Envoy reacts to Ecuador ridicule in Sweden
Published: 4 Oct 12 17:39 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/43624/20121004/
Ecuador's ambassador to Sweden Thursday defended his homeland against criticism over press freedom following its granting of asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is wanted by authorities in Stockholm.
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In nearly a full-page article in the Swedish tabloid Expressen, Mario Guerrero Murgueytio also explained why some some media in Ecuador have been banned.
The ambassador was reacting to the way Ecuador has been portrayed in the Swedish press since August 16, when it granted asylum to Assange, who had sought refuge in its London embassy to avoid being extradited to Sweden for questioning on sexual assault allegations.
Over the past few months Expressen had "published articles concerning the Julian Assange affair but has also expressed certain points of view on freedom of the press in Ecuador," he wrote.
Much of the Swedish press has called it paradoxical that Assange was given asylum, ostensibly in defence of press freedom, in a country that suppresses
local media according to several human rights group.
The Ecuadoran ambassador in his article countered that between October 2009
and August 2012, 99 media outlets lost their licences, most of them for failing to pay taxes. At the same time 240 media were given permission to publish.
Assange denies the sex crime allegations and fears Sweden would extradite him to the United States, where his supporters claim he could receive harsh treatment and possibly even the death penalty.
WikiLeaks embarrassed the US government in 2010 by publishing huge caches of confidential documents on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and more than 250,000 diplomatic cables from US embassies.
Britain, whose courts granted Sweden's extradition request, has said Assange will be arrested if he leaves the embassy.
AFP/The Local
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http://www.nnn.se/nordic/assange/suspicious.pdf
Since this link has now been posted at this site numerous times, perhaps the rude dunderhead, B.olesen, will now have finally seen it or begun reading the excellent Nordic News Network????
themoron says: I am back. You are right, seargent. The problem is that this rude dunderhead, B.olesen is one of the hundreds that do not know how to search and probably, do not know how to read, either.
Many times, and I mean, many times, I have recommended to go to www.nnn.se and read the truth, and nothing but the truth about the circus Assange. But no way. It has been like talking to a wall.
Now, ambassador Mario Guerrero is completely right. Swedish media, specially Expressen has tried many times to put a black
spot on Ecuador. When they do not write about human rights, they write about freedom of speech or whatever they have in their kitchen.
But for what I am aware of, is that Swedish media loves to portrait any of the Latinamerican countries like if they were the scum of the planet Earth. Swede is unique. Sweden is Mickey Mouse and Mighty Mouse, Superman, Spiderman, Superwoman and the mother of the chickens.
I would recommend to the Swedish press to start writing about freedom of speech in Sweden. It does not exist. It only exists for seudo artists like Lars Vilks and the woman who keeps on insulting a religion and now she dared insulting the Swedish Royal House.
Good for Ambassador Guerrero! Good for him. I only hope that Expressen gave him the space and that they do not send him an invoice with taxes included later. You know.
http://ten.com.au/underground.htm
Usually have it on line the day after probably Sunday Sweden time
Swedes will enjoy it plenty of advertisements
So all this crap that the only reason he does not go back to Sweden to answer some questions is because he fears Sweden will extradite him to the U.S. is patently ridiculous.
themoron says: What you are talking about is the story that began many years ago, which proves that the FBI was very much interested in catching the group of hackers directed by Assange.
For everybodies info:
"In 1989, known as 'Mendax', Assange and two friends formed a group called the 'International Subversives'. Using early home computers and defining themselves as 'white hat hackers' - those who look but don't steal - they broke into some of the world's most powerful and secretive organisations. They were young, brilliant, and in the eyes of the US Government, a major threat to national security.
"At the urging of the FBI, the Australian Federal Police set up a special taskforce to catch them. But at a time when most Australian police had never seen a computer, let alone used one, they had to figure out just where to begin.
"Police ingenuity and old-fashioned detective work are pitted against nimble, highly skilled young men in this new crime frontier. What follows, is a tense and gripping game of cat and mouse through the electronic underground of Melbourne."
The above is the introduction to the program that will be aired by Channel 10 Australia on Sunday.
http://ten.com.au/underground.htm
Thanks Sven-Ingvar
#10, Arbed, once again gives us his most detailed, and tactically brilliant comments which exactly explain the situation --- whether the illegal use of the European Warrant, or the above at this posting.
Sadly, Assange was specifically, I repeat specifically warned about people like Anne Ardin, types with government service and financial connections to the Bonnier family.
The ignorant one, #7, bcterry, should actually do somthing unique for a change, and actually read about the recent extradition history of the UK --- there's one person there who's been fighting extradition to the USA for 10 years now! (Obviously, it's much easier to either extreme rendition to the USA from Sweden --- already done in the past --- or extradite from Sweden, which is why the government there refused to give their word that it won't take place.
Expressen, isn't that owned by the Bonnier family? And doesn't everyone on the anti-WikiLeaks' Assange side have financial connections to the Bonnier family or employed by Bonnier AB or one of their subsidiaries? And aren't they the family which has financed Karl Rove's trips to Sweden to talk at that rightwing "think" tank there?
If that's the case, then assange could do the same thing, as any extradition to the U.S. would need the the approval of the U.K. as well as Sweden's.
Of course, the "ignorant one" sgt_doom, would have to do "somthing" unique for a change and actually read about the law on the matter.
This idea that the Secretary of State may waive 58 is all speculation. 58 only deals with "further extradition." This extradition is for a different crime due to "double jeopardy."
As already demonstrated the UK would rather leave the decision to the courts.
If it was that simple, and a given that the U.K. would simply bend over for political reasons and send him over with the stroke of a pen, why wasn't this a done deal way back when assanage first stepped on U.K. soil?
Also, on the argument we constantly hear that he may be subjected to the death penalty in the U.S., assange cannot be extradited from Sweden to the U.S. unless the death penalty is waved.
http://klamberg.blogspot.ca/2012/08/extradition-of-assange-to-us-via-sweden.html
I can give you compelling speculative reasons that are a complete 180 from the ones you present.
So, .........................................
Good to see that the U.K. feels strongly about crimes against women, as most of us do, and are in agreement to sending assange back to Sweden to answer questions about the accusations made against him.
Why doesn't assange agree to go back top Sweden if they will simply guarantee in writing to not extradite him to the U.S. unless the death penalty is off the table?
Of course, the request for extradition may not even come at all.