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Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

bbc.com

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Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#521

Post by jki275 »

Quekid5 wrote: post #494
jki275 wrote: post #474

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seriously, if you all believe everywhere else in the world is so much better, why stay? For context, I'm married to a person from a real developing country, as it's actually defined. I'm sending multiple family members to school there so they can get out. Every single person in her family has done everything they can to get out. Every single person I know there has done everything they can to get out. Every single pe…

All of your family is there. All your friends are there. All that you own is there. All that you've ever known is there. You may not know any other language than your native one. You: "Why don't you just move?" This really sounds like saying "Cheer up!" to a person suffering from depression. EDIT: Spelling

No, it doesn't. I know people from developing countries. I'm married to one. Universally, every single one of them wants to get the fuck out, and they do everything in their power to get out.

That's reality in a developing country.

The US is not in any way like a developing country. Comparing it to one is an act of such entitled privileged whining it's absurd.

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#522

Post by stjohnswarts »

jancsika wrote: post #320
duxup wrote: 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.

> I find the idea of the threat of prosecution in a free country as a form of "torture" a bit questionable. Yeah, it's funny how HN typically goes evidence-free where pet politics is concerned. I'll eat my hat if someone on here can name a single precedent of someone being tortured in the U.S. before being tried for a crime similar to what Assange would be accused of. Edit: and citations, please!

All you have to do is do a google search for people dying of health conditions because the cops ignored them, people lying on the ground beaten half to death, out cold, while cops yell "stop resisting arrest!", guys on the ground shot for not crawling up to the cops right, the list goes on and on.

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#523

Post by dang »

freejulian85 wrote: post #191
goerz wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Mr. Assange’s health has been seriously affected by the extremely hostile and arbitrary environment he has been exposed to for many years Let me correct that: Mr Assange’s health has been seriously affected by the environment that he exposed himself to (Edit: I’m talking about the embassy episode here, not his more recent incarceration)

> Mr Assange’s health has been seriously affected by the environment that he exposed himself to Fuck you.

We've banned this account for repeatedly breaking the site guidelines. Would you please stop creating accounts to do that with?

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#525

Post by stjohnswarts »

shadowgovt wrote: post #258
k1m wrote: post #35

Worth mentioning that Nils Melzer, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, visited Assange and described his treatment as psychological torture: > “It was obvious that Mr. Assange’s health has been seriously affected by the extremely hostile and arbitrary environment he has been exposed to for many years,” the expert said. “Most importantly, in addition to physical ailments, Mr. Assange showed all symptoms typical for…

I would believe he's exhibiting symptoms correlated with torture victims, but most torture victims don't choose to stay in the torture chamber voluntarily. Assange sought and was granted asylum and could have ended the torturous circumstances at any time by rendering himself to UK custody.

Who would promptly then turn him over to the USA, lol.

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#526

Post by bdamm »

jki275 wrote: post #488
paulmd wrote: post #479

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Largely because people have roots here and it's a pain to move. What, you're supposed to quit your job, leave your extended family, sell your house and possessions, find a new job and place to live overseas, and potentially even learn an entire new language? Just to be sure you won't be tortured? (assuming you can even find a place to take you - things are easier here for this crowd, tech skills are in-demand and usu…

It's not a 1% chance. Even if one accepts your definition of torture, people who aren't criminals are very rarely caught up in the system at all. So it's far less than 1% as long as you're simply not a criminal. If the US were really so bad, people would leave. The people who do leave typically leave for tax purposes opposite to your belief.

Mobility is really restricted to the top half of people. Yeah, it's not so bad as to cause mass refugee exodus, but that's a very low bar to aim for. We can and should do better.

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#527

Post by csallen »

jki275 wrote: post #474
seirl wrote: post #396

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, the "few aspects" like the prison system, healthcare, inequality, corruption, homelessness rates, freedom of the press, air pollution, crime rates, discrimination, police violence, homicide rates, unemployment benefits, social nets...

Seriously, if you all believe everywhere else in the world is so much better, why stay? For context, I'm married to a person from a real developing country, as it's actually defined. I'm sending multiple family members to school there so they can get out. Every single person in her family has done everything they can to get out. Every single person I know there has done everything they can to get out. Every single pe…

I have never understood this viewpoint of, "If you find fault with country X, then leave!" Sometimes it's applied to companies, tools, etc., too: "If you find fault with Y, then stop using it!"

Can you explain this to me? It seems like an extreme way to live that would preclude anyone from living anywhere that's not perfect or using anything that's not perfect. (And nothing is perfect.)

Why not just address the criticisms individually, rather than arbitrarily bundling them into a person's decision on where to live and what to use?

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#528

Post by spodek »

> Ms Persson said: "I would like to emphasise that the injured party has submitted a credible and reliable version of events.

> "Her statements have been coherent, extensive and detailed; however, my overall assessment is that the evidential situation has been weakened to such an extent that that there is no longer any reason to continue the investigation."

Did Ms Persson also clarify that a lack of evidence suggests that the state consider that Assange may be the injured party. Presuming the accuser injured seems to deprive Assange of an assumption of innocence (not sure if applicable there).

Were Assange's statements not coherent, extensive, and detailed? If so, why favor the accuser? Why deprive Assange of fair treatment?

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#529

Post by blattimwind »

jki275 wrote: post #474
seirl wrote: post #396

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, the "few aspects" like the prison system, healthcare, inequality, corruption, homelessness rates, freedom of the press, air pollution, crime rates, discrimination, police violence, homicide rates, unemployment benefits, social nets...

Seriously, if you all believe everywhere else in the world is so much better, why stay? For context, I'm married to a person from a real developing country, as it's actually defined. I'm sending multiple family members to school there so they can get out. Every single person in her family has done everything they can to get out. Every single person I know there has done everything they can to get out. Every single pe…

I never lived there. You can't just assume everyone is an American because you're on a ".com" website.

Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation

#530

Post by SiempreViernes »

ivl wrote: 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?

They had new interviews after reopening the case to check the reliability of the various old testimonies, as well as talking to some new people, and I guess they concluded that the totality of the evidence wasn't as strong. Presumably some people have changed their testimony somewhat.

In any case, this was always the most likely outcome: very few sexual assault cases ever make it to court in Sweden.

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