Thread: Judge approves Assange extradition

Judge approves Assange extradition - Europe - Al Jazeera English


London court rules in favour of extraditing WikiLeaks founder to Sweden, but his lawyers say they will appeal.

Last Modified: 24 Feb 2011 14:22 GMT


An English court has ordered Julian Assange, the founder of whistle blowing website WikiLeaks, to be extradited to Sweden over sex crimes claims.

Howard Riddle, the judge at Belmarsh Magistrate's court in London, said on Thursday that the allegations of rape and sexual molestation brought by two women were extraditable offences and that a Swedish arrest warrant was properly issued.

Lawyers for the 39-year-old Australian said they would be contesting the decision, having previously argued that Assange would not be given a fair trial in Sweden and could face extradition to the United States.

Mark Stephens, representing Assange, said his team remained optimistic about "opportunities on appeal" and said he was hopefuly that the matter would be resolved in Britain.

Assange could ultimately seek appeal at the European Court of Human Rights, Tim Friend, Al Jazeera's correspondent at the court, said.

'Electronic house arrest'

The website founder now has to find more bail to make sure he does not abscond, and is likely to have to continue to wear an electronic tagging device, which his lawyer says is a contravention of his rights.

Speaking after the ruling, Assange reiterated his innocence and criticised the conditions imposed on him.

"Why is it that I ... am subject to a $360,000 bail? Why is it that i am kept under electronic house arrest when i have not even been charged in any country and I have never been a fugitive?

"On February 20 the US ambassador to the UK told the BBC that the US, in relation to its ongoing investigations and attempts to charge me with espionage, would have to see what happened here today.

"Why is that? What does the United States have to do with a Swedish extradition process?"

Assange's mother has described the court order for his extradition as "political and legal gang rape", the Australian Associated Press reported.

"The greatest fear I have is that the Western world in its effort to shut up someone who's telling the truth to the people of their countries will breach every piece of legislation in order to get him and will co-operate across borders to do so," Christine Assange said.

Assange has previously said that the claims against him, which he denies, are politically motivated and attempts to smear him and his website.

But in Sweden, Claes Borgstrom, the lawyer representing the two women making the claims, said it was a shame the decision had taken so long.

"[Assange] will probably appeal this decision for some reason that is hard to understand. He claims that he hasn't committed a crime so he should just come here and sort it out," he said.

Bjorn Hurtig, Assange's Swedish lawyer, told the AP news agency that the Australian had "great chances of being freed" in Sweden.

"And I'll be waiting for him, ready to fight for him tooth and nail," he said.

Fears of US extradition

Swedish prosecutors issued an international arrest warrant for Assange last year for questioning over allegations of sexual misconduct, which he flatly denies.

Two women have made claims against him, one alleging that he sexually molested her for refusing to wear a condom, and the other that he had sex with her while she was asleep.

Assange's legal team argued during three days of hearings earlier this month, that the Swedish prosecutor had no power to issue a European arrest warrant, and that the charges did not amount to extradition offences.

But lawyers representing Sweden said the warrant complied with legal requirements, and dismissed suggestions that Assange could be extradited to the US, saying Britain would have to give its consent.

Assange has been in the public spotlight since his website WikiLeaks began releasing secret US military and diplomatic files.

His lawyers have argued that he would not face a fair trial in Sweden, with rape cases often held behind closed doors, and that if eventually extradited to the US, he could be sent to Guantanamo Bay or even face the death penalty.

However Riddle on Thursday said it was wrong for the defence to raise the question of a possible extradition to the US or to imprisonment in Guantanamo Bay given the absence of any evidence that Assange risks torture or execution.

He's appealing and they are talking years before Sweden sees him , if ever .

As I understand it, he hasn't been charged and the Swedes want him for questioning. Has anybody been extradited from England for questioning before?

^

A Swedish arrest warrant has been issued- it's got to be beyond mere questioning at this point.

Originally Posted by mobs00

the allegations of rape and sexual molestation brought by two women were extraditable offences and that a Swedish arrest warrant was properly issued.

Originally Posted by FailSafe

^

A Swedish arrest warrant has been issued- it's got to be beyond mere questioning at this point.

Originally Posted by mobs00

the allegations of rape and sexual molestation brought by two women were extraditable offences and that a Swedish arrest warrant was properly issued.

He's wanted for questioning, but I don't think he's charged.

I think he needs to think about buying some new gear.

