Wikileaks' Julian Assange says he's 'already been cleared' of sex charges

[molova]

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

Julian Assange has used his appearance at the Bendigo Writers Festival to address the controversy surrounding allegations of sexual assault made against him in Sweden.

Mr Assange made a point of speaking about the issue, despite interviewer Robert Manne's initial reluctance, in a live cross from the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

"The situation is this, there is one allegation, there are no charges, there have never been charges," he said.

"In relation to this precise allegation, I have already been cleared by the chief prosecutor of Stockholm, back in 2010, who found that no crime had been committed whatsoever."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/wikileaks-julian-assange-says-hes-already-been-cleared-of-sex-charges-20160814-gqs1oo.html

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That's false. Prosecutors are going to interview him in connection to the allegations. Assange is lying.

[geek tragedy]

1. Just like his fellow traveler Donald Trump, a pathological liar nt

[cstanleytech]

2. Wow, he has alot of nerve I will grant him that much. nt

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

3. Did the statuate of limitations run out?

[molova]

7. Not on the rape charge

Two of the other sex-related charges are done due to the statute, but the rape one is still ongoing.

[JackRiddler]

10. There is no rape charge or any other charge.

No formal charges have ever been announced by any prosecutor. They have wanted to question him on allegations. Just to stick to the legal facts.

[hack89]

22. The charges are detailed in his arrest warrant

I would say that makes them formal. And their stated intent is to arrest him. The Swedish prosecutor said that under oath in a British court.

[msanthrope]

29. No. nt

[George II]

4. Then why is he still holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

6. He likes the warm climate near the equator.

The embassy grounds are a little bit of Ecuador, right?

[MADem]

8. He loves the food court at Harrod's just across the way!

He sends one of the office boys out to buy the specials of the day for him!!

[cstanleytech]

11. Because there is a warrant out for his arrest as some of the charges havent expired of course

he claims the reason is because its all some sort of elaborate scheme by the US to extradite and that he will turn himself in if Sweden will agree not to extradite him to the US which is complete horseshit because Sweden simply cannot give him or anyone that kind of blanket immunity.
Now if he was facing the death penalty in the US for murder then yes he might be able to get an agreement not to extradite him unless the US agreed to take the death penalty off the table but in general thats as far as it goes due to extradition treaties.

[Plucketeer]

5. KUDOS!

to the whistleblowers and those who dare yank the curtains aside!

[dbackjon]

14. So you are giving kudos to a lying piece of shit?

[MyNameGoesHere]

17. Of course they are

it's a two click thing. Try it you'll see what I mean.

[Plucketeer]

27. I've revealed underhandedness

while working for government contractors - in one instance, the very LIVES of aircraft crew members was at stake. And yeah, I was a piece of shit after my dare-devil revelations. I damn near lost my job, but I did what was right - not what was all nicey-conformy. Screw anyone who's feelings I might have tweaked.

[treestar]

9. He says so?

And we're supposed to rely on his word for it?

[brooklynite]

12. If there are no charges, then he can safely walk out of the Embassy gate, right?

[TexasBushwhacker]

20. No. He has violated his bail provisions and will be arrested n/t

[Cicada]

30. He would be given to USA and then put in a box underground for life

assange has agreed to be tried by Sweden provided they agree not to turn him over to the USA. Sweden refuses that condition.
The USA puts whistle blowers in small rooms underground with no human contact until they can find a way to kill themselves to end that torture.

The Swedish charges are not the primary issue. Assange has agreed to go to trial on them and to suffer any Swedish punishment for them provided Sweden agrees not to turn him over to the USA.

Of course he can not step foot in UK either because they too will send him straight to the hell of American "justice."

Putting anyone in a cell without human contact for extended periods is extremely evil. Assange surely should face justice for the rape charges but he should not face punishment only Satan should condone.

[brooklynite]

31. Do tell us the charges he faces from the US...

We've charged Snowden; we've filed no charges against Assange.

But never let a good conspiracy theory go to waste.

[Else You Are Mad]

36. Well, I am sure Chelsea Manning would diasagree with you... nt.

[brooklynite]

37. Funny thing; we filed charges against Manning as well...and of course she pleaded guilty

[Else You Are Mad]

38. Right.

But, I am certain that there are a bunch of people that have been renditioned that have done less to the US than Assange that would also disagree with you. Assange gave the US a black eye and they don't -- or as you put it - - we don't tend to appreciate that when it comes to whistle blowing.

If Assange didn't publish those stolen emails from the DNC, I am sure you would not be out for his head.

[brooklynite]

39. If you care to backtrack, I've never been a fan of Assange...

...being a suspect in a sexual assault and all.

BTW - if this conspiracy of yours exists, funny that WikiLeaks can't find any evidence of it, right?

[think]

40. Government Fears Chelsea Manning Disclosures May Lead to Indictments for War Crimes

Government Fears Chelsea Manning Disclosures May Lead to Indictments for War Crimes

by GAURI REDDY - AUGUST 12, 2016

~snip~

Manning, who was first taken into custody in 2010 had already been subjected to solitary confinement for 9 months, even before she was convicted. Manning’s supporters believe that the long stretches in solitary confinement since her conviction and lack of essential medical care have contributed to her mental deterioration.

