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Original poster

How on earth has Julian assange been arbitrarily held??

176 replies

StealthPolarBear · 04/02/2016 13:21

Surely if you choose to resist arrest in this way then it is your choice?
Glad rhe police continue to say he will be arrested.

OP posts:
FairNotFair · 04/02/2016 18:53

Ta, Lurking. I'll have the Wine. Maybe if I drink enough, I'll work out what the hell is going on Grin

PerspicaciaTick · 04/02/2016 19:26

Stealth Flowers what an awful experience... having to stand there waiting with no way to escape except the door. I hope you have recovered.

Original poster
StealthPolarBear · 04/02/2016 19:32

I was just like nelson mandela. But don't worry I'm ok now.

OP posts:
FairNotFair · 04/02/2016 21:42

Who's going to play you in the film, Stealth? Grin

purpleapple1234 · 05/02/2016 04:59

I have several questions about this. It would be great if someone could answer:

  • Does Julian Assange have to physically be in a swedish police station for him to be extradited to the US?
  • Is there an extradition treaty for JA? If such a treaty existed, is it Sweden specific or europe-wide, in which case why wasn't he extradited from the UK directly to the US (not from the embassy, but before he broke bail and ended up there)?
  • Also, is remote questioning of suspects actually used?

This appears to be a complete mess. People an one hand are claiming that these charges are trumped up and a ploy simply to get him to sweden, so that they can pack him off to the states. Then others are saying that the swedish prosecutor is overly feminist (!), thus implying that he really did nothing wrong, which contradicts the extradition theory or maybe lends it credence dunno.

Although the way that he has disrespectfully treated the law when applied to him and staggering egotism regarding the "arbitrarily detained" and compensation (!) for evading questioning suggests that he is the type of person who could treat a woman as a casual sex toy.

MaryRobinson · 05/02/2016 05:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

aginghippy · 05/02/2016 09:10

The UK has an extradition treaty with the US. If the US government wanted to, they could have requested JA be extradited from the UK, but they never have.

The UK does have a request to extradite him to Sweden.

Lottapianos · 05/02/2016 09:17

Agree its lovely to see some sanity on this issue. His behaviour goes way beyond arrogance. Almost no one is showing any interest in the seriousness of the sexual assault allegations, its all about poor Julian.

As others said, he's all about freedom of expression and uncovering the truth, unless its his own neck on the block.

VertigoNun · 05/02/2016 09:21

On bbc 2 now.

SnowBallsAreHere · 05/02/2016 10:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LurkingHusband · 05/02/2016 10:47

One thing that never gets mentioned because it blows a massive hole in JAs "defence" is that if he were extradited to Sweden, it would be under a European Arrest Warrant. This means that even if the US wanted to extradite him from Sweden (which, remember, they have made no effort to do) they would require the UKs permission.

This permission would be subject to UK law, and could be ruled on by the Supreme Court, in public.

Hands up those who didn't know that.

VertigoNun · 05/02/2016 10:50

I wish all suspect rapists were persured to these lengths.Hmm

BusyCee · 05/02/2016 10:55

When my 5yo does this - flouncing off and holing up in his bedroom for three years to prove a point - I call it attention seeking.

BusyCee · 05/02/2016 10:56

Also. I was arbitrarily detained in the post office last week.. Made me spit my tea. Thank you

LyndaNotLinda · 05/02/2016 10:58

This reply has been deleted

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meditrina · 05/02/2016 11:02

There's a bit of a difference between being detained and going into hiding.

The panel is offering an opinion, not a legal ruling.

One of the panel (of five) absented themselves (Australian, claiming conflict of interest) and one member has publicly stated he disagrees with the conclusion.

The UK government's position is:

"“Julian Assange has never been arbitrarily detained by the UK. The opinion of the UN working group ignores the facts and the well-recognised protections of the British legal system. He is, in fact, voluntarily avoiding lawful arrest by choosing to remain in the Ecuadorian embassy. An allegation of rape is still outstanding and a European arrest warrant in place, so the UK continues to have a legal obligation to extradite him to Sweden. As the UK is not a party to the Caracas convention, we do not recognise ‘diplomatic asylum’.

“We are deeply frustrated that this unacceptable situation is still being allowed to continue. Ecuador must engage with Sweden in good faith to bring it to an end. Americas minister Hugo Swire made this clear to the Ecuadorian ambassador in November, and we continue to raise the matter in Quito."

squeaver · 05/02/2016 11:11

this is a really good background piece on the whole thing.

purpleapple1234 · 05/02/2016 11:13

So, his argument for running away from sweden, therefore avoiding questioning and possible prosecution, is because he fears extradition to the US. But he could have been extradited from the UK, but wasn't, and presumably he doesn't actually have to be in a swedish police station for them to legally extradite him (otherwise other people avoiding extradition would only have to make sure that they never set foot in a police station to be okay), so they could have got him at any point that he was in sweden.

If that is the case, his argument is fairly flimsy. Have I missed anything? Could it be so silly as man has sex that he thinks is within reason, woman thinks that he acted inappropriately and so he thinks that because he is so daring with his day job that the US are after him, which is the only reason the police are after him - nothing to do with his attitude towards women and sex?

LurkingHusband · 05/02/2016 11:15

squeaver

The problem is the truth, and Julian Assange don't mix well.

Lauren15 · 05/02/2016 11:22

Thank you for starting this thread. I couldn't believe that twat Vaughn Smith on Sky News yesterday. I wish there had been someone more capable than Kay Burley to sort him out.

purpleapple1234 · 05/02/2016 11:24

One other option: he is as guilty as a puppy sitting next to a pile poo. And has pulled the mother of distraction tactics to get out of it.

Thatrabbittrickedme · 05/02/2016 11:54

My views are clear on this one - he's chosen to shut himself away to avoid answering allegations he's a rapist (generating great expense to the UK tax payer with his diva behaviour). Why the UN feels they should be opining at all is a mystery to me.

I did not know the legal point raised by Lurking and this new information leads me to feel he has a strong chance of being found guilty in Sweden and the US stuff is just a ruse.

I agree that comparisons likening him to Aung San Suu Kyi are incredibly offensive

Overall, a nasty creepy man indeed

DrDreReturns · 05/02/2016 11:58

I agree with everything Thatrabbittrickedme said.

prh47bridge · 05/02/2016 12:31

Does Julian Assange have to physically be in a swedish police station for him to be extradited to the US?

No. If the US wanted him extradited they could ask the UK to extradite him in exactly the same way Sweden did. He could then either go to the US voluntarily or fight his extradition in court. If he goes back to Sweden extraditing him to the US will be more difficult as it would require consent from both the UK and Sweden.

Is there an extradition treaty for JA? If such a treaty existed, is it Sweden specific or europe-wide, in which case why wasn't he extradited from the UK directly to the US (not from the embassy, but before he broke bail and ended up there)?

Extradition treaties are not specific to individuals. If the US wanted JA extradited they would need to formally request that with either the UK or Sweden. They have not to date requested his extradition.

Also, is remote questioning of suspects actually used?

He is not wanted for questioning. He is wanted for arrest.