martyr. He is only a man. It is what Wikileaks has done, the information they brought to light, the secrets exposed that matter.
I do not care much for Assange as a person and I don't really care what kind of sentence he receives for skipping out on his bail, I just don't want America to have him. Assange may have done despicable things in his personal life, but his personal life isn't what the feds are interested in.
I love that Wikileaks can strike fear in the most powerful corporations and governments on Earth. I love that no secret is beyond their reach. And when Assange is gone, when Wikileaks is gone, all I hope is for another person or organization to pick up the torch.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:37 amby Risottia
Gravlen wrote:Should Assange be extradited to the US if they request it?
Should Assange be extradited to Sweden if they request it?
1.No because the UK is bound by ECHR standards, and should not extradite people to countries which are notorious for disrespecting the basic rights of detainees, especially of foreign detainees.
2.Yes because Sweden is a CoE country which upholds the ECHR.
I think no and yes, respectively.
Ditto.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:38 amby Gravlen
Alvecia wrote:Feels like he’s been on the run for a while now. Do the charges against him have statute of limitations?
Under Swedish law, charges cannot be laid without interviewing the suspect.
Prosecutors had until 13 August to question Mr Assange about one accusation of sexual molestation and one of unlawful coercion, while the time limit on a further allegation of sexual molestation runs out on 18 August [2015].
The more serious allegation of rape is not due to expire until 2020.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33894757
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:41 amby Alvecia
Gravlen wrote:Alvecia wrote:Feels like he’s been on the run for a while now. Do the charges against him have statute of limitations?
Under Swedish law, charges cannot be laid without interviewing the suspect.
Prosecutors had until 13 August to question Mr Assange about one accusation of sexual molestation and one of unlawful coercion, while the time limit on a further allegation of sexual molestation runs out on 18 August [2015].
The more serious allegation of rape is not due to expire until 2020.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33894757
Thanks. Cutting it close, but still a little while then.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:47 amby Soviet-American Combine
I don’t recall what he did, something about leaking secret US war crimes or something.
Probably a hero at any rate.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:50 amby Zrhajan
Soviet-American Combine wrote:I don’t recall what he did, something about leaking secret US war crimes or something.
Probably a hero at any rate.
He was one of the founders of Wikileaks. The current legal issues revolve around his alleged rape of a woman in Sweden and subsequently skipping bail in the UK.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:52 amby An Alan Smithee Nation
The UK has pledged not to extradite him to a country with the death penalty. That will cause a war of words with Trump.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:55 amby Soviet-American Combine
Zrhajan wrote:He was one of the founders of Wikileaks. The current legal issues revolve around his alleged rape of a woman in Sweden and subsequently skipping bail in the UK.
That’s too bad, didn’t know about any rape. Well, as long as we don’t give a shit about the U.S. secret documents, probably about bombing brown people.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:56 amby Gravlen
Alvecia wrote:Gravlen wrote:Under Swedish law, charges cannot be laid without interviewing the suspect.
Prosecutors had until 13 August to question Mr Assange about one accusation of sexual molestation and one of unlawful coercion, while the time limit on a further allegation of sexual molestation runs out on 18 August [2015].
The more serious allegation of rape is not due to expire until 2020.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33894757
Thanks. Cutting it close, but still a little while then.
AFP reports that the lawyer for one of the Swedish Assange accuser urges prosecution to reopen rape case.
The thing is that it might be too close. If they start an extradition proceeding, and Assange fights it, they might not get him to Sweden in time. The Swedish prosecutors might therefor, with that in mind, decide it's not worth the effort. We'll see.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 4:01 amby Saiwania
I'm looking forward to Assange being sent to the US. This didn't have to happen now though, this could've been done 7 years ago or so. Ecuador is an insignificant country, so there is no consequence if the UK barged into that embassy anyways. You have to respect the embassy of a country like Japan or Russia, but for Ecuador? I'd say they don't warrant respect. If the UK temporarily didn't have an embassy in Ecuador, so what? They shouldn't have pulled this stunt to begin with.
The weaker nations of the world should be told what to do and they should do it if the demand is from a stronger nation and it is within reason, that is their role. If they want to elevate their ranking, they can always go to war (if they can win that is).
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 4:07 amby Ethel mermania
Gravlen wrote:Dushan wrote:Is the case in Sweden against him still a thing?
It is currently closed, but only because they couldn't proceed with the case against him without having him present in person. It could easily be reopened now and a new request for extradition made, since the statute of limitations for the most serious accusations (rape) has not run out.
It will be interesting to see if they choose to do so.
The Grims wrote:I thought the "Swedish ladies" turned out to be CIA operatives on a mission of entrapment ?
You thought wrong.
If the case was closed though. He must have been arrested on the American warrant. Otherwise why was he arrested? I would think whatever warrant he was arrested under would control where he goes.
On personal opinion, I think the American case is a political one, so if he were to go anywhere it should be Sweden.
Posted:
Thu Apr 11, 2019 4:10 amby Pim Fortuyn
Viva Lenìn!