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Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

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Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#241
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He's now safely in police custody and the US has already revealed its plans to extradite him, so there's no longer any need for the charges in Sweden. That's what's meant by this, imo.

Or they never had any strong charges to begin with and the whole plan was to hand over Assange to the US, just Assange said. This is a copy of a dead comment. Not mine.

You can vouch for dead comments if you believe they are contributing to the conversation. Click on the timestamp to see if the option is available, I'd imagine it is karma dependent.

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#242
post #38

It's not torture if you can leave at any time. He wasn't being held in the embassy, he was hiding there.

Ah, the old “he was free to leave anytime” argument. No. He wasn’t. Yes, technically, he was free to leave, but arguing that is ignoring the fact that leaving would mean jail. It’s victim blaming. Would you say a victim of Stockholm Syndrome is “free to leave at any time”? No, because that’s a ridiculous argument. Would you say Snowden is “free to leave [Russia] at any time”? No! So why is it an acceptable argument w…

> but arguing that is ignoring the fact that leaving would mean jail. > It’s victim blaming

Yeah, but the victim is the woman he raped and that will not see any justice, because he ran...

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#243
post #46
post #9

So he still gets almost another full year in a UK jail. After that, where can he go? Let's just say he's somehow successful at avoiding US extradition (unlikely), he's not going to be able to stay in the UK (unless he has dual citizenship or can somehow claim dual citizenship through a relative). He'd have to request asylum from another European nation that he can safety get to without flying. Australia did little to…

If he is released from UK jail he can hop onto a ferry and go to mainland EU. There he could travel to anywhere within the Shengen zone. I'm not sure about western countries, but Poland(as well as other eastern countries I believe) will not extradite anyone anywhere unless the crime is also considered a crime here, there is no possibility of death penalty, and there is strong evidence submitted that makes a convictio…

The UK is not within the Schengen zone, and has passport checks for entry to and from the UK for that reason.

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#244

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not talking about Sweden. The charges in Sweden never mattered besides being a way for him to be extradited to the U.S. The U.S. does have the death penalty, and it would be on the table if the U.S. didn't tell the U.K. he won't get it. It's still possible that the U.S. lied of course. Either way, he'll likely be put in prison in the U.S. for the rest of his life.

> I'm not talking about Sweden. The charges in Sweden never mattered besides being a way for him to be extradited to the U.S. Citation needed. The fact that Swedes are being honest here, doesn't prove anything.

He always maintained he didn't face the charges in Sweden for fear of being extradited to the U.S.

For sexual assault he'd likely already be getting out of prison in Sweden, or at least be very close. Extradition to the U.S. has always been the real threat to him. The fact that he's facing extradition now proves it was a valid concern.

Even if the Swedes were honestly just trying to get him for sexual assault, he was still gonna face U.S. extradition. It doesn't matter if they were helping the U.S. knowingly or not.

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#245
post #236
post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"are not extremely stressful." That's not torture.

> The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, visited Assange and described his treatment as psychological torture.

I read the articles. As I noted I disagree. If he didn't divulge something(s) that also added to his assessment I can't account for that.

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#246
post #2

> "The reason for this decision is that the evidence has weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed since the events in question." I'm not sure I understand what's meant by this. Did the victims testimony change? How does evidence weaken over time?

Eyewitnesses’ memories get worse, records get lost, etc. This is one of the reasons that statutes of limitations exist.

>Records get lost

This could not possibly be a problem anymore?

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whistleblowers do not deserve to be in prison. Exposing war crimes is good.

She wasn't technically a whistleblower, technically she stole classified documents and betrayed her country that she swore to protect. The military have a different way of dealing with justice, especially in U.S. She was in fact sentenced by court-martial not by a regular court.

>betrayed her country that she swore to protect

Hasn't she in fact protected her country from commiting further war crimes?

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#248

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Yes, technically, he was free to leave, but arguing that is ignoring the fact that leaving would mean jail." Didn't it mean he would be free to stand trial for the rape allegations? Do those women not have a right to have their case heard?

They do. He should stand trial for that. However, I’m talking about the US case where he is being charged with espionage. In other words: exposing the US government’s illegal doings. He should not have to stand trial for that.

> . He should not have to stand trial for that.

The Trump administration pushed the pedal on it.

And to think that Assange was scared as hell of Hillary Clinton, which actually would be a much better option for him now, imagine Hillary forgiving Assange, she had a lot to gain from it, Trump doesn't care, he just really doesn't.

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#249
post #181
post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find the idea of the threat of prosecution in a free country as a form of "torture" a bit questionable. It's something, but i'm not sure I agree with calling that torture.

He is currently held in solitary confinement, with 1 hour outside his cell per day. That is torture.

I don't think so. I spend less than an hour outside each day and I don't find my life to be torturous.

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If we go by that definition then everytime your partner is horny and you're not, but you have sex with them regardless you're "sexually assaulted". As you didn't really want to participate.

No. "Eh, whatever" and "no, not without a condom" aren't the same thing.

My point was that it isn't a good definition, I'm not implying anything regarding the assange case.
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