AIBU that I support Julian Assange‘s quest for asylum?

nasty man lacking in morals who thought he was above the law has done at least two separate things that warrant a criminal investigation. Abuse of power, desire for adulation and misogyny are the themes running through both

The wiki leaks during the election were highly political in timing and nature to damage Hilary. I used to follow wiki leaks and assange on twitter from well before both incidents, I had to stop due to the misogyny.

So no I won't be campaigning for him.

If he truly had feared, six years ago, that he would be extradited to America then the best thing he could have done was go to Sweden. Sweden is one of the few EU countries which is unlikely to extradite - they explicitly prohibit extradition based on a political offence. By contrast, the UK will extradite anybody to the US based on the US's simple request.

There was also a huge groundswell of support for him six years ago which has now fallen away. I'd have rated his chances very, very highly of being acquitted of the rapes if he'd gone to Sweden in a glorious indignant flounce at the time.

On a personal level, I don't support extradition to the US because I think their criminal justice system falls foul of Article 6, which in the UK is an absolute right (right to a fair trial), but case law here establishes that extradition to the US does not violate Articles 3 or 6. On that basis I can't see that he has a valid claim to asylum.

How did he describe what happened in Sweden?

It's the adult equivalent of of a kid in trouble locking himself in the bathroom....

No, deep, I didn't say that

When people are accused of rape they should face a proper judicial process to determine whether they are guilty or not. Not try to hide away and avoid it.

Same with playing fast and loose with national security - if you stand by what you did, have the courage to face up to it, not cower in technical foreign territory

Well, if it turns out wikileaks were operating a backchannel between Trump and Russia via Roger Stone then, yeah, he's up treasony shit creek.

He's a free man. He's chosing not to face the consequences of his actions....he can come out whenever he wants.

Rapists shouldn't get away scot free because they have done some stuff that some people believe makes them a freedom fighter.

Indictment is sealed as it relates to an ongoing case so to unseal would jeopardize that.

He deserves everything coming to him.

Russian stooge. Up there with Farage and Arron Banks.

Andrew O’Hagan’s 2014 story of his uncompleted commissioned biography of Assange is fascinating - he had unfettered access to Assange before he landed himself on the unfortunate Ecuadoreans.

Dangerous, vainglorious, irresponsible and deeply unlikable - no, YABU, OP.

There is a warrant for his arrest to face charges for failing to answer his bail. He's not a special case that gets let off for no reason.

He will need to be detained and face the court (and the people who stood surety for him and had to cough up £93,000).

The time for supporters to talk about smoothing his extradition is AFTER he has been brought to justice for UK offences, in my view.

I think he’s probably just an irritating houseguest dad
i would imagine he is a bloody awful house guest but there will be things going on behind the scenes that we don't know

Not likely to take (unwanted) instruction on my views on international affairs from someone who can’t even correctly spell the name of the country he is accusing of skullduggery. Ecuador, hth.
Yeah my spelling is shit!! I still have to rely on auto correct for Australia despite living there for 6 months! Don't get me started on Patagonia! ( it looks like I have got spelled it correct this time!)
Whats all this about unwanted instruction? it's an open conversation isn't it?

what flo is me said.

Justice isn’t a house points system. He can be a misogynistic prick, an accused rapist, someone who leaked things they shouldn’t and someone who leaked things that needed leaking.

The volume of info in wikileaks is huge. Some of that will be government wrongdoing and some of it may put innocent people in danger. The nature of the leak means it was fairly indiscriminate.

Apologies, I meant to say 'alleged rape', although if you don't co-operate with an investigation then I don't think you can complain if people draw conclusions.

However my understanding is that the US secret indictment - if correct - has nothing to do with this.

The law isn't only there for good people.

Nobody is too important, or too holy, or too politically useful, or anything, to be a rapist, and to face charges for rape.

I think he’s probably just an irritating houseguest dad.

Not likely to take (unwanted) instruction on my views on international affairs from someone who can’t even correctly spell the name of the country he is accusing of skullduggery. Ecuador, hth.

The Ecuadorians have had to go to court over him refusing to pay for his laundry and internet usage, damaging the embassy by skateboarding and playing football and not feeding his cat proper
Do you really believe that is the real reason. . It makes him sound like a naughty boy.

Come off it, what do you think is going on behind the scenes? It's not about tidying up.

Either America is putting pressure on Equcador or Equador want something from the Americans.

Who gives a flying f*? He is old news and not particularly wholesome from what we can tell.

I think he should have been fully investigated for the rape accusation.

If it's true that the USA have charged him in secret - presumably for other crimes, unrelated to the rape? - then that I find that very disturbing, no matter what kind of individual he is or whatever else he may or may not have done.

I don't think either one cancels out the other.

Shame because governments need kept an eye on.

Abso-fucking-lutely

Nope. He actively fought justice in his own case while pointing fingers at others. Misogynist hypocrite.

Shame because governments need kept an eye on. It's terrible that the press, whose job it is, are so shit.