MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
British Judge refuses to halt legal proceedings against Assange
A British judge refused on Tuesday to halt legal proceedings against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for jumping bail and fleeing to the Ecuadorean embassy in London in June 2012. The ruling leaves Assange, 46, in a legal and diplomatic impasse, with no way out of the embassy where he has lived for almost six years, unless he decides to face the prospect of arrest by British police. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesIf he had complied with the court instructions he would have been free to go years ago.
Feb 14th, 2018 - 11:18 am - Link - Report abuse +2Jumping bail does not get a 6 year sentence in the UK.
He is either barmy or he knows more than we do about what awaits him outside the Embassy. Love his cat…
Feb 14th, 2018 - 11:58 am - Link - Report abuse +1In the UK the LAW is the LAW, nothing wrong with that.
Feb 14th, 2018 - 12:27 pm - Link - Report abuse +2Assange knows nothing. He's finally realised that he can't escape justice.
Feb 14th, 2018 - 04:01 pm - Link - Report abuse +2Now the Swedish might've just given up trying to gain justice but the fact is that whether the sexual assault allegations against Assange were true or not he still broke British law by jumping bail.
And in the UK if you break the law you'll be chased, caught and punished. And what Mr Assange and many of his followers seem to forget that there is no statue of limitations in UK law. It doesn't matter how long ago the crime happened you can still be prosecuted.
So Assange put himself into a self imposed prison 6 years ago in the hopes he could subvert justice and now he finds that he can't just walk away even though the charges have been dropped by Sweden.
So he has 2 options. He can stay in the Ecuadorian embassy until he rots, or he can surrender himself to British justice.
Assange has become an irrelevance in the world. No one wants to 'extradite' him, and it was a ridiculous claim in the first place. It would be far easier to extradite him from the UK (with whom the USA has an agreement) than from Sweden which doesn't.
He's a liar, and quite probably an abuser of women (innocent people don't act this way). The judge was spot on when she said that he felt himself above the law.
“So he has 2 options. He can stay in the Ecuadorian embassy until he rots, or he can surrender himself to British justice.” Let's hope chooses the first option - I know the Embassy premises and they must be much more uncomfortable than any British prison.
Feb 14th, 2018 - 04:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0TWIMC...
Feb 14th, 2018 - 06:02 pm - Link - Report abuse -5GENEVA (5 February 2016) – WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been arbitrarily detained by Sweden and the United Kingdom since his arrest in London on 7 December 2010, as a result of the legal action against him by both Governments, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said today.
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=17013
Nobody is detaining him. All he has to do is walk out the door of the Embassy, surrender to the police. His jumping bail charge will be examined and a judgement will be given. He is not a special case or above UK law. Simple to understand , eh?
Feb 14th, 2018 - 06:09 pm - Link - Report abuse +3TWIMC...
Feb 14th, 2018 - 07:42 pm - Link - Report abuse -5I would reccomend any non brainwashed Engrishmen to read the International Press about the Assange case and not just the Sun or the Express...
Just one example...:
“The results are for anyone to see...: From 2010 to 2017 the inquiry has never left it's preliminary phase and was subsequently archived...
From June 2012 to June 2015, Scotland Yard has spend £ 11 milions tax monies to watch the embassy 24/7...
Sweden and the UK have..., for the first time ever..., been accused by the UN of an arbitrary detention...
Sweden has..., in consequence..., lifted all its accusations whilst the UK has tried to avoid this shameful stain by apealling unsuccessfully the UN decision...
Since the repeal..., the UK has simply ignored the United Nations decision....”
http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2018/02/13/news/julian_assange_detenzione_arbitraria_wikileaks-188756109
Voice, V0ice, Vestige, Think et al, sock-puppeteer extraordinaire and mythology major
Feb 14th, 2018 - 09:45 pm - Link - Report abuse +1“Julian Assange has been arbitrarily detained by Sweden and the United Kingdom since his arrest in London on 7 December 2010,”
Where is the confirmation from the only accredited body that holds jurisdiction the ECHR.