Manning’s attorney Chase Strangio of the ACLU and legendary whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, known best for his role in exposing the Pentagon Papers which revealed failing U.S strategy in the Vietnam War, both explained the significance of the U.S government’s further punishment of Chelsea Manning during a press conference call earlier today.

~Snip~

Daniel Ellsberg, who himself was threatened with 115 years in prison for leaking to the press, top secret information about U.S. Decision-making in the Vietnam war, described Manning “a personal hero”. Ellsberg’s leak led to the convictions of several White House aides and figured in the impeachment proceedings against President Nixon, after which Ellsberg had his own charges dropped in 1973. Ellsberg stated in the press conference that he believes the primary motive for such a lengthy sentence for Manning was because U.S government officials feared possible indictments as a result of Manning’s leaks.

Ellsberg explained that Manning’s disclosures revealed such incriminating information as “turning over Iraqi prisoners for torture, widespread use of assassination teams, and blatant war crimes” which Ellsberg said made U.S officials “liable for criminal prosecution in International Criminal Court (ICC).” While admitting that “the chances of the U.S accepting the ICC’s jurisdiction and actually prosecuting the former U.S president or other U.S officials was virtually zero,” Ellsberg added that “further investigation would reveal even more such incriminating information” and viewed Manning’s lengthy prison sentence as “retaliation for providing evidence that could be used against U.S officials.”....

Read more:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/08/12/government-fears-chelsea-manning-disclosures/

[Cicada]

42. Indictments are commonly kept secret

Google "sealed indictment" or "silent indictment" to learn that indictments are often secret until the defendant is arrested.

[Cicada]

41. The USA files charges it keeps secret.

The USA, run by President Obama who I strongly support and admire, is not perfect. The USA severely punishes many who make its flaws public. Wikipedia's has published things which are classified. If you don't understand that the USA will put Assange underground in a box with virtually no human contact then you are blind.

[FreakinDJ]

13. and to think many praised him here a DU a few short years ago

My how times have changed

[George II]

16. It didn't take long to find out who he really was.

[Else You Are Mad]

33. The US did not like what Assange was saying...

... so that is why an Australian citizen is seeking asylum and has been living in an embassy for four years so the UK doesn't turn him over to the US.

[George II]

34. There's nothing to that rumor. He's been hiding out to avoid being extradited to Sweden....

....to face those rape charges.

[Else You Are Mad]

35. The rape charges are very dubious. nt.

[Else You Are Mad]

15. Asssnge knows that...

Obama wants him extradited to the US and that is why he is going after the DNC as a form of pay back.

[EX500rider]

24. It's stupid to think the US needs to get him to Sweden to have him extradited,

the US is much closer allies with the Brits. Plus extradited for what, as far as i know the US has no charges against him.

[Else You Are Mad]

32. The problem is that...

Assange is an Australian citizen, there are international laws that prevent the outright extradition to the US. But, if he is arrested by Sweden, it becomes easier to extradite him once he is a prisoner.

[EX500rider]

43. The Brits can arrest him for skipping bail..

.....and i still haven't seen any evidence of a US arrest warrant in the first place.

[trueblue2007]

18. he is a liar, a horrible sexual predetor who belongs in prison

[riversedge]

19. Because--the Brits want him also.........

............But even in the event he is ultimately cleared by Swedish authorities, Mr Assange said he would remain unable to leave the embassy, where he has been living since being granted asylum by Ecuador in 2012.

Asked by Professor Manne how confident he was he would be allowed to go free if the Swedish charges were dropped, Mr Assange was unequivocal.

"I'm 100 per cent confident that I would not be a free person because the British government has said, regardless of whether the Swedes drop the case or not, they're going to arrest me," he said.

"The UK government also refuses to confirm or deny whether there is already a US extradition request."

[awoke_in_2003]

21. Up yours, (((Julian))).

On edit: to be clear, I am referencing his anti-semitic tweet from a few weeks ago, not making an AS post.

[Cicada]

23. Massage is technically correct

The Swedish prosecutor in 2010 did say she believed that rape had not happened. assange was cleared. But then a different prosecutor said that she wanted to further investigate the charge of rape. There were two other lesser offenses being considered but the statute of limitations has expired. The arrest warrant is for questioning about rape. I guess that is not a "charge" of rape. So Assange may be telling the truth but not the "whole truth." Whether not telling the "whole truth" is "lying" depends on which of severAl definitions of lying you want to use.

[reorg]

25. That is exactly correct

we have in fact discussed this in detail right here on this forum while the events unfolded.

Everything that happened after Stockholm's chief prosecutor Eva Finné dismissed the allegations were political shenanigans.

The main damage, though, had already been done at this point: when the first arrest warrant was leaked to the gutter press and the news of the allegations were quickly spread everywhere.

[MichiganVote]

26. Still an asshole.

[bananakabob]

28. "Assange is lying."

Of course. His mouth is open and his lips are moving.