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04 Feb 16
14:32
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05 Apr 06
John Pilger just been on BBC saying women in Sweden were railroaded into making a rape claim against him by Swedish police.
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http://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/feb/04/julian-assange-wikileaks-arrest-friday-un-investigation
A United Nations panel has decided that Julian Assange’s three-and-a-half years in the Ecuadorian embassy amount to “arbitrary detention”, the Guardian understands, leading his lawyers to call for the Swedish extradition request to be dropped immediately.
The WikiLeaks founder sought asylum from Ecuador in June 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face questioning over rape and sexual assault allegations, which he denies.
The panel’s findings were disclosed to the Swedish and British governments on 22 January, and will be published on Friday morning. Their judgment is not legally binding but can be used to apply pressure on states in human rights cases.
Analysis Julian Assange's embassy showdown: what it means and what happens next
Four key questions answered on why the WikiLeaks founder is still holed up in an embassy in London and what could happen on Friday
Read more
Assange’s Swedish lawyer, Per Samuelson, said if the working group found in his favour, “there is only one solution for Marianne Ny [the Swedish prosecutor seeking Assange’s extradition], and that is to immediately release him and drop the case”. Samuelson added: “If he is regarded as detained, that means he has served his time, so I see no other option for Sweden but to close the case.”
Assange’s lawyers also demanded assurances from the UK that he would not be arrested and subjected to potential extradition to face potential prosecution over WikiLeaks’ publishing activities.
The British Foreign Office said it would not pre-empt the panel’s findings, but said in a statement: “We have been consistently clear that Mr Assange has never been arbitrarily detained by the UK but is, in fact, voluntarily avoiding lawful arrest by choosing to remain in the Ecuadorian embassy.
“An allegation of rape is still outstanding and a European arrest warrant in place, so the UK continues to have a legal obligation to extradite Mr Assange to Sweden.”
Anna Ekberg, a spokesperson for the Swedish foreign ministry, said it would not comment before the formal publication on Friday. The Swedish prosecutor is currently on holiday and unavailable for comment, a spokesman said.
In a statement issued by WikiLeaks on Twitter, Assange said he would voluntarily walk out of the embassy on Friday and accept arrest “as there is no meaningful prospect of further appeal”.
“However, should I prevail and the state parties be found to have acted unlawfully, I expect the immediate return of my passport and the termination of further attempts to arrest me.”
Neither Sweden nor the UK will be compelled to take any action, but a source familiar with the working group said that if the governments choose to ignore the decision, it could make it difficult for them in future to bring pressure on other countries over human rights violations.
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Julian Assange: what are his options after leaving the Ecuadorian embassy?
Assange had appealed to the UN panel claiming that his stay in the embassy was arbitrary because he had been unable to exercise his right to asylum, arguing: “The only way for Mr Assange to enjoy is right to asylum is to be in detention. This is not a legally acceptable choice.”
He also argued that UK law had been changed since 2012, which meant if arrested today he would no longer be liable to extradition under the European Arrest Warrant.
.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/feb/04/julian-assange-wikileaks-arrest-friday-un-investigation
A United Nations panel has decided that Julian Assange’s three-and-a-half years in the Ecuadorian embassy amount to “arbitrary detention”, the Guardian understands, leading his lawyers to call for the Swedish extradition request to be dropped immediately.
The WikiLeaks founder sought asylum from Ecuador in June 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face questioning over rape and sexual assault allegations, which he denies.
The panel’s findings were disclosed to the Swedish and British governments on 22 January, and will be published on Friday morning. Their judgment is not legally binding but can be used to apply pressure on states in human rights cases.
Analysis Julian Assange's embassy showdown: what it means and what happens next
Four key questions answered on why the WikiLeaks founder is still holed up in an embassy in London and what could happen on Friday
Read more
Assange’s Swedish lawyer, Per Samuelson, said if the working group found in his favour, “there is only one solution for Marianne Ny [the Swedish prosecutor seeking Assange’s extradition], and that is to immediately release him and drop the case”. Samuelson added: “If he is regarded as detained, that means he has served his time, so I see no other option for Sweden but to close the case.”
Assange’s lawyers also demanded assurances from the UK that he would not be arrested and subjected to potential extradition to face potential prosecution over WikiLeaks’ publishing activities.