“The Working Group cannot issue binding decisions (contrary to what Julian Assange’s legal team are arguing), hence their description as ‘opinions’. Nor can it provide authoritative interpretations of any human rights treaty (having not been granted that role by the parties to any such treaty). The most that can be said is that States are under a duty to take ‘due consideration’ to Working Group’s recommendations, which is a rather weak obligation. …
... Mr Assange voluntarily entered the Ecuadorian embassy and, in breach of his bail conditions, has remained their ever since. Moreover, even prior to his taking refuge, Mr Assange was not in detention but on bail, albeit subject to a number of conditions.
h ttps://www.ejiltalk.org/julian-assange-and-the-un-working-group-on-arbitrary-detention/
“The International Court of Justice in The Hague. In its judgment in the Asylum Case, the Court ruled that no general rule in international law existed permitting States to grant diplomatic asylum … In addition, it may be that Ecuador is legally obliged, if requested, to surrender Assange to the UK authorities. According to the International Court of Justice in Haya de la Torre, although (contrary to Ecuador’s contentions) the granting of diplomatic asylum is an intervention in a State’s internal affairs, diplomats are not obliged to assist in the course of justice in their host State. However, the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, to which both Ecuador and the UK are parties, requires that diplomats respect their host State’s laws and regulations The Convention also provides that diplomatic premises should not be used in any manner incompatible with the functions
The UN does not control British Laws. Assange will get justice.
Feb 14th, 2018 - 09:54 pm - Link - Report abuse +2The noxious troll's agenda is clear - anti British claptrap.
Flung any Nuns into the Plate recently? Slaughtered any Amerindians? Burned tyres in front of cruise ships or thrown rocks at TV crews? Please tell..
Unlike Argieland we are free to read anything censorship free and we dont brainwash children with lies in our schools like Argiland does.
Assange's detention reminds all of another freedom fighter's detention by a repressive regime in the the 1950s and 1960s. I'm referring to the Hungarian government's repression of Cardinal Mindszenty who was forced to remain in the US embassy in Budapest.
Feb 14th, 2018 - 10:24 pm - Link - Report abuse -3Voice, V0ice, Vestige, Think et al, sock-puppeteer extraordinaire and mythology major
Feb 15th, 2018 - 12:02 am - Link - Report abuse +1Continued
“… of the mission as laid down in the convention (which does not include harbouring fugitives from justice) or general international law (which, as shown, does not recognize a general right to grant diplomatic asylum).”
http://www.ejiltalk.org/julian-assange-and-diplomatic-asylum/
Assange isn’t a freedom fighter nor is he arbitrarily detained as can leave any time he wants.
Feb 15th, 2018 - 01:59 am - Link - Report abuse +5He could also speak out about the atrocities perpetuated by governments such as Russia, China and Ecuador.... but never does.
Assange has become what he always feared... irrelevant! He hardly rates the news here in Oz. And when he does it is always instigated by him.
5 1/2 years and counting locked in a ladies toilet and despised by the people around him... seriously couldn’t ask for a better punishment.
Yes, Assange can leave any time he wants in exactly the same way Cardinal Mindszenty could have left any time he wanted.
Feb 15th, 2018 - 05:20 am - Link - Report abuse +1When you say “Oz” are you referring to the Land of Oz or are the referring to Australia which is sometimes referred to by you British as “Oz”? Maybe its a distinction without a difference. In any case you obviously cutoff from news. So here is one item that may interest you.
https://theintercept.com/2018/02/14/julian-assange-wikileaks-election-clinton-trump/
Estimated Mr./Ms. Pab...
Feb 15th, 2018 - 08:34 am - Link - Report abuse -2Firstly..., I want to thank you to bring to memory Cardinal József Mindszenty.... an ethical man vilified in his time thousandfold more than Mr.Julian Assange...
Secondly..., I want to thank you for taking the time to post in here... You stand out as a tall wild red poppy in a field of low lying turnips...;-)
Thirdly..., I THINK your comparison OF Mr. ASSANGE''s and Cardinal MINDSZENTY's situations should help some of the less brainwashed Anglo Turnips posting here to start to THINK...
