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Julian Assange Seeks Asylum In Ecuador Embassy

ecuadorembassyuk.org.uk

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Re: Julian Assange Seeks Asylum In Ecuador Embassy

#21

Post by Mz »

pvnick wrote: post #5

How dire is Assange's situation? Is it really possible that the US will try to imprison or even execute him? Edit: I know were not talking directly about the US here, but the reason I made the jump is that I see Sweden as a lot more likely to allow the US to bully it into giving up Assange

The US has a long history of doing things like going to full fledged war over dropping a few bombs or planes on our soil. If I had run Wikileaks, I wouldn't want to be extradited to the US either. However, the statement on the page references the UK and Sweden, not the US. So that may not really be a factor.

Re: Julian Assange Seeks Asylum In Ecuador Embassy

#22

Post by sp332 »

iand wrote: post #19
sp332 wrote: post #3

Why Ecuador, in particular? I just learned that they've adopted the US dollar as their currency, following devaluation of their old currency in 1999. Edit: I checked, and Ecuador does have extradition treaties with both the UK and the US. I don't know about Sweden though. Edit2: according to http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/06/19/assange_seeks... Ecuador has a treaty with the EU as well. But moving to Ecuador…

He's wanted in Sweden. Is there an extradition treaty between Ecuador and Sweden?

Sweden is part of the EU, so yes.

Re: Julian Assange Seeks Asylum In Ecuador Embassy

#23

Post by mcantelon »

wilfra wrote: post #10
pvnick wrote: post #5

How dire is Assange's situation? Is it really possible that the US will try to imprison or even execute him? Edit: I know were not talking directly about the US here, but the reason I made the jump is that I see Sweden as a lot more likely to allow the US to bully it into giving up Assange

The US has nothing to do with this. Sweden is trying to have him extradited from the UK for a sexual assault charge.

He's not even charged in Sweden. It's fairly obvious the Swedish angle is being used to get him in a country from which he can be extradicted to the US.

Re: Julian Assange Seeks Asylum In Ecuador Embassy

#24

Post by dsrguru »

opminion wrote: post #2

Assange interviewed the Ecuatorian president for his program at RT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE-1-9QXd3Y The Ecuatorian president is introduced as "populist", yet the interview is non-critical. I thought "populist" was globally pejorative? Edit: the president himself uses the term in a negative context

I live in the U.S., and I've never heard "populist" used pejoratively. Where are you from and what does it connote when used pejoratively in your country?

Re: Julian Assange Seeks Asylum In Ecuador Embassy

#25

Post by objclxt »

Muzza wrote: post #15
hack_edu wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

US imprisonment has very little to do with this. The man faces rape and sexual assault charges, one of the most serious offenses a person can commit. Though I back his politics 100% and consider him a hero to be remembered, he has every responsibility to face his accusers in a fair trial. Shame on Sweden if they hand him over to the Americans after his trial has concluded.

> Though I back his politics 100%, he has every responsibility to face his accusers in a fair trial. With Sweden's looney toons laws, I strongly disagree.

This is getting really tired now.

Assange and his legal team have tried every possible angle. Sweden has very different laws to say the US. This is not unexpected. The English courts have determined that Sweden's justice system is fair and balanced. Assange attempted to avoid extradition by arguing Sweden didn't have the right to issue an arrest warrant, not that he was going to get an unfair trial.

This is an act of total desperation. It does nothing to further his innocence. If the US wanted him they would have extradited him from the UK already - Britain has a long history of being more than happy to comply with US extradition requests. It's why Roman Polanski refuses to visit the UK from France.

This is all about accusations of sexual assault and rape which Assange is totally unwilling to face.

Re: Julian Assange Seeks Asylum In Ecuador Embassy

#27

Post by objclxt »

wilfra wrote: post #10
pvnick wrote: post #5

How dire is Assange's situation? Is it really possible that the US will try to imprison or even execute him? Edit: I know were not talking directly about the US here, but the reason I made the jump is that I see Sweden as a lot more likely to allow the US to bully it into giving up Assange

The US has nothing to do with this. Sweden is trying to have him extradited from the UK for a sexual assault charge.

Exactly. This is all about Assange not wanting to be questioned about sexual assault.

All this posturing about how the US wants him is a smoke screen - Ecuador has an extradition treaty with the US. Assange may be completely innocent: trying to desperately avoid being questioned about the alleged offences doesn't paint a great picture.

Re: Julian Assange Seeks Asylum In Ecuador Embassy

#28

Post by tylee78 »

dsrguru wrote: post #24
opminion wrote: post #2

Assange interviewed the Ecuatorian president for his program at RT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE-1-9QXd3Y The Ecuatorian president is introduced as "populist", yet the interview is non-critical. I thought "populist" was globally pejorative? Edit: the president himself uses the term in a negative context

I live in the U.S., and I've never heard "populist" used pejoratively. Where are you from and what does it connote when used pejoratively in your country?

one example: it is used that way in Germany and applied (mostly) to right wing parties

Re: Julian Assange Seeks Asylum In Ecuador Embassy

#29

Post by fleitz »

iand wrote: post #19
sp332 wrote: post #3

Why Ecuador, in particular? I just learned that they've adopted the US dollar as their currency, following devaluation of their old currency in 1999. Edit: I checked, and Ecuador does have extradition treaties with both the UK and the US. I don't know about Sweden though. Edit2: according to http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/06/19/assange_seeks... Ecuador has a treaty with the EU as well. But moving to Ecuador…

He's wanted in Sweden. Is there an extradition treaty between Ecuador and Sweden?

Yes, but one would assume that this case from Sweden is part of what he's seeking asylum for.

I would imagine that if the Ecuadorian government was to grant asylum that its courts would likely find the extradition request to be political persecution and thus dismiss it for violating his rights under the UNHDR and/or Ecuadorian constitutions.

So, yes while most countries have extradition agreements, some have more respect for the rule of law than others.

He's not trying to avoid extradition so much as seeking a jurisdiction where he believe he'll be tried more fairly with respect to the UNHDR and other inalieable rights endowed by his creator.

Re: Julian Assange Seeks Asylum In Ecuador Embassy

#30

Post by andreasvc »

dsrguru wrote: post #24
opminion wrote: post #2

Assange interviewed the Ecuatorian president for his program at RT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE-1-9QXd3Y The Ecuatorian president is introduced as "populist", yet the interview is non-critical. I thought "populist" was globally pejorative? Edit: the president himself uses the term in a negative context

I live in the U.S., and I've never heard "populist" used pejoratively. Where are you from and what does it connote when used pejoratively in your country?

Here in Europe it's used to refer to politicians who pander to the sentiments of the common people, without having a well thought out long-term strategy; e.g., "I'll lower all taxes AND give free healthcare for all."
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