Sweden 'can't offer Assange guarantees'
Published: 25 Jun 12 13:04 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/41636/20120625/
Sweden would not be able to offer Julian Assange a diplomatic guarantee against being extradited to the United States should the WikiLeaks founder end up back in Sweden to face sex crime accusations, according to a justice ministry official.
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However, he would only consider giving up his lengthy battle to avoid extradition to Sweden if officials in Stockholm guaranteed that he wouldn't be turned over to the United States to face espionage and conspiracy charges over secret US documents previously published by WikiLeaks.
But an official with Sweden's Ministry of Justice said that, according to current legislation, Sweden couldn't provide Assange with the guarantees he's currently seeking.
"Any such guarantee doesn't exist," Cecilia Riddselius, a staff member with the ministry's Division for Criminal Cases and International Judicial Cooperation, told the Dagens Nyheter (DN) newspaper.
"After having worked on these issues for ten years, I can't see how it could become reality."
Riddselius emphasized that the matter remained hypothetical and that her assessment was restricted to that of a government civil servant.
Currently, there is no formal request or indication that the United States is interested in extraditing Assange, who has been holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since last Wednesday waiting for the South American country to process his request for political asylum.
At the weekend, Australian foreign minister Bob Carr rejected claims that Washington is keen to get Assange, saying there was "no hint" of a plan to extradite the 40-year-old former compuer hacker to the United States.
According to Riddselius, countries can ask for different sorts of guarantees related to extradition cases, but the guarantees are restricted to covering the sort of treatment someone might receive once extradited, such as guarantees the person wouldn't be tortured or sentenced to the death penalty.
But, she said, Sweden couldn't guarantee Assange that he wouldn't be extradited to the United States ahead of his possible arrival in Sweden.
For the moment, officials in Sweden are standing by awaiting further developments in the case.
"We're waiting to see how Ecuador acts," Riddselius told DN.
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It should be applauded for it's integrity.
Assange is in no position to dictate the rules.
After examining the situation carefully, it looks like Ecuador may be having some reservations on whether or not to grant him his wish, thus his new stance.
Maybe he should give Saudi Arabia a shot.
I agree. No minister could give that type of guarantee ahead of any request.
Assange has a long history of believing that he and only he sets the rules. He wanted to be interviewed by the Swedes on his terms and not theirs. Its no surprise he's in a mess with the Swedes.
Maybe the particular minister speaking could not make such a deal, but without doubt the proper level person could make the deal.
This is just finely parsed language to cover Sweden should they decide to honor an extradition request.
As far as the Grand Jury indictment goes, the saying is that the guidelines for indictment are so broad a prosecutor could indict a ham sandwich if desired.
This whole affair stinks.
As for Assange he just continues to squirm like the little coward he is. Thankfully Ecuador looks like it is going to do the honourable thing and send the fella on his way to face the sex crime allegations he should have faced 2 years ago. :)
Thanks goodness for Russia, China and Iran having the balls to tell these mass murders to f*ck off. I really hope it takes off in Syria and the yanks try conning NATO to go in and China, Iran and Russia hand them their bums on a plate.
This is a country that has 1 in 30 of its own population in prison whilst monitoring just about every other citizen. More people imprisoned in the USA then ever before in history and you could be next. still they want the world to believe they are all fuzzy and warm like one of their sh*tty teen movies.
You are such a hypocrite! You wouldn't go and live line an ordinary citizen in Iran, China or Russian, would you?
Just another obsessed American hater.
I particularly got a chuckle out of the hilarious ,
"kidnapping 10,s of thousands off the streets and murdering and torturing" fantasy. :)
BTW, it's 1 in 100 adults, which is high, but not 1 in 30 of the population.
There's not enough room in this thread to list the human rights abuses of your beloved China, Iran, and Russia.
America is a ray of sunshine compared to anyone of those 3.