After all..., statistically..., there is a huuuge probability that many of those Anglo Turnips descend from fathers..., grandfathers and greatgrandfathers that fought hard to conquer the rights they enjoy today...
Rights they..., as we speak..., ... disrespect and spit on as in the case of Mr. ASSANGE..
All of us should always remember..:
“Los derechos se toman, no se piden...; se arrancan, no se mendigan...”
(Rights are taken, not asked for..., they are reaped, not begged for...)
Also sprach el Think...
Yet more irrelavent claptrap from the noxious Nazi Colonialist anti British troll.. Assange is free to leave his hiding place any time he wants to.
Feb 15th, 2018 - 09:08 am - Link - Report abuse +2TWIMC...
Feb 15th, 2018 - 09:35 am - Link - Report abuse -3November 30, 2016...
Final Ruling of the UNITED NATIONS says ‘ UK's Arbitrary Detention of Mr. Assange’ Must End...
http://thefreethoughtproject.com/assange-un-ruling-free-detention/
@Pab
Feb 15th, 2018 - 09:38 am - Link - Report abuse 0Was that link supposed to make us more sympathetic towards Assange? Because it had the opposite effect on me.
Sympathetic or not..., Whistleblower Mr. Assange was and is right...
Feb 15th, 2018 - 09:50 am - Link - Report abuse -4Ms. Clinton would have meant more of the same Status Quo..., with the Intelligentia voices muted and the Turnips shouting for more...
Today..., millions of Turnips all over the World can see that Mr. TRUMP is too much...
The true mission of a whistleblower...: To open Turnips eyes...
Yeah, and what do all those people want now? To go back to the status quo!
Feb 15th, 2018 - 09:57 am - Link - Report abuse 0O'Really...?
Feb 15th, 2018 - 10:10 am - Link - Report abuse -1And how do you KNOW that..., Mr.DemonTree...?
Observation. And it doesn't matter what 'turnips' all over the world think, because unless you're Russia or have an infamous website to push your agenda your opinion is irrelevant.
Feb 15th, 2018 - 10:36 am - Link - Report abuse 0The effect on America has been even worse. The non-Trump voters have lost all faith in their fellow citizens, it's a short step from there to losing faith in democracy altogether.
Wooow..., boy...
Feb 15th, 2018 - 10:55 am - Link - Report abuse -3Defeatism raised to the n'th power...!
Is that the reason you choose to concentrate soo much effort on a relative unconsequential & simple Colonial issue on the South Atlantic...?
On the Baddies side..., that is...
I'm not feeling very optimistic right now about the direction the world is going. Trump, Brexit, the war in Syria, the increasing authoritarianism in Turkey and Russia, Duterte... The status quo isn't working and people are turning to the bad guys.
Feb 15th, 2018 - 11:25 am - Link - Report abuse 0And you're supporting the baddies here.
Anyway, back to the point. Assange CAN leave the Embassy anytime he likes, that would suit the Equadorians perfectly. If he is arrested for jumping bail then so be it. It is British justice and the UN et al can just sit back and observe how justice is served.
Feb 15th, 2018 - 11:30 am - Link - Report abuse +2Trump and Brexit are the result of democratic votes, Erdogan and Putin too although it is alleged that the votes were rigged. The snowflakes and the establishment hate democracy when it doesnt reflect their views.
Feb 15th, 2018 - 02:02 pm - Link - Report abuse +2British Law is totally seperate from politics and everyone must respect it including Assange. His self imposed detention is his own fault.
TV, why do you choose to insult people merely for disagreeing with you?
Feb 15th, 2018 - 04:13 pm - Link - Report abuse -2And the law should be separate from politics but that doesn't mean it always is. Look at Al-Megrahi's release and the court rulings on the Chagos Islands.
@DT, did you mean “noxious Nazi Colonialist anti British troll” thats not an insult its an accurate description.
