Skip to main content

FM
Former Member

Ecuador criticises Britain over extradition record

Published: 3:34PM Thursday August 23, 2012 Source: Reuters


Ecuador's President Rafael Correa said today that Britain's failure to extradite former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet more than a decade ago means it has no right to lecture others over the fate of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

 

Correa has granted asylum to Assange, who has been holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London for more than two months seeking to avoid extradition to Sweden for questioning about rape and sexual assault allegations.

 

The South American nation's socialist leader says he shares the former computer hacker's fears that he could be sent from Sweden to the United States to face charges over WikiLeak's publication in 2010 of thousands of secret US cables.

 

US and European government sources say that the US has issued no criminal charges against Assange and that Washington has launched no attempt to extradite him.

 

Britain says it is determined to fulfill a legal obligation to send Assange to Sweden. But Correa said London had made its own rules in the past - specifically, by not extraditing Pinochet, who was charged with multiple human rights violations.

 

"Pinochet was not extradited for humanitarian reasons, when there were dozens of Europeans and thousands of Latin Americans who were murdered, and tens of thousands of people were tortured during the Pinochet dictatorship," he told reporters in Quito.

 

Pinochet was arrested by British police at a hospital in London in 1998 after Spain demanded his extradition for alleged torture and murder, including of Spanish citizens, during his 1973-1990 rule.

 

The British government decided in 2000 that the frail Pinochet was unfit to stand trial and free to fly home. He died six years later in Santiago, Chile, aged 91.

"If Pinochet was not extradited for humanitarian reasons then it's clear that they can take the decision not to extradite Mr. Julian Assange," Correa said.

 

"We don't bow to pressure"

Correa is part of a leftist alliance of Latin American leaders that includes Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Bolivia's Evo Morales. They frequently criticize the US "empire" and have strengthened ties with China, Russia and Iran.

 

The Ecuadorean government remains angry at a veiled threat by Britain to enter its embassy and arrest Assange. On Tuesday Correa denounced it as "rude, impertinent and unacceptable."

 

But on Wednesday he repeated that Ecuador was ready to negotiate over the 41-year-old Australian's fate. Ecuador's government wants Assange to receive written assurances that he would not be extradited from Sweden to a third country.

 

"We have always been open to dialogue and we are still open to dialogue," the president said.

 

But he criticized the Swedish government for declining an offer by Ecuador to make Assange available for questioning inside the embassy. He also said he doubted the seriousness of his alleged crimes.

 

"The alleged sexual offences are not considered crimes in Latin America, or in 95% of the world," Correa said.

 

The US-trained economist seldom shies away from a fight, be it with the Roman Catholic Church, international bondholders or media bosses, whom he says are corrupt and manipulative.

 

He has won broad support for his position on Assange from other South American governments, framing the embassy saga as a struggle between his small country and "imperialist" powers.

 

"We cannot ignore the fact that some countries have a lot of weight," Correa said. "But something has changed: Latin America no longer has patrons. We don't bow to pressure. We will not accept neo-colonialism, wherever it may come from."

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Tell Correa (if and when) Julian Assange arrived in Ecuador to allow him to sexually assault his daughter and wife without pressing charges. He don't have the right to speak for the entire Latin America or 95% of the world. He is harboring a man that is a threat to global national security. The British will get his ass out like Noriega.

FM
Originally Posted by Cobra:

Tell Correa (if and when) Julian Assange arrived in Ecuador to allow him to sexually assault his daughter and wife without pressing charges. He don't have the right to speak for the entire Latin America or 95% of the world. He is harboring a man that is a threat to global national security. The British will get his ass out like Noriega.

 

And what is  Assange's  crime  again? Note  the  dates  August  14th & August  18th involving   plaintiff 1  and plaintiff 2 "half  asleep "  after having after "consensual sex" If this  is  the  definition of  rape, then I believe there  is not a man among us who is  not a rapist! 

