Julian Assange

[Patrick_Bateman]

The UK government is going to extreme lengths to arrest a man wanted for ‘questioning’ over, clearly spurious, sexual assault allegations and for skipping his bail. Why does the UK Foreign Office wish to jeopardise its relations with the countries of Latin America and completely alienate Ecuador over this man? As editor-in-chief of Wikileaks he broke no law (even in the US) when he released over 250,000 diplomatic cables. Yet William Hague is still steadfast in his desire to have him arrested and extradited to Sweden on, in my opinion, fabricated sexual assault charges. Like any other politician who seeks to do something that is only in his government’s, or the governments of his allies, interests he is hiding behind the international laws that call on European nations to extradite those who are wanted by other European states, but it is becoming clear that this huge effort is at the instigation of America. President Obama has been virulent in his condemnation of Wikileaks and its editor-in-chief, Assange. Sweden already has a history of handing over asylum seekers to the CIA for extraordinary rendition; since the USA won’t be able to – or at least shouldn’t be able to, due to European and human rights laws – apply for his extradition to the US given that he could face the death penalty on charges of espionage, it is likely that Sweden will do the same again and hand him over. I believe the charges are farcical, and simply a pretext for the USA to get their hands on him. Assange would not receive a fair trial given the nature of the confidential and secret US diplomatic cables he leaked. Any case against him will portray him as a terrorist, and his actions as a breach of national security etc (you know all the clever manipulation of language that America uses to get its populace on side and hysterical.) And….well it’s America.

I’m embarrased at the UK government’s attempts at coercion and its conduct towards Ecuador and even more infuriated that they are doing the USA’s bidding. We are not mercenary State that you can just hire out to do your dirty and illegal work.

Free Julian Assange!! Free the Ecuador Embassy!!!

What does everyone think of this situation and the UK government's behaviour?

[Emil Miller]

What does everyone think of this situation and the UK government's behaviour?

If, as you state: " As editor-in-chief of Wikileaks he broke no law (even in the US) when he released over 250,000 diplomatic cables," then the USA would have no grounds to require his extradition. However, setting that aside, how do you know that he is not guilty of the sexual assault that the Swedish government claims and which can only be determined in a court of law ?
If the British government is party to an extradition treaty it obviously has the right, if not an outright duty, to abide by its conditions. Whatever the Swedish government decides to do subsequently in relation to the USA's demands is of no concern to the UK.

[papayahed]

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