Feb 15th, 2018 - 04:58 pm - Link - Report abuse +2Or, are you referring to those who are commonly termed snowflakes - people who are overly sensitive, often wrongly even handed and who tend to denigrate folk with broader shoulders who take a more liberal and adult worldview? ie appeasers like Chamberlian, a Classic naive snowflake?
As for the establishment Brexit has revealed them to be seriously undemocratic.
As for insulting some of these people, yes, I do enjoy taking the mickey to reveal their hypocracy
No, I'm talking about 'snowflake' as usually used by Conservatives to mean anyone who happens to care about things they do not. I have never heard Chamberlain called a snowflake, if that is what you mean then you should find a more accurate term; in my experience people who call others snowflakes are usually massive hypocrites who get upset about trivial things themselves.
Feb 15th, 2018 - 05:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If you want a more productive discussion without the insults and hyperbole, then let's compare to Latin America. The people elected socialist style governments, and the establishment and the middle classes weren't happy. The various military dictatorships would not have remained in power so long if they hadn't had support from a significant minority of the population. It seems like a lot of people would rather be ruled by a dictatorship that does the things they want, than a democracy that has to take everyone's wishes into account.
Yes, just lke the Nazis who had loads of governments in the years leading up to Hitler who brought stability….. and genocide.
Feb 15th, 2018 - 05:57 pm - Link - Report abuse +1The joke was always, South America, 78 rpm!
Chamberlain was an appeaser. Had he and Lord Halifax had their way we'd all be wearing jackboots. First past the post doesnt encompas the views of everyone but it generally gives more stability without Dictatorship. The Romans chose dictatorship.
Voice, V0ice, Vestige, Think et al, sock-puppeteer extraordinaire and mythology major
Feb 15th, 2018 - 07:11 pm - Link - Report abuse +1“Final Ruling of the UNITED NATIONS says” Absolutely nothing, that’s simply more of your sophism. An ad hoc committee, devoid of any legal powers gave their none-binding opinion. Again, where is the confirmation from the only accredited body that holds the legal jurisdiction the ECHR?
If he's innocent then he's got nothing to worry about...
Feb 15th, 2018 - 10:17 pm - Link - Report abuse +2It is nothing to do with him being innocent or guilty of any crime alleged by any other country. He has broken his terms of bail in the UK by refusing to come to court. Effectively he will be charged with contempt of court and judged solely on that. Afterwards, when the judgement is fullfilled, he will be free to go UNLESS any other country asks for his extradition.
Feb 16th, 2018 - 12:14 pm - Link - Report abuse +2”(Assange) is free to walk out anytime...“
Feb 16th, 2018 - 08:39 pm - Link - Report abuse -3”If he's innocent then he's got nothing to worry about...”
How disingenuous. It strikes me that most MP commentators invariably choose to defend the side of the powerful while expressing despise for anyone who defies the status quo.
In regards to Assange, they are vociferously asking for his head to be served in a platter to the U.S. while expressing no concern whatsoever about the amounts of information unduly kept from the public sight and uncovered by Assange. How reassuring to be on the safe side...
Of course, the powers that be want to make an example of Assange's in order to discourage further such indiscretions.
However, the world needs more whistleblowers--not less.
”If he's innocent then he's got nothing to worry about...”
Feb 16th, 2018 - 09:34 pm - Link - Report abuse -1That's never been true, but not everyone believes he would be 'served on a platter to the US' if he left the embassy.
And does the world need more whistle blowers who think they should decide who wins the US elections, and only releases the information that will hurt the candidate they oppose?
Enrique Massot
Feb 16th, 2018 - 10:46 pm - Link - Report abuse +2“In regards to Assange, they are vociferously asking for his head to be served in a platter to the U.S”
So he and you claim but that is not true as the US has made no such application. Moreover, his lawyer could have negotiated with Sweden and the UK that they would guarantee publicly that he would not be handed over to the US.
EM
Feb 16th, 2018 - 10:51 pm - Link - Report abuse +1You have an obvious contempt for the law in the UK. You think it should follow your whim and political leanings.
.