The British Foreign Office said it would not pre-empt the panel’s findings, but said in a statement: “We have been consistently clear that Mr Assange has never been arbitrarily detained by the UK but is, in fact, voluntarily avoiding lawful arrest by choosing to remain in the Ecuadorian embassy.
“An allegation of rape is still outstanding and a European arrest warrant in place, so the UK continues to have a legal obligation to extradite Mr Assange to Sweden.”
Anna Ekberg, a spokesperson for the Swedish foreign ministry, said it would not comment before the formal publication on Friday. The Swedish prosecutor is currently on holiday and unavailable for comment, a spokesman said.
In a statement issued by WikiLeaks on Twitter, Assange said he would voluntarily walk out of the embassy on Friday and accept arrest “as there is no meaningful prospect of further appeal”.
“However, should I prevail and the state parties be found to have acted unlawfully, I expect the immediate return of my passport and the termination of further attempts to arrest me.”
Neither Sweden nor the UK will be compelled to take any action, but a source familiar with the working group said that if the governments choose to ignore the decision, it could make it difficult for them in future to bring pressure on other countries over human rights violations.
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Julian Assange: what are his options after leaving the Ecuadorian embassy?
Assange had appealed to the UN panel claiming that his stay in the embassy was arbitrary because he had been unable to exercise his right to asylum, arguing: “The only way for Mr Assange to enjoy is right to asylum is to be in detention. This is not a legally acceptable choice.”
He also argued that UK law had been changed since 2012, which meant if arrested today he would no longer be liable to extradition under the European Arrest Warrant.
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I think Britain and Israel consider themselves above being judged by the UN when it takes their fancy
 Why doesnt he escape in a laundry basket or box or something like in films. Many have escaped from prisons. Or use a hot air balloon to float off the roof, what they gunna do shoot him down? |
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Somebody should make an app for the iphone, similar to escape monty mole on the spectrum.....where he has to avoid the plod and get on a boat while make cameron look a right tit
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hang on Im onto something here
Diplomatic bags cant be opened just jiffy bag him up in a massive one, they cant touch it  |
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What on earth has the United Nations got to do with any of this? When did they somehow usurp National/EU Law ? So, the next time a motorist is done for a speeding offence, do they consult the United Nations for a ruling?
I don't understand how Blancmange is being "arbitrarily held" either. He voluntarily walked into an Embassy a few years ago when he suspected his collar might be felt by then Yanks. Still, at least that strategy was a little more dignified than the wheeze that the soldier who leaked him the cables came up with. He suddenly decided he was a woman, a pitiful strategy laughably lapped up 'The Guardian' and their ilk. |
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a fantastic strategy.
who would you rather be locked up among? A load of grunt men being wound up that you just sold your country off or women? |
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Both certainly spineless strategies. Mandela, Gandhi and King would be urinating themselves with laughter.
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Im sure that fact will keep brenda or whatever his name is now, awake at night.
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the guy, or girl will do well to assume hes at war with his captors because I suspect they will take any opportunity they can to make life difficult, including 'encouraging' opinions of those other inmates. Perhaps a noble act like smearing his own 5hit all over would impress you a bit?
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Not really Dusty. A policy of smearing excrement on the walls is for one thing a two fingers to the poor underpaid cleaner who has to deal with it. It's not what I would call a 'progressive' act. Goodness knows how his employers at The Guardian would view that. (No, don't laugh, according to Wikipedia they employ him as a writer on various issues he knows little about).
If he had integrity and believed in what he did, why not simply take the proper course of action, and stand up and be counted? People have done that throughout history, without feeling it necessary the go to Holloway and be raped night after night by Queen Bee's strap-on. |
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I doubt he/she see it as a continued martyrdom issue.
Is he supposed to die a thousand deaths just to prove his point, or was his actions the only true regulation against what amounts to totalitarianism and in itself the act of bravery knowing what would happen? Sure theres an argument that he made some kind of oath, but it wasnt a soul selling oath like was suggested, it was little more than employment and he/she clearly held strong views. Are we born into silence and tacit agreement with each government action simply by being born on a certain strip of land? I say no. |
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The guy is accused of rape. He should have his day in court.
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The good news is that St Valentine's Day is coming up next week. There's still time for his admirers to send him some flowers, chocs or a pair of naughty knickers for him to wear if they so wish.
