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Yes, but the UN effectively say he's being detained, which I tend to agree with. It's like me standing there with a gun to your head saying if you take one more
by cronix 8y ago
Yes, but the UN effectively say he's being detained, which I tend to agree with. It's like me standing there with a gun to your head saying if you take one more step, I'll shoot. Technically, you're "free to leave at any time," but that's not really the effective reality.
> February 2016 - A UN panel rules that Mr Assange has been "arbitrarily detained" by UK and Swedish authorities since 2010
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-11949341 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-11949341
- nl 8y agoYeah, fair. But are there any claims otherwise? The OP's claim was that people are saying he is free to leave. I'm saying that is technically true, but I agree it isn't in reality. But I dont't think any sensible commentator has ever made the claim the OP is referring to.
- nradov 8y agoUN panels have no legal jurisdiction over such issues. Their rulings are entirely irrelevant.
- matt4077 8y agoI don't quite get what the argument is supposed to be. Possibly that the charges should be dropped because so much time has passed. Because there is just no