See my previous post. He is not being tried in Britain for ANYTHING but jumping bail.
So you think he is“a special case” and the law should be ignored. This could be used as a precedent in any other case of contempt. Maybe that's how the law is conducted in your country...NOT CANADA ...but where you were born.
He presents himself to the authorities, receives a fine or a term of imprisonment and then is free to go to Ecuador. As far as I know, there is NO extradition warrant out for him.
Apparently it is possibly to have a 'sealed indictment' in the US, which they could reveal later after he has been arrested in Britain. And supposedly his lawyer did try to get Britain to promise not to extradite him to the US, but the authorities refused (not sure who would have the power to guarantee it, the Home Secretary maybe?)
Feb 16th, 2018 - 11:03 pm - Link - Report abuse 0From what I read at the time though, there is nothing they could really charge him with; he didn't commit a crime in America. It was the whistleblowers who gave him the information who did.
EM
Feb 17th, 2018 - 09:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“However, the world needs more whistleblowers--not less”
How “disingenuous” of you, EM.
Or is it, 'dishonest'?
Like Roger or perhaps Clyde, said previously, you don't see Assange and Co. indignantly 'blowing the whistle' on China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela or other corrupt regimes.
Over 2,000 days in self imposed incarceration!
Feb 19th, 2018 - 02:33 am - Link - Report abuse +1Takes an extremely particular narcissist to do that.
Here's to the next 2,000 days..... I don't doubt he'll do it. After all, he has to stay relevant somehow.
The question is why is this piece appearing in Mercopenguin, a British government propaganda organ supposedly devoted to America, South America and the “South Atlantic”?
Feb 19th, 2018 - 06:43 am - Link - Report abuse -3And where is Ecuador?
Feb 19th, 2018 - 09:15 am - Link - Report abuse +2Skip
Feb 19th, 2018 - 04:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You forget that yogi aka hepatia etc etc is a poorly educated Argentine (possibly living in the western USA from the times that she posts) and as such cannot be expected to know where Ecuador is or even what it is.
Heres my suggestion - ship Assange off to Pitcairn and move Think from his comfy spot in the RG embassy in Brook Street to the Ecuadorian Embassy in Assange's place.
Feb 20th, 2018 - 10:39 am - Link - Report abuse +1Upvotes for this suggestion please.
TV
Feb 20th, 2018 - 12:23 pm - Link - Report abuse +1You get mine but I don't do up and down votes on here as I fancy that Think and his orcs manipulate them to suit his nefarious agenda.
I am undecided on this, I don't understand why the UK judge cannot say whether or not the US has an extradition request placed against him. Surely if they do not, she would say so, but the fact anyone refuses to say yes or no, suggests something, no?
Feb 20th, 2018 - 04:57 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I am sure if he was guaranteed that the US don't want him, he would walk out as punishment for skipping bail will not be to great. Maybe he is more scared of facing the people who put up the money for his bail.......seems more to it than simply a 'skipping bail' charge....who knows.
The only interest the U.K. has is to uphold the law of the land. In this case the 'powerful' is the law that protects us all. Assange took the money off of people to post bail and then jumped bail, run and hide. The law relies on people abiding by the rule of law and if people chose to ignore it, break it or pervert it, they should expect consequences.
Feb 20th, 2018 - 07:43 pm - Link - Report abuse +1Many of the people who put up his bail money would like to see him punished now as they gave him money to get out of jail in good faith. He abused their friendship and generosity.
The question is why is this piece appearing in Mercopenguin, a British government propaganda organ supposedly devoted to America, South America and the “South Atlantic”?
Feb 22nd, 2018 - 04:44 am - Link - Report abuse -1Because potato!
Feb 22nd, 2018 - 06:39 am - Link - Report abuse +1The question is why is this piece appearing in Mercopenguin, a British government propaganda organ supposedly devoted to America, South America and the “South Atlantic”?
Feb 23rd, 2018 - 04:17 am - Link - Report abuse 0Potato Potato
Feb 23rd, 2018 - 07:07 am - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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