Remember Kevin Mitnick? the first high profile hacker to be inprisoned? He served 5 years in total with solitary confinement, 4yrs 6 months of that was before he was even convicted or tried...he was just "detained"
But, as the saying goes, if you do the crime, you do the time. There is nothing honourable about him, he doesn't stand up from freedom, he runs from the Police, he won't face his acussers, he just hides behinds his funded legal team, or tries to run to Ecuador, a dictatorship, he suddenly forgot all of his moral values there didn't he.
As for Sweden the worse thing that could happen for the little bald dude is for Assange to be sent there. If Obama asks for Assange then how could he refuse his idol? However, there are enough people in Sweden who would see such an extradition as a betrayal of human rights as well as a slap in the face of transparency. I think it is safe to say that the Alliance would be voted out of office in the next elections.
Not to mention the fact that he is due in court at some point for alleged rape? Which is a serious offence in itself?
If Assange had raped an American on US soil, but then fled the country what would happen?
Are you still getting messages from the mother ship?
That's what happens when you neglect to take your meds. Go back to your attic and there will be no punishment this time.
A "death panel", really?
Give me the proof with details on that.
You apparently know exactly what is going on here, so this simple question should be easy for you,
Why haven't the U.S. already extradited Assange from Britain, as they are close allies, and have an extradition treaty, and why wait until he gets to Sweden?
Also, the U.S. currently has an extradition application for Richard O'Dwyer for alleged copyright offenses that is currently under review by Britain, on the other hand, there is no such application for Assange, although he has been there for over two years.
Looking forward to your answer.
Its amusing (and a little sad) how the conspiracy theorists ignore any question which threatens their world view.
@skogsbo
I also get the old addage "if you can't do the time, don't do the crime" in my head whenever Assange pops up in the news. Its remarkable that he thinks that he can release a set of classified documents from the US and that it would be somehow be unfair for the US to pursue him over this. Furthermore, in his world view countries ought to guarantee that they'd turn the US down if they were to make an extradition request otherwise he'll make them pay by errrmm staying in the Ecuadorean embassy (yep, that'll teach them)...
My attitude to him would be different if (a) he'd stop this self-aggrandizing grandstanding and talking absolute cr*p (eg execution in the States) and (b) he'd released only "whistle blowing" documents. As it is, he released the lot for reasons of "openness" thereby putting innocents at risk (eg identifying an Algerian dissident) and giving out information which could be damaging to a nation's security. Ironically, this openness doesn't extend to Wikileaks itself which is secretive about its donor list and policy (or lack of policy) towards redaction to protect the identities of innocent people..
@bcterry
Its amusing (and a little sad) how the conspiracy theorists ignore any question which threatens their world view. "
It never ceases to amaze me just how powerful a simple question can be when addressing conspiracy theorists, and religious fundamentalists.
The hit and runners can't dash out the back door fast enough when asked to respond.
I'm afraid I disagree. They ignore the questions altogether and repeat their bs on another thread. Occasionally, one of them will feel sufficiently brave to make sometihng up (eg legal system X is better than Y) backed up with no reliable references, evidence or anything other than a first principle argument that he's right by default and everyone arguing against him must be wrong.
The irony is that the JA case has opened a number useful issues, such as the use of the EU arrest warrant and the balance between openness and security. To discuss any of these is impossible owing to the hysterics of the JA-crowd.
Here's some news for you.....The liberal media does not control the United States Constitution. What you read in the newspapers and see on TV is not necessarily an accurate reflection of what is going on in the USA.
Grand juries are set up because the normal means of prosecution, i.e., open public process with legal representation of the accused will result in no charges being filed. The grand jury is a subterfuge and is widely recognized as such.
Sweden can, but does not want to offer guarantees because the main reason for the case is to send Assange to the US. Lies and lies and lies. "
Assumptive conspiratorial bullxxxx with no basis in fact.
My problem is that any man can be extradicted over a case that is remarkable for its lack of transparency.
Assange hung around Sweden when asked and then was allowed to leave.
Seriously, where are the details that the accusers are giving.
His name is muck around the world as a sex criminal, but he is not allowed to defend himself as the allegations are a secret.
If he is guilty then jail him.
BUT, secrecy is a terrible accuser and that is a swedish problem.
Who knows the truth ?