WikiLeaks and the political use of the rape charge

[Joanne98]

Julian Assange, the editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, has been denied bail in Britain after appearing in court over alleged sexual offenses. Assange is fighting extradition to Sweden, which issued a European warrant for his arrest after complaints were made against him by two women.


Women Against Rape, London.

At present, Swedish authorities have not charged him with any crime. The complaints were initially filed over the summer but prosecutors dropped the case due to lack of evidence. A lawyer for the women filing the complaint appealed the decision to drop the case and after more than a month, Sweden issued a European Union warrant for Assange's arrest, while he was staying in London. His extradition hearing must be held within three weeks. As of yet, Swedish authorities have still not filed formal charges against Assange.

The fact that Interpol conducted an international manhunt for Assange on this type of allegation is unprecedented and demonstrates that the real goal was to find some way to bring Assange into custody so that other charges could be filed against him. It was clearly a case of using this or any allegation as a pretext to take him into custody and hold him for further prosecutions. The allegations of sexual assault, having achieved this function, may become secondary or even disappear.

An open letter by Katrin Axelsson of Women Against Rape, a London based organization, states, “Many women in both Sweden and Britain will wonder at the unusual zeal with which Julian Assange is being pursued for rape allegations.” The letter concludes with a strong statement on the political use of the rape charge:


http://www.pslweb.org/site/News2/1830454787?page=NewsArticle&id=14875&news_iv_ctrl=1261

[notesdev]

1. If it were only just Assange that would be one thing

but this kind of thing happens all the time to people from all walks of life (except the wealthy and powerful, of course).

All it takes is to become the target of someone with the power to do so - and with the proliferation of laws in nation after nation there is no one to whom this cannot happen, and no effective way to defend yourself.

We have seen this kind of personally targeted retribution happen to many other whistleblowers; this is merely more of the same.

This is what the complete subversion of the rule of law looks like. George Orwell, eat your heart out.