Earlier quoted context omitted.
When was he extradited?
His extradition has been requested, I should have made that clearer.
Seems like if that request is denied then he’ll have confined himself to the embassy for nothing.
Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation
711–720 of 784 posts
Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation
#712Earlier quoted context omitted.
As I said, Manning is still alive, and she's spent an inordinate amount of time under US custody. She's under US custody right now. If the government had "assassination of visible targets" as standard black-ops policy, why is she not dead? Conspiracy theories suffer on lack of consistency.
It is plausible that if US govt was't able to contrive her current imprisonment via contempt of court charges, she would be dead. Kind of amusing that a user named "shadowgovt" is vehemently arguing that the government is less malicious than many members of the public suspect.
Theories of grand evil government conspiracies are comforting because they let us believe someone's in charge, that the evils of the world were intended and causal. Intentions can be controlled.
The reality is much more boring and much less comforting. Hence, my handle. ;)
Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation
#713Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is absolutely no different than in the US. A government prosecutor needs to press criminal charges. The accused has the right to a jury trial. An alleged victim has no such right.
Ok, maybe I’ve seen too many movies, but I had the impression that at least for some crimes (misdemeanors?) the victim can opt to not "press charges"?
Nope, though it is a common TV trope.
In the US, there's a concept known as "prosecutorial discretion," and it refers to the fact that prosecutors have nearly absolute authority over what charges are brought.
There are limits to this, but they are extremely rare. For example the Supreme Court has held repeatedly that a prosecutor can't base their decision on race or religion because it would violate the 5th Amendment.
Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation
#714Earlier quoted context omitted.
The charges from Sweden have been dropped and bought several times depending on their usefulness to the Americans it is not a case of the system working as intended. It is a foreign power putting diplomatic pressure on the Swedish government to put pressure on a man who has embarrassed them.
Yup, very convenient that the pseudo-charges (He was never formally charged) were maintained for ten years, but as soon as they complicate extradition to the US they get dropped. It's not the only thing in the Assange case which is blatantly political persecution. You got to wonder how most of the press can keep pretending it's not.
My understanding is that Sweden under no circumstances would have been able to extradite him to the US, and certainly not with less difficulty than extradition from the UK.
The fact that Assange fled Sweden for the UK, skipped bail, and then concocted a Swedish conspiracy theory is a bit on the implausible side.
>He was never formally charged
My understanding is that the Swedish system does not allow formal charges in abstentia.
Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation
#715Earlier quoted context omitted.
> "arbitrary confinement in the Ecuadorian embassy, to his oppressive isolation, harassment and surveillance inside the embassy, and from deliberate collective ridicule, insults and humiliation" Not only hyperbole, but it's entirely self-imposed. He wasn't confined to the embassy, he chose to stay there rather than face trial. He chose "deliberate collective ridicule, insults and humiliation" over defending himself a…
What trial was he to face? Sweden hadn't charged him with anything. They wanted to interview him as a witness, against himself essentially, so they could use what he said against him if (not when) they might have actually charged him in the future. He offered repeatedly to be interviewed, first in the UK and later in the Embassy. This whole situation was ridiculous and kafkaesque. Charge him or do not charge him, and…
>He offered repeatedly to be interviewed, first in the UK and later in the Embassy.
I'm pretty sure most people are not allowed to dictate terms to law enforcement as they conduct an investigation. Why should Assange be different?
Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation
#716Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don’t understand. He stayed in the Ecuadorian embassy to avoid arrest. His conditions are self-imposed.
Another take, with no more or less evidence as far as I can tell: He essentially had no choice, as it was obvious he was going to be railroaded at any trial, and would likely be bounced to the US at some point.
> and would likely be bounced to the US at some point.
From Sweden?
He fled Sweden, which has stronger protections against extradition, for the UK which has weaker protections. Had he been extradited from the UK to Sweden, further extradition to the US would have been prohibited.
Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation
#717Earlier quoted context omitted.
He fled justice to hide in an embassy. He was fully free to leave, and should have faced justice from the start. Fugitives from justice do not enjoy pleasant conditions - that's not a strike against liberty, but a necessary condition of the rule of law.
I find it remarkable that so many here feel they are in a better position to assess whether Assange's human rights have been violated than experts on the topic at the UN who've spent considerable time looking into his situation.
I find it remarkable that so many here feel they are in a better position to make judgements on the validity of an indictment than the justice systems involved.
Here I thought legal factfinding was the purview of a courtroom, rather than the court of public opinion.
Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation
#718Earlier quoted context omitted.
Ok, maybe I’ve seen too many movies, but I had the impression that at least for some crimes (misdemeanors?) the victim can opt to not "press charges"?
Nope, though it is a common TV trope. In the US, there's a concept known as "prosecutorial discretion," and it refers to the fact that prosecutors have nearly absolute authority over what charges are brought. There are limits to this, but they are extremely rare. For example the Supreme Court has held repeatedly that a prosecutor can't base their decision on race or religion because it would violate the 5th Amendment…
Yeah they can decide for any reason except prohibited reasons.
Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation
#719Earlier quoted context omitted.
You quote: > “Mr. Assange has been deliberately exposed, for a period of several years, to progressively severe forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the cumulative effects of which can only be described as psychological torture.“ That quote lacked information on who was exposing him and what that exposure actually was, so I followed your source. That source elaborates as follows: > “In the co…
If she finds his treatment report worthy she should visit almost any county jail in America and write a report. I'm seriously not being flippant. If people genuinely find this kind of treatment disturbing and inhumane then they should know it is befalling daily many of their over 2 million incarcerated American brothers and sisters.
I found most of the comment fine except for the part
...brothers and sisters
Re: Sweden Drops Julian Assange Rape Investigation
#720Earlier quoted context omitted.
Progress is being made with the elimination of cash bail in some places, and Trump's First Step Act.
At first glance, First Step looks like progress. But, it seems to only apply to Federal inmates, which is only 10% (or less) of the prison population.
So, 10% is not progress?