Assange asylum bid takes dramatic turn

Yahoo!7 August 16, 2012, 8:13 am
Assange asylum bid takes dramatic turn - Yahoo!7 News



Ecuador says it wants to grant asylum to Julian Assange, but the British government has refused to guarantee safe passage for the WikiLeaks founder.
Mr Assange has been holed up in the embassy for weeks as Ecuadorian officials assess his asylum application.
The WikiLeaks founder fled to the Ecuadorian embassy in London weeks ago after exhausting all avenues of appeal in his fight against extradition to Sweden on sexual assault charges.
British authorities have reportedly threatened to storm the Ecuadorian embassy in London if Mr Assange is granted asylum.
In a press conference this morning, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said the country wanted to grant asylum, but could not do so until his safety was guaranteed.
"Today we've received a threat by the United Kingdom, a clear and written threat that they could storm our embassy in London if Ecuador refuses to hand in Julian Assange," he said.
Australian Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said this morning the matter is out of her hands.
"Our role in this is only a diplomatic one, to make sure Assange has support that he needs for consular issues. It's not something we have any legal role that we can play," she told Sunrise.

Mr Assange fears that extradition to Sweden will be the first step in a process to get him to the United States to face unknown charges related to the WikiLeaks website.

....................

Previously ( July 31), Ecuador says it asked Sweden to question WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in London."Our ambassador in Sweden has begun steps to ask the Swedish government to collect the statement of Mr Assange where he is located, at the Ecuadorian embassy in London," Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said on Monday.
Assange, 41, is seeking asylum in Ecuador to avoid his extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over sex crime allegations.
The WikiLeaks founder fears that from Sweden, he could subsequently be re-extradited to the United States to stand trial for espionage, on account of the trove of leaked US diplomatic cables and military logs that were published on his website.
"This is the request we have made in an effort to protect Mr Assange's life at all costs," Patino added, joined at a news conference by Assange's mother, Christine.
"I am sure the president and his aides will make the best decision in this case," she told government website El Ciudadano.
Ecuador will respond to Assange's request on August 12, Patino said, after the 2012 London Olympics.
"We will take decisions that do not affect our relations with Britain," Patino said, explaining that Quito would be careful not to do anything that could interfere in any way with the Olympic Games.

England needs to think long and hard before attempting to detain Assange on foreign territory.

The repercussions really should negate this rash course of action .

If the UK has any smarts they would quietly turn a blind eye to Assanges movements in the near future .

This game is far larger than Assange and the repercussions of rash actions will reverberate for absolutely eons .....................................

The UK loses all credibility if its storms that embassy and grabs Assange. The world is watching

Obviously this will get very interesting if the Brits decide to go in and get him. I haven't been following this story. Can someone enlighten me: Why would Ecuador grant him asylum? What's their stake in this?

deleted

He can only get Asylum for Ecuador if he is in that country,its up to the UK government if they let him out of the UK.

What about diplomatic immunity. The guy made the right move. Well calculated. He may well have gotten justice in Sweden but not in the USA I am quite sad to say. Now we go back to private Bradley. Whats going to happen? Cant see the UK storming the embassy to get him.

With all due respect to Mid's thread from February about a judge's extradition call, this is quite a different story now. I don't understand why the duty Mod wouldn't let a new thread begin. It's a very different story now.

With all due respect to Mid's thread from February about a judge's extradition call, this is quite a different story now. I don't understand why the duty Mod wouldn't let a new thread begin. It's a very different story now.

stop whinging lad, its a continuation of the same story, it just doesnt have your byline on it.

its up to the UK government if they let him out of the UK.

exactly, he will be lawfully arrested as soon as he tries to get to the airport.

Assange is not a diplomat, and he still needs to leave the embassy to get to the airport, the Brit copper who suggested they might storm the embassy to get him is an imbecile.

Originally Posted by Sir Wilson

the Brit copper who suggested they might storm the embassy to get him is an imbecile.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Patiño released details of a letter he said was delivered through a British embassy official in Quito, the capital of the South American country.

The letter said: "You need to be aware that there is a legal base in the UK, the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987, that would allow us to take actions in order to arrest Mr Assange in the current premises of the embassy."

It added: "We need to reiterate that we consider the continued use of the diplomatic premises in this way incompatible with the Vienna convention and unsustainable and we have made clear the serious implications that this has for our diplomatic relations."

Julian Assange can be arrested in Ecuador embassy, UK warns | Media | The Guardian

Originally Posted by taxexile

With all due respect to Mid's thread from February about a judge's extradition call, this is quite a different story now. I don't understand why the duty Mod wouldn't let a new thread begin. It's a very different story now.

stop whinging lad, its a continuation of the same story, it just doesnt have your byline on it.

Nonsense. You can make it Mid's byline - or yours gramps - for all I care. But the headline should read Ecuador Grants Asylum to Assange - not a judge orders extradition - its confusing.

Once again (see post 13), what's Ecuador's stake in this?

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

Once again (see post 13), what's Ecuador's stake in this?

One of the world's emerging people's democracies. Several of them in Latam. Bravo Ecuador. Bet the US and UK figured they could just have a few discussions with the Ecuadorians and they give him up. Ecuador has just shot to the top of the league table of human rights and social justice. Not bad for a relatively simple but firm line to take don't you think?