Julian Assange, wikileaks and these rape claims

[sherby]

I have just read the basis of the two rape claims against him.

How is it possible to issue a warrant for rape charges against him? Even going by the womens statements it isn't rape, there is no 'non-consensual' sex.

Am I missing something here or does it stink to high heaven?

[GettinganIcyGrip]

It stinks to high heaven. I think the message is ...'don't mess with governments...they are all-powerful and can do what they like'.

Scary stuff.

[MistressMaker]

Where did you read them?

[TheSugarPlumFairy]

would be very interested to read the actual allegations/charges too.

I had heard the charges were overstated at best.

[Ryoko]

He is but one man, they may hunt him down and have him mysteriously die in a holding cell/prison but others will follow, the cat is out the bag, take down WikiLeaks and others will appear even greater in number.

[BeenBeta]

I have read that the charge is basically 'having sex without a condom' under an obscure Swedish law.

[Ryoko]

If it's illegal how come there are still Swedish people being born .

[MollieO]

According to what I googled the women complained that the condom broke and he didn't stop. How on earth would you know it had broke whilst you are at it?

[purits]

I heard him on the radio the other day saying that he wants to fight the charges. Normally prosecutors would be chasing the alleged wrongdoer but instead he has been harassing the Swedish authorities to get them to start proceedings so he can clear his name.

[Kaloki]

It's all really dodgy isn't it? And sickening that they are using something as serious as rape as a cover story.

[wannaBe]

dodgy as hell.

[MollieO]

Mind you he hasn't helped himself by hiring Mark Stephens - the Max Clifford of the legal profession.

[Kaloki]

Also, the rapes were alleged to have happened in August, but they have only started trying to get him now - just as the wikileaks thing has become an issue. How convenient

[BadgersPaws]

"they have only started trying to get him now"

No, this has been going on for a while.

Sweden issued, but then withdrew, an arrest warrant in August.

At the beginning of September prosecutors reopened the investigation. Assange replaced his lawyer and then in early November hinted he might seek asylum in Switzerland.

In the middle of November the Swedish Prosecutor was seeking a court order for his arrest.

The new Interpol order cites that arrest warrant.

So this hasn't come out of nowhere and it has been rumbling on and escalating for a few months.

The idea that there was nothing going on until the recent leaks of US Diplomatic communications is just plain wrong.

Of course Wikileaks has been annoying Western Governments for a few years now, so I'm not saying there isn't pressure to shut Assange up.

[CoteDAzur]

Rape charges were dismissed in Sweden, so yeah, I'd doubt the allegations.

[CoteDAzur]

You, on the other hand, do "knee jerk" to seeing rape everywhere.

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

What infuriates me, other than the obvious, is that his lawyers say they have tried to 'discuss' the matter with the Swedish Prosecutors and the fact that they won't discuss the charges, his lawyers seem to be suggesting is evidence that there is some other agenda

If he has a defence, fine. The proper forum is the court process.

[strandedatseasonsgreetings]

Do we know where he is? Do M16 have him?

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

The police (Scotland Yard?) have said they know where he is.

[TheCrackFox]

Wikileaks are supposedly, next year, releasing lots of info about the banking crisis in America. The whole corporate world must be shitting itself.

[BeenBeta]

This story is being carried by an Australian newspaper today. The full details of the charges were only released a few days ago.

"APPARENTLY having consensual sex in Sweden without a condom is punishable by a term of imprisonment of a minimum of two years for Rape.."

[Unprune]

In a normal case, I'd suspect all sorts of him. In this case, I think an open mind is best. Not 'oh he must be innocent, The man is out to get him' - but it can't be discounted. Truly unusual circumstances. He could still be a rapist, which would be commonplace enough.

[cory]

According to Dagens Juridik (Today's Law), the chief prosecutor Marianne Ny demanded the arrest of Julian Assange on charges of "våldtäkt, sexuellt ofredande och olaga tvång" (rape, sexual harrassment and the use of illegal force (presumably forced sex). So no mention of broken condoms.