Has Julian Assange lost all credibility?

[CatInASuit]

From leading the Wikileaks revolution to hiding in a consol.

A few weeks ago, Julian Assange lost his case for extradition to Sweden to answer to charges of rape. He has always claimed that if he was to be sent there, he would be extradited to the USA and face the death penalty. To prevent this, he walked into the Ecuador embassy and is claiming asylum.

Ecuador has one of the worst reputations for fair and honest journalism and reporting. Free speech is a pipe dream and not a reality for the country.

So, someone who said that deep secrets should be revealed is now asking for help from someone who routinely suppresses information.

Is Assange right to do this, to avoid extradition as a political refugee or has he set himself up as more important than his ideals?

[Rube E. Tewesday]

I'm still wrestling with the idea of Sweden extraditing him to face the death penalty.

[Orual]

Assange had credibility to lose?

[What Exit?]

Assange had credibility to lose?

This was my thought. Also, what death penalty is this numbnuts facing?

[Elendil's Heir]

The U.S. wouldn't - and couldn't - execute him for revealing classified information. The death penalty here is available only for the various flavors of murder.

[CatInASuit]

The U.S. wouldn't - and couldn't - execute him for revealing classified information. The death penalty here is available only for the various flavors of murder.

His legal team were saying there was a potential prosecution for espionage carrying a life sentence or death penalty if convicted. Is that true?

[Orual]

lolwut

[What Exit?]

The U.S. wouldn't - and couldn't - execute him for revealing classified information. The death penalty here is available only for the various flavors of murder.

His legal team were saying there was a potential prosecution for espionage carrying a life sentence or death penalty if convicted. Is that true?

No, not at all. His legal team is doing their job and making stuff up to try an protect him.

[Elendil's Heir]

Life sentence? Possible but unlikely. Death sentence? Almost certainly not: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy_v._Louisiana

[Zuul]

I'm still wrestling with the idea of Sweden extraditing him to face the death penalty.

The U.S. wouldn't - and couldn't - execute him for revealing classified information. The death penalty here is available only for the various flavors of murder.

Yeah, it's an absurd argument all around.

[Myglaren]

Sweden would be highly unlikely to hand him over to America if there was any risk of capital punishment being involved.

I hate to say it but he does seem rather creepy.

[CatInASuit]

Well, Assange has just been granted asylum by Ecuador.

Who knows what is going to happen next. The Foreign Office is refusing to give safe passage for him out of the country and are saying they will enter the embassy (given the appropriate notice) to retrieve him and extradite him to Sweden.

International Politics can be such fun.

[What Exit?]

Well, Assange has just been granted asylum by Ecuador.

Who knows what is going to happen next. The Foreign Office is refusing to give safe passage for him out of the country and are saying they will enter the embassy (given the appropriate notice) to retrieve him and extradite him to Sweden.

International Politics can be such fun.

I would hope they don't actually go into Ecuador's embassy. That is just far too wrong a move and a far worse crime with greater consequences than anything Assange did. They can wait until he leaves the embassy. Just keep a long watch on the bastard and eventually get him. In a way this is a form of imprisonment, just in a gilded cage I suppose.

[Orual]

What does Ecuador gain by this? Did Assange bribe somebody, or what?

[The Original An Gadaí]

What does Ecuador gain by this? Did Assange bribe somebody, or what?

Maybe showing ill-thought-out international clout. "Hey look Britain can't do anything about it!" Or there may be senior Ecuadorian officials who are uncomfortable about Assange's treatment. but i go with the former.

[Elendil's Heir]

The President of Ecuador is generally anti-American, and applauded Wikileaks's work in embarrassing the State Dept. and Pentagon. Stickin' it to The Man has timeless appeal: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-18518464

Assange was only allowed to remain on the streets of London while his extradition case was working its way through the British courts because he agreed to stay in the same apartment every night. It's no wonder Her Majesty's Government is a bit peeved over his Ecuadorian gambit. I agree it would be a huge mistake for the British to storm Ecuador's (rather small) embassy. Far better to wait Assange out, or even declare the Ecuadorian ambassador persona non grata, order the embassy closed, and nab Assange on his way out. But they should certainly remain vigilant.

[Orual]

Wow, I had no idea U.S. relations with Ecuador were so sour.

Also I will never stop laughing at these claims that Sweden will send Assange to the U.S. to FACE THE DEATH PENALTY. It is the funniest.

[parzival]

There is nothing legally barring the US from applying the death penalty for espionage. From the Supreme Court itself:

Our concern here is limited to crimes against individual persons. We do not address, for example, crimes defining and punishing treason, espionage, terrorism, and drug kingpin activity, which are offenses against the State. As it relates to crimes against individuals, though, the death penalty should not be expanded to instances where the victim’s life was not taken.

Would the US try to do this? Not a chance in hell. Julius & Ethel Rosenberg were the only civilians ever executed for espionage, and then the stakes were considered much higher. I'd expect that if we did get a hold of him, we'd lock him up somewhere quiet and hope people forget about him.

[Myglaren]

[Elendil's Heir]

Love it!

[Orual]

They forgot the air holes!

[Elendil's Heir]

Heh heh. "Forgot."

A good essay on the "legal myths" of the Assange case: http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/da...ge-extradition

[Elendil's Heir]

What is it about these Internet bad boys and Sweden, anyway?: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1850895.html

[Myglaren]

Rape warrant cancelled.

[Elendil's Heir]

John Cusack, who should know better, sticks up for Assange: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-c...b_2317824.html

[RichardVor]

Assange has got so many big boys pissed off with all these leaks, so Im sure theyll pay back this way or another.

[Elendil's Heir]

Bumped.

Assange is now officially the worst. houseguest. EVER: https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/19/uk/ju...ntl/index.html

[Muffin]

Anyone who does not take care of one's cat is either bat shit insane or a bad person or both.

[Elendil's Heir]

An update - Ecuador has withdrawn asylum, and Assange has been arrested by British police and carried from the Ecuadorian embassy: https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/11/uk/ju...ntl/index.html

Obligatory Monty Python link:

[Elendil's Heir]

Assange sentenced by a British judge to almost a year in prison for skipping bail: https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/01/uk/ju...ntl/index.html

I'm guessing Her Majesty's prison officials will not let him have a cat.

[Elendil's Heir]

No surprise here - looks like Assange was up to his old tricks even while a guest of the Ecuadorians: https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/15/polit...nts/index.html

[What Exit?]

How long will extradition to the US take? 2-3 years or can Assange drag it out even longer?

[Elendil's Heir]

British judge denies US request to extradite Assange: https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/04/uk/ju...ntl/index.html

[Elendil's Heir]

Wow, I wouldn't have guessed this: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...?ocid=msedgntp

ETA: That article erroneously says Assange "gave himself up in 2019." He did not. He was arrested and removed when Ecuador withdrew its asylum offer and permitted London police to enter the embassy.

[Elendil's Heir]

Another update:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/17/uk/uk...gbr/index.html

[Elendil's Heir]

And another:

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/jul...on-2024-03-26/

[Elendil's Heir]

Assange can appeal extradition to the US, British court rules: https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/20/uk/ju...gbr/index.html

[Elendil's Heir]

Assange agrees to plea deal that will allow him to avoid imprisonment in US: https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/24/polit...ion/index.html