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BBC2 now
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Sounds like he is bed blocking Bill Cosby
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Cosby is a rapist , Julian is not.
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Nice libel there The Leopard
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Not if it is true.
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Do you need directions to the Ecuadorian Embassy to hide out
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No....I am there already.
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Julian's Lawyer on now , bbc2
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He needs to think up something.
What happens if he needs medical assistance and has to be taken to hospital? Sure the whole thing is a bit of a wheeze and I love to see the establishment's nose out of joint but he can't win this thinking like he is. I still think the diplomatic bag has value  |
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Hang on, he's chosen to go into hiding in a place where the police can't touch him and take him away to answer the charges against him and that's called "arbitrary detention".
In that case can all the drug dealers who've gone into hiding on the Costa del Sol get the UN to make a similar call on them and maybe they can get some compo? |
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British Police State will have to back down against Human Rights Law and pay compensation for unlawful imprisonment.
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Drug dealers can be extradited from Costa del Sol
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LBC 97.3 ... James O'Brien ....now
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The problem with it is that assange technically isn't on British soil, so even though he's effectively under house arrest, all the police are doing is policing London.
He needs to get a jet pack and leap from one embassy to another |
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It's still pretty amusing though when you think of it.
I thought it would last a weekend and ultimately would be a desperate last ditch attempt to **** a snoop at the British and Americans, but years??? The best part for me is the sacrifice the man is prepared to make in his refusal to comply, and the fact it's to Britain and Americas chargrin that it's costing them sooooo much money in the process, and both countries worship the stuff like its manna from heaven. |
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so pilger saying all rape victims are greedy money grubbers. sounds like the sort of thing someone who drugs and rapes underage children would say
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The women were frog-marched into making a complaint by Swedish Security services who were lapdogs to CIA.
Pilger said sms messages show they were not raped. |
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so if drug dealers abscond to somewhere that doesn't have an extradition treaty (erm Ecuador?) then it's not going on the run, it's arbitrary detention?
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No, he is detained because he is restricted to 1 building....if he was in Ecuador then that would not be classed as detained.
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Another 1,439 years and his tunnel to Ecuador will be complete
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As of today, the cost to the British Taxpayer has Risen to over £13 Million Pounds Sterling,
Julian Assange should be allowed to walk free and be compensated for his "deprivation of liberty", a UN legal panel has found. Government Ministers have Blasted the U.N`s Panel decision that he is being wrongly detained in the U.K. They are Not 5 Lawyers on the panel but "Laymen" says Philip Hammond, The Met Police said it will make "every effort" to arrest Mr Assange should he leave the embassy, The panel's ruling is not legally binding in the UK and a European Arrest Warrant remains in place. When the UK Government don't get the decision they want, everyone else is part of a "Banana Republic", Assange knows full well, the UK Government will implement the E.U Arrest warrant issued by Sweden, who will then Extradite him to America. Regarding the 2 Women "Claiming Rape", one has withdrew her allegations and the other admits she was "Pressured" by the Swedish Government to make a claim. Its all about the Wiki leaks. |
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Brits like to accept "The Hague's" decisions
The city is also home to the U.N.’s International Court of Justice, headquartered in the Peace Palace, and the International Criminal Court. |
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Wikileaks revealed numerous examples of criminal behaviour by USA organisations and individuals....to the greater good.
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The UN argument is pretty tenuous here I'm afraid. Hammond doesn't need or in my opinion should start taking about who is fit to judge in this instance (Christ that would open a real Pandora's box).
The point here is the police arnt doing anything in restricting his Liberty, it's not their fault the embassy is just one building, he is free to leave it under his own command. If they had locked the doors then he'd have a point. Maybe one day he will make a run for it some how, be great telly, beat anything American tv does in police chases. Ofc this is about sour grapes on Americas part and Britain does as Britain always does, suck america's....... |
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Time to tell USA to get lost.....a country where an idiot like Trump has a chance of becoming President is not worth knowing.
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Thing is though, he's not restricted. He could go outside and answer the charge of rape against him. If this was Gary Glitter there'd be pitchforks at the door but because it's Assange there's just an automatic assumption that the charges are trumped up and he's being hounded. Sorry, that's for the courts to decide.
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He has offered to talk to Swedish police in UK....they refused (on advise from USA oc)
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