 

Allegations of sexual assault

On 20 August 2010, Swedish police began an investigation into allegations concerning Assange's behaviour in separate sexual encounters involving two different women.[232][233] Assange has described all the sexual encounters as consensual and statements by the plaintiffs confirm that the encounters at least started as such.[234][235] The arrest warrant was canceled on 21 August 2010 by one of Stockholm's Chief Prosecutors, Eva Finne, and the investigation was downgraded to only cover one of the lesser allegations. FinnÃĐ said in a statement to the press: "I don't think there is reason to suspect that he has committed rape."[236] The warrant was subsequently re-issued by another Swedish Chief Prosecutor Marianne Ny on 1 September 2010 who considered that the allegations could be classed as rape after all.[237]

In December 2010, Assange, then in Britain, learned that the Swedish authorities had issued a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) to extradite him to Sweden for questioning. Assange voluntarily attended a police station in England on 7 December 2010, and was arrested and taken into custody. After ten days in Wandsworth prison, Assange was freed on bail with a residence requirement at Ellingham Hall in Norfolk, England, fitted with an electronic tag and ordered to report to police daily.

The EAW contained four complaints from two different women: that on 14 August 2010 he committed "unlawful coercion" when he held plaintiff 1 down with his body weight in a sexual manner; that he "sexually molested" plaintiff 1 when he had condom-less sex with her after she insisted that he use one; that he had condom-less sex with plaintiff 2 on the morning of 17 August while she was asleep; and that he "deliberately molested" plaintiff 1 on 18 August 2010 by pressing his erect penis against her body.[238][239]

An extradition hearing took place on 7–8 and 11 February 2011 before the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court.[240][241] At the hearing, Assange's defence raised a variety of objections, including mismatches between the EAW and the original accuser statements to the Swedish police[242][243] that exaggerated the nature of the complaints.[244][245] In particular they argued the original police reports showed - contrary to the EAW - absence of alleged rape; absence of alleged force or injury; admission in both cases of consensual sex on the same occasions as the allegations; and splitting of a condom used with plaintiff 1 rather than failure to use one.

The defence also highlighted evidence that: plaintiff 2 had later admitted to being "half asleep" after consensual sex, rather than "asleep"; that the plaintiffs had originally been seeking to compel Assange to take an STD test rather than prosecution;[246] and that plaintiff 1 had thrown aCrayfish party for Assange at her home the evening after the alleged incidents, from which she tweeted: "Sitting outdoors at 02:00 and hardly freezing with the world's coolest, smartest people! It's amazing!" and invited Assange to stay in her room afterwards.[247]

FM
Last edited by Former Member

Not to mention that plaintiff 1 and plaintiff 2 initially posed as Assange fans appearing in his press conferences and showing great interest in him. They actually lured him into bed. So, these were cases in which women invited him to have sex and then cried rape when the guy didn't show any interest in a longer term relationship.

FM
Originally Posted by Lucas:

Not to mention that plaintiff 1 and plaintiff 2 initially posed as Assange fans appearing in his press conferences and showing great interest in him. They actually lured him into bed. So, these were cases in which women invited him to have sex and then cried rape when the guy didn't show any interest in a longer term relationship.

that is for the courts. He has a good chance of walking if what you say is correct. I have seen numerous detailing of what happened. The fact remains he was accused of sexual impropriety by 2 women.

FM
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Lucas:

Not to mention that plaintiff 1 and plaintiff 2 initially posed as Assange fans appearing in his press conferences and showing great interest in him. They actually lured him into bed. So, these were cases in which women invited him to have sex and then cried rape when the guy didn't show any interest in a longer term relationship.

that is for the courts. He has a good chance of walking if what you say is correct. I have seen numerous detailing of what happened. The fact remains he was accused of sexual impropriety by 2 women.

