6 ms·

Who exactly is he detained by?

• Cthulhu_ 11y ago
  Nobody yet, but the UK police / government already indicated they'd arrest him if he stepped out of the embassy (which is why they had a 24/7 watch on the embassy for two years), so that effectively is detainment.
  • Kristine1975 11y ago
    Couldn't he have used a diplomatic bag to leave the embassy?
    • Ao7bei3s 11y ago
      They considered that. The UK police had orders to detain him anyway. http://www.wired.com/2015/09/ecuador-considered-smuggling-julian-assange-freedom-bag http://www.wired.com/2015/09/ecuador-considered-smuggling-ju...
    • wmil 11y ago
      No. That's not how diplomatic bags work. Diplomatic privileges don't give the diplomats any right to transport individuals across another country's territory. Convoluted 'diplomatic bag' schemes don't reflect how the law actually works.
  • mbreedlove 11y ago
    Apparently the 24/7 surveillance on the embassy cost £11.1 million ($17.6 million). Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/06/19/julian-assanges-sojourn-in-ecuadorian-embassy-has-cost-british-taxpayers-more-than-17-million/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/06/19...
    • tlrobinson 11y ago
      How many officers do they have stationed there? Even factoring in 24/7 surveillance with overtime that's at least a couple dozen officers' salaries.
      • Ressuder 11y ago
        None anymore.
• jfoster 11y ago
  Technically, he's not detained; he's free to leave the embassy. Effectively, he is detained; he won't get far if he leaves. From there, it gets more complicated. Is that effective-but-technically-not detainment lawful, and even if it's not lawful, doesn't he have the option of lawful detainment by choosing to leave the embassy? After that, though, he's likely on the hook for a bit more than just a bit of questioning in Sweden. It's a very complicated situation, which is probably why the UN chose to be involved.