Assange extradition hearing begins Monday

[bemildred]

Source: UPI

LONDON, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- A lawyer for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said this week's extradition hearing in Britain does not involve allegations serious enough to send him to Sweden.

Jennifer Robinson said that while Assange takes the allegations of rape seriously, the Swedish legal definition of rape is much lower than what constitutes rape in Britain.

"He insists he is innocent and that this was consenting sex between adults," Robinson told the Washington Post. "The box ticked is 'rape,' but Swedish rape law is different than Britain rape law, which is based on consent."

Assange's defense team has suggested the extradition request was part of a scheme by U.S. and Swedish authorities to choke off WikiLeaks' release of sensitive U.S. military and diplomatic documents.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2011/02/06/Assange-extradition-hearing-begins-Monday/UPI-87021297005654/

[bemildred]

1. Assange case focuses on question of fair trial

LONDON: Julian Assange's defence team is to argue that he cannot be given a fair trial in Sweden because all rape cases are heard in secret - and justice cannot be seen to be done.

But senior legal sources in London have warned that the chances of success may be slim as 95 per cent of European arrest warrants, the legal tool that is being used to try to return the WikiLeaks founder to Sweden to face allegations of sex crimes, are eventually granted.

On the eve of the extradition hearing in London, the Herald was told that the crux of the defence team's argument was the open justice principle being a fundamental feature of the rule of law - and that unless justice could be seen to be done it could not be done at all.

Sweden's tradition of secret trials for sex offences will be placed under the microscope as will inconsistencies in the evidence provided to Swedish police by his accusers.

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/assange-case-focuses-on-question-of-fair-trial-20110206-1aiie.html?from=smh_sb

[1monster]

3. From your link:

"Assange's controversial prosecutors include Sweden's Director of Public Prosecutions, Marianne Ny, who has argued in the past that arrest for rape, even if untried, acts as a deterrent."

Along with the fact that the trial would be held in secret, it sounds to me that Assange has very good reason for trying to quash the warrant. There are far to many private agendas on the prosecutions side here.

[jwirr]

2. Don't we have enough people in solitary confinement already?

[Vattel]

4. I hope he is innocent and he returns to Sweden and the

case never goes to trial for lack of evidence. But if he is guilty, I hope he is convicted and sentenced.

[elias49]

5. The 'sentence' is a $750 fine.

The whole stupid charade - including calling out Interpol to find the man - will probably cost tens of thousands of dollars when all is said and done.
Makes a lot of sense.
Not.

[Matilda]

12. The worry is not whether he will be convicted and sentenced,

but whether the United States will seek his extradition, or rendition, from Sweden. Sweden has been complicit in rendition in the past.

Last night on the ABC's (Australia) program, "Q&A", Labor hardman and fixer Graham (Whatever It Takes) Richardson, gave it as his opinion that the Assange rape case is a fitup. As the man credited with helping to organise the coup against Kevin Rudd, if anybody could recognise a fitup, it's Richo.

[stockholmer]

6. here is the Swedish police report, leaked Friday here in Sweden anonymously on Adobe Share

download links

http://www.mediafire.com/?40nxl34oxndc4qh

http://www.scribd.com/doc/48110314/Facsimile-from-Forsv...

sorry, helt på svenska (all in Swedish)


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110204/wl_afp/usdiplomacy...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Includes the 2 women accusers' (Anna Arlin and Sofia Welin) statements

Arlin has a dodgy background, she has been associated with the CIA-connected anti-Castro group, White Angels, has made false sex charges here before, and now has fled to Israel

Welin is more like a groupie type, who tried to drop charges already a couple times

we had dropped charges here, then revelations of the CIA spying illegally on many top Swedes came out, and voila! the charges came back

It is a set up, IMHO

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. WikiLeaks Boss 'Won't Get Justice In Sweden'

Having published their arguments online as the two-day court hearing began, his lawyers said he could face execution in the US if he is extradited to Scadanavia.

They believe there is a "real risk" he could be extradited on to America, where he could be detained in Guantanamo Bay or even face the death penalty.

And they inisisted the Swedish practice of holding rape trials in private - coupled with the huge media attention the case has attracted - presented a "risk of flagrant denial of justice".
...
They said the technical 'rape' charge did not meet the European law concept of rape, saying the charge of 'minor rape' was a "contradiction in terms".

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Julian-Assange-WikiLeaks-Founder-Fights-Extradition-To-Sweden-At-Woolwich-Crown-Court-Hearing/Article/201102115924874?lpos=UK_News_Second_UK_News_Article_Teaser_Region_3&lid=ARTICLE_15924874_Julian_Assange%3A_WikiLeaks_Founder_Fights_Extradition_To_Sweden_At_Woolwich_Crown_Court_Hearing

There's a live update at that page too (they're allowed to Tweet from court); and one from Channel 4 News here:

http://www.channel4.com/news/live-blog-julian-assange-in-court

BBC Twitter for it: http://twitter.com/annaadamsbbc

[xchrom]

8. thanks for the twitter link. nt

[xchrom]

9. apparently the deleted tweets came up in the hearing. nt

[xchrom]

10. the deleted 7 step revenge plan was also mentioned. nt

[xchrom]

11. the two accusers arrive tomorrow. all done for the day. nt