The fact is that the Americans were calling for his execution... for betrayal of the white race

FM
Originally Posted by Lucas:
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Lucas:

Not to mention that plaintiff 1 and plaintiff 2 initially posed as Assange fans appearing in his press conferences and showing great interest in him. They actually lured him into bed. So, these were cases in which women invited him to have sex and then cried rape when the guy didn't show any interest in a longer term relationship.

that is for the courts. He has a good chance of walking if what you say is correct. I have seen numerous detailing of what happened. The fact remains he was accused of sexual impropriety by 2 women.

The fact is that the Americans were calling for his execution... for betrayal of the white race

One bridge at a time. If he is a moral man with a moral point of view and one that is just and he sets himself as the visionary of this new transparency methodology then he ought to face the task head on. Dr King did not try to skip out of jail in Georgia. Kennedy even tried to get him released. He stayed because he felt he had a moral point of view about social change. This one said he had a moral point of view about information transparency and freedoms in this new cyber reality. He ought to fight instead of running.

FM
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Lucas:
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Lucas:

Not to mention that plaintiff 1 and plaintiff 2 initially posed as Assange fans appearing in his press conferences and showing great interest in him. They actually lured him into bed. So, these were cases in which women invited him to have sex and then cried rape when the guy didn't show any interest in a longer term relationship.

that is for the courts. He has a good chance of walking if what you say is correct. I have seen numerous detailing of what happened. The fact remains he was accused of sexual impropriety by 2 women.

The fact is that the Americans were calling for his execution... for betrayal of the white race

One bridge at a time. If he is a moral man with a moral point of view and one that is just and he sets himself as the visionary of this new transparency methodology then he ought to face the task head on. Dr King did not try to skip out of jail in Georgia. Kennedy even tried to get him released. He stayed because he felt he had a moral point of view about social change. This one said he had a moral point of view about information transparency and freedoms in this new cyber reality. He ought to fight instead of running.

Do you mean that in the path that he chose, in order to consummate his mission, he has to surrender a la Jesus, and be crucified (electrocuted in an electric chair actually). This way he will have set the highest moral standards and left a real legacy for humanity so that anyone can take and follow to be elevated too?

FM
Originally Posted by Lucas:
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Lucas:
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Lucas:

Not to mention that plaintiff 1 and plaintiff 2 initially posed as Assange fans appearing in his press conferences and showing great interest in him. They actually lured him into bed. So, these were cases in which women invited him to have sex and then cried rape when the guy didn't show any interest in a longer term relationship.

that is for the courts. He has a good chance of walking if what you say is correct. I have seen numerous detailing of what happened. The fact remains he was accused of sexual impropriety by 2 women.

The fact is that the Americans were calling for his execution... for betrayal of the white race

One bridge at a time. If he is a moral man with a moral point of view and one that is just and he sets himself as the visionary of this new transparency methodology then he ought to face the task head on. Dr King did not try to skip out of jail in Georgia. Kennedy even tried to get him released. He stayed because he felt he had a moral point of view about social change. This one said he had a moral point of view about information transparency and freedoms in this new cyber reality. He ought to fight instead of running.

Do you mean that in the path that he chose, in order to consummate his mission, he has to surrender a la Jesus, and be crucified (electrocuted in an electric chair actually). This way he will have set the highest moral standards and left a real legacy for humanity so that anyone can take and follow to be elevated too?

He set himself up as the new Messiah so he has to go into the desert and survive on locust and scorpions while being scourged by the elements. You cannot have your cake and eat it. But he is a sham prophet!

FM
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Lucas:
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Lucas:
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Lucas:

Not to mention that plaintiff 1 and plaintiff 2 initially posed as Assange fans appearing in his press conferences and showing great interest in him. They actually lured him into bed. So, these were cases in which women invited him to have sex and then cried rape when the guy didn't show any interest in a longer term relationship.

that is for the courts. He has a good chance of walking if what you say is correct. I have seen numerous detailing of what happened. The fact remains he was accused of sexual impropriety by 2 women.

The fact is that the Americans were calling for his execution... for betrayal of the white race

One bridge at a time. If he is a moral man with a moral point of view and one that is just and he sets himself as the visionary of this new transparency methodology then he ought to face the task head on. Dr King did not try to skip out of jail in Georgia. Kennedy even tried to get him released. He stayed because he felt he had a moral point of view about social change. This one said he had a moral point of view about information transparency and freedoms in this new cyber reality. He ought to fight instead of running.

Do you mean that in the path that he chose, in order to consummate his mission, he has to surrender a la Jesus, and be crucified (electrocuted in an electric chair actually). This way he will have set the highest moral standards and left a real legacy for humanity so that anyone can take and follow to be elevated too?

He set himself up as the new Messiah so he has to go into the desert and survive on locust and scorpions while being scourged by the elements. You cannot have your cake and eat it. But he is a sham prophet!

Storm,

Sure you aren't doing peppermint or a similar herb, are you?

FM
Originally Posted by Lucas:
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Lucas:
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Lucas:
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Lucas:

Not to mention that plaintiff 1 and plaintiff 2 initially posed as Assange fans appearing in his press conferences and showing great interest in him. They actually lured him into bed. So, these were cases in which women invited him to have sex and then cried rape when the guy didn't show any interest in a longer term relationship.

that is for the courts. He has a good chance of walking if what you say is correct. I have seen numerous detailing of what happened. The fact remains he was accused of sexual impropriety by 2 women.

The fact is that the Americans were calling for his execution... for betrayal of the white race

One bridge at a time. If he is a moral man with a moral point of view and one that is just and he sets himself as the visionary of this new transparency methodology then he ought to face the task head on. Dr King did not try to skip out of jail in Georgia. Kennedy even tried to get him released. He stayed because he felt he had a moral point of view about social change. This one said he had a moral point of view about information transparency and freedoms in this new cyber reality. He ought to fight instead of running.

Do you mean that in the path that he chose, in order to consummate his mission, he has to surrender a la Jesus, and be crucified (electrocuted in an electric chair actually). This way he will have set the highest moral standards and left a real legacy for humanity so that anyone can take and follow to be elevated too?

He set himself up as the new Messiah so he has to go into the desert and survive on locust and scorpions while being scourged by the elements. You cannot have your cake and eat it. But he is a sham prophet!

Storm,

Sure you aren't doing peppermint or a similar herb, are you?

How easy we forget his mission statement "to make all communication transparent!". He did not care that there are boundaries to be transcended he will get to the mountain top. He persuaded a poor identity confused kid to send him massive amounts of data that is the property of another and explicitly stated not for the eyes of others not so defined. Well, he has to highlight the case before the court as to his right to the data. The poor kid is going to get life in jail and he is hiding! As the saying goes, to be a philosopher or a prophet,  one must first be. He is not.

FM
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
How easy we forget his mission statement "to make all communication transparent!".

 

He did not care that there are boundaries to be transcended he will get to the mountain top.

Assange will have the opportunity to personally face the charges in Sweden.

No he will not. He faces rape charges in Sweden which most likely will be dismissed. He will however be deported and then he will be intercepted by Interpol or the US security forces and taken to the US where he will be arraigned before a judge. I do not know how the law will apply but he is most likely to see the inside of an american prison for a very long period.

FM
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
Originally Posted by Stormborn:
How easy we forget his mission statement "to make all communication transparent!".

 

He did not care that there are boundaries to be transcended he will get to the mountain top.

Assange will have the opportunity to personally face the charges in Sweden.

No he will not. He faces rape charges in Sweden which most likely will be dismissed. He will however be deported and then he will be intercepted by Interpol or the US security forces and taken to the US where he will be arraigned before a judge. I do not know how the law will apply but he is most likely to see the inside of an american prison for a very long period.

Agree that Assange will have the priviledge to enjoy lots of time in a US-of-A's prison.

 

However, I feel that he will first face Sweden before going to the US-of-A.

FM

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×