Legal crisis over Julian Assange's asylum request

reply to post by 200Plus

A case against him? Did he obtain classified information from the US government through illegal means? Isn't that espionage?

No he published information that was given to him. Just like newpapers have in the past. Once information is in the public realm you have a right to publish it.

reply to post by Anonymous404

If I raped a chick and fled the country, and a manhunt began, and they found me in another country, I'd have to be extradited. Why wouldn't he? They wouldn't skype me and say "did you do it? where were you this night? you sure?" and everything would be fine. Nope. I'd end up in a holding cell, then questioned.

Maybe you should read the court papers. He is not accused of raping a chick. The condom broke when he was having sex. Which means the women he had sex with has the right to make him go for an STD test. That is the crime. When he was in Sweden he went to the authorities and they said it did not matter there was no case. It was later the case magically appeared.

reply to post by v1rtu0s0

Of course he raped someone. He was only one of the most controversial and polarizing figures on the planet,

The crime JA has commited was a comdon split and that means his partner has that the right to make him go for a STD test.,.. I can see there are many on ATS that are happy to swallow the state media...

Originally posted by purplemer
The crime JA has commited was a comdon split and that means his partner has that the right to make him go for a STD test.,.. I can see there are many on ATS that are happy to swallow the state media...

This definitely makes it sound as though he 1) could get an STD test no matter where he is and have them fax her/the Swedish Gov't the results, case closed

and 2) She may not even want to get him tested, it's been "suggested" that she do so by the/or the US gov't as an excuse to get him somewhere he can be caught.

EDIT: AlterNet.org outlines why they think it's a brilliant move to try and gain asylum in Ecuador.

Originally posted by purplemer
reply to post by v1rtu0s0

 

The crime JA has commited was a comdon split and that means his partner has that the right to make him go for a STD test.,.. I can see there are many on ATS that are happy to swallow the state media...

Sorry this whole thing is over what ?!

I'm sorry, but the chick in question really should just get an STD test off her own back if she has any concerns that she may have caught something, was she expecting him to undertake a pregnancy test too for her ?

Originally posted by purplemer
Maybe you should read the court papers. He is not accused of raping a chick. The condom broke when he was having sex. Which means the women he had sex with has the right to make him go for an STD test. That is the crime. When he was in Sweden he went to the authorities and they said it did not matter there was no case. It was later the case magically appeared.

As with all things in life, things are a bit more complicated than you suggest.

www.guardian.co.uk...

Regardless of whether you think the rules are naff, the fact is that Assange is alleged to have broken the law and is wanted for questioning on that basis. I wonder how many of the people here who think it is all trivial are men. There are two victims here, lest that little fact is forgotten.

Assange needs to answer his accusers in court. The fact that he is so bloody desperate to keep out of Sweden merely indicates what he think will happen. A guilty conscience. Assange is playing on the conspiracy angle and that seems to be his only defence.

Regards

reply to post by paraphi


"A guilty concience" - Or perhaps a belief that he will not get a fair trial with all the political motivation and pressures the US is piling on. Which i agree with, he won't get a fair trial.

The whole concept of political assylum is based on the idea that your life and/or liberty may be under threat due to unfair political or judicial actions of your home country and its allies. Therefore you can ask for intervention by another country.

In this case, not only his liberty is under threat from Sweden, who refuse to give him a garuntee that he will not be extradited to their ally, the USA to face charges unrelated to his arrest warrant in Sweden.

His life is under threat from the USA who want to see him executed for "espionage", which he didn't do. All he did was publish documents passed to him by another party. All he did was make the USA look like the PG-Tipps monkeys. If he ends up in the US, he will NOT get a fair trial at all. Most US citizens have already been turned by the media that he must be guilty.

Political assylum is actually and ironically, quite appropriate. Of course, if it is granted, he will have to be moved to Equador via a diplomatic mission, and never ever leave Equador. In a sense, he will still be in a kind of jail, just alive.

In all probability, he will have to be moved from the embassy to an airport via a diplomatic vehicle, and then moved from the airport to Equador via a diplomatic plane. Should he ever be caught outside the diplomatic immunity extended by Equador, he will be immediately arrested by the UK police.

Do I believe he is guilty of the charges faced in Sweden? I neither believe nor disbelieve. I am unaware of the facts governing the case and therefore unable to make a fair judgment.

Do I believe he is guilty of espionage? No I do not. He did not steal the cables, he only published them. However in publishing them, he poked a stick into a hornets nest. Not the wisest decision ever, but probably one of the bravest decisions.

Do I believe his life is at risk, to the extent that a request for political assylum is appropriate? Yes I do.

Originally posted by BMorris
"A guilty concience" - Or perhaps a belief that he will not get a fair trial with all the political motivation and pressures the US is piling on. Which i agree with, he won't get a fair trial.

Is there any evidence that the Swedish legal system is anything but independent? Is there any evidence that Assange will not get a fair trial?

Originally posted by BMorris
His life is under threat from the USA who want to see him executed for "espionage", which he didn't do.

That is not of any concern to the Swedish desire to see Assange questioned for sex crimes. Regardless, is there any evidence that this is current US policy? If Assange faced the death penalty he would not be extradited from Europe, whatever the circumstances. That is the law in Europe. Besides, has the US made any attempt to extradite him? No.

I have no opinion on Assange's innocence or guilt. I am sure that this will be exposed in court. He needs to face his accusers or else he will have these sex crimes hanging over him for the rest of time.

Regards