Julian Assange

Posted by: Eloise on 19 May 2017

So if we don't have enough controversial topics here ... Swedish Prosecutors have ended their investigation into rape allegations made against Julian Assange. So was he the victim of abuse of procedure or has he abused international law for his own ends? Is he a hero for Wikileaks, or is he a narcissist who has released information to his own ends? (Of course he can be both) Was his reasoning for seeking sanctuary in Ecuadorian embassy valid; do you think he had reason to fear extradition from Sweden to USA?

Peter Tatchell today say "It is good news from Julian’s point of view. I’m not in a position to say whether the allegations against him were true or not. He has always denied them. He was never charged with any sexual offence, these are only at the level of allegations. So it is a relief that they are being no longer being pursued. But it is not entirely satisfactory because the Swedish prosecutors seemed to say that they case could be reopened if he at any point returned to Sweden."

A point to pick up from that though ... first its my understanding that he has never been charged because under Swedish law he can't be charged without first formal questioning and second can't be charged in absentia.

What happens now: should he be charged under UK law for failing to surrender to the court when required? What about USA; should they seek extradition?

Posted on: 24 May 2017 by Dozey

From PFM -

there is a good explanation here by john pilger:

http://www.counterpunch.org/2017/05/...-untold-story/

Posted on: 24 May 2017 by Mike-B

Eloise posted:
................. was he the victim of abuse of procedure or has he abused international law for his own ends? Is he a hero for Wikileaks, or is he a narcissist who has released information to his own ends? (Of course he can be both) Was his reasoning for seeking sanctuary in Ecuadorian embassy valid; do you think he had reason to fear extradition from Sweden to USA?
A point to pick up from that though ... first its my understanding that he has never been charged because under Swedish law he can't be charged without first formal questioning and second can't be charged in absentia.
What happens now: should he be charged under UK law for failing to surrender to the court when required? What about USA; should they seek extradition?

Petty well summed up as I see it, attention seeking narcissist, not forgetting he is the founder of Wikileaks. He used the 'fear' of extradition to USA as an excuse (in part) to duck Swedish rape charges, which if my Swedish contacts are right, he is guilty of. And yes the Swedish law process is much as you write & is a contributing reason for the case has being dropped.

Yes !! arrest him for failing to surrender to UK court & hope USA get their extradition papers lodged in UK (assuming they have not already done so), Or just leave him to rot in the embassy.

Posted on: 24 May 2017 by Dozey

There never were any "rape charges". Neither has anyone accused him of rape (read the link above).

He may be an attention seeking narcissist, but that is not a crime.

Posted on: 24 May 2017 by Mike-B

Please don't getting into pedantics, the Swedish Prosecutor's Office issued a European arrest warrant for 2 separate allegations of rape & molestation related to two individuals. This means he would be arrested to attend an inquiry & then if the Prosecutor believed enough evidence existed, he would be charged. The accusers have accused him of rape & molestation.

Posted on: 24 May 2017 by Eloise

Dozey posted:
From PFM -
there is a good explanation here by john pilger:

http://www.counterpunch.org/2017/05/...-untold-story/

A truely unbiased piece of reporting there...

Posted on: 24 May 2017 by Mike-B

Eloise posted:
A truely unbiased piece of reporting there...

100%, John Pilger, enough said. Pilger, Tatchell, Assange all play for the same team.

Posted on: 24 May 2017 by Eloise

Dozey posted:
There never were any "rape charges". Neither has anyone accused him of rape (read the link above).

There is repeated claims that Assange has not been charged with anything. That is correct but is (afaik) due to the Swedish legal system that doesn't allow for people to be charge in abstensia. This 'misinformation' is regularly spread by people who wish to discredit the Swedish investigation.

I doubt now the true facts will ever be known.

Posted on: 24 May 2017 by Dozey

It is also true that no women have accused him of rape, so there would be no basis for such a charge in any event.

Posted on: 24 May 2017 by Eloise

Dozey posted:
It is also true that no women have accused him of rape, so there would be no basis for such a charge in any event.

He was accused of rape ... or at least accused of an act which under Swedish law is considered rape.

Posted on: 24 May 2017 by dayjay

If the Americans want him extradited then I am sure that one way or another he will be. That one fact throws up so much static it's hard, without being closely involved, to know what is true or not around other accusations.