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Assange will leave embassy 'soon'
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Assange will leave embassy 'soon'
bb1 Mon Aug 18, 2014 11:28 am
http://news.sky.com/story/1320421/julian-assange-will-leave-embassy-soon
Julian Assange Will Leave Embassy 'Soon'
A two-year stand-off with authorities may be near its end as the WikiLeaks founder admits his health has suffered while in asylum.
ulian Assange has said he will leave the Ecuadorian embassy in London "soon" after more than two years holed up inside the building.
The Australian was speaking at a news conference alongside Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino at the building in Knightsbridge.
Widespread reports had suggested the WikiLeaks website founder needs hospital treatment for heart and lung problems.
But the 43-year-old denied he was leaving the embassy for health reasons.
He said: "I am leaving the embassy soon - but perhaps not for the reasons the Murdoch press and Sky News are saying at the moment.
"Being detained in various ways in this country without charge for four years and in this embassy for two years which has no outside area, therefore no sunlight … it is an environment in which any healthy person would find themselves soon enough with certain difficulties."
Mr Assange insisted Ecuador's decision to grant him political asylum "is the correct one".
He said: "How can it be that such a situation in Europe arises where a person is held and their freedom of movement restricted and they are kept from their family while a foreign government, the US, builds an ever larger case against that person and their organisation?
"Somehow the situation has developed here for me, but also some others, where basic rights that were previously universally accepted in Europe are no longer respected."
He added that there had been "significant mis-reporting" surrounding his case.
"First of all - I have not been charged with an offence here in the UK or in Sweden at any time," he said.
"Secondly, the basis under which my asylum was granted here is the ongoing US investigation into me and WikiLeaks.
"It is often falsely reported that women in Sweden have accused me of the serious crime of rape. That is false.
"This is the situation which is being seized upon, at the time of the conflict between me and the US, the Swedish government resurrected a matter that had been previously dropped."
Mr Patino said: "There has been two years of great uncertainty and a lack of legal protection. This situation must come to an end. Two years is simply too long.
"It is time to free Julian Assange. It is time for his human rights to finally be respected."
He added that he would seek to meet with the British Foreign Secretary in the next few weeks to discuss resolving the situation.
Mr Assange requested political asylum from Ecuador in June 2012 and has been under continued surveillance with police stationed outside the embassy since.
He faces an arrest warrant in Sweden over allegations he sexually assaulted two women and would be arrested if he left the embassy building.
Mr Assange has been investigated by US authorities since WikiLeaks published leaked military and diplomatic documents in 2010 and has said he fears being extradited to the US to face questioning if he goes to Sweden.
Julian Assange Will Leave Embassy 'Soon'
A two-year stand-off with authorities may be near its end as the WikiLeaks founder admits his health has suffered while in asylum.
ulian Assange has said he will leave the Ecuadorian embassy in London "soon" after more than two years holed up inside the building.
The Australian was speaking at a news conference alongside Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino at the building in Knightsbridge.
Widespread reports had suggested the WikiLeaks website founder needs hospital treatment for heart and lung problems.
But the 43-year-old denied he was leaving the embassy for health reasons.
He said: "I am leaving the embassy soon - but perhaps not for the reasons the Murdoch press and Sky News are saying at the moment.
"Being detained in various ways in this country without charge for four years and in this embassy for two years which has no outside area, therefore no sunlight … it is an environment in which any healthy person would find themselves soon enough with certain difficulties."
Mr Assange insisted Ecuador's decision to grant him political asylum "is the correct one".
He said: "How can it be that such a situation in Europe arises where a person is held and their freedom of movement restricted and they are kept from their family while a foreign government, the US, builds an ever larger case against that person and their organisation?
"Somehow the situation has developed here for me, but also some others, where basic rights that were previously universally accepted in Europe are no longer respected."
He added that there had been "significant mis-reporting" surrounding his case.
"First of all - I have not been charged with an offence here in the UK or in Sweden at any time," he said.
"Secondly, the basis under which my asylum was granted here is the ongoing US investigation into me and WikiLeaks.
"It is often falsely reported that women in Sweden have accused me of the serious crime of rape. That is false.
"This is the situation which is being seized upon, at the time of the conflict between me and the US, the Swedish government resurrected a matter that had been previously dropped."
Mr Patino said: "There has been two years of great uncertainty and a lack of legal protection. This situation must come to an end. Two years is simply too long.
"It is time to free Julian Assange. It is time for his human rights to finally be respected."
He added that he would seek to meet with the British Foreign Secretary in the next few weeks to discuss resolving the situation.
Mr Assange requested political asylum from Ecuador in June 2012 and has been under continued surveillance with police stationed outside the embassy since.
He faces an arrest warrant in Sweden over allegations he sexually assaulted two women and would be arrested if he left the embassy building.
Mr Assange has been investigated by US authorities since WikiLeaks published leaked military and diplomatic documents in 2010 and has said he fears being extradited to the US to face questioning if he goes to Sweden.
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Join date : 2011-06-24
Re: Assange will leave embassy 'soon'
bb1 Mon Aug 18, 2014 11:35 am
Hhmmmmm...
I won't pretend to like Assange; I don't. I don't like the way he left the troubled Bradley, now Chelsea, Manning to carry the can, or the way he just dumped so much data on the media.
He made NO attempt that I could see to sort genuine material from dubious material, public interest material from tittle-tattle, to hold back/redact material that endangered people's lives.
I've nothing against whistle-blowing, Snowden has done the whole world a service, but there's just something about Assange....
However - I used to think he should return to Sweden and face down his accusers over the sex charge, that he would be safe from US revenge. The way the US is operating these days, I no longer think he would be safe.
Kidnapping Russians from third countries shows scant respect for international laws. And the whole business with the President of Bolivia's plane, when the US was searching for Snowden, was disgraceful.
Can you imagine the consequences if, say, China, forced down Air Force One?
I won't pretend to like Assange; I don't. I don't like the way he left the troubled Bradley, now Chelsea, Manning to carry the can, or the way he just dumped so much data on the media.
He made NO attempt that I could see to sort genuine material from dubious material, public interest material from tittle-tattle, to hold back/redact material that endangered people's lives.
I've nothing against whistle-blowing, Snowden has done the whole world a service, but there's just something about Assange....
However - I used to think he should return to Sweden and face down his accusers over the sex charge, that he would be safe from US revenge. The way the US is operating these days, I no longer think he would be safe.
Kidnapping Russians from third countries shows scant respect for international laws. And the whole business with the President of Bolivia's plane, when the US was searching for Snowden, was disgraceful.
Can you imagine the consequences if, say, China, forced down Air Force One?
bb1- Slayer of scums
- Location : watcher on the wall
Join date : 2011-06-24
Re: Assange will leave embassy 'soon'
lily Mon Aug 18, 2014 2:48 pm
I share your dislike for Assange, Bonny, as I am sure you will remember. However, I also share your concerns about it.
lily- Slayer of scums
- Join date : 2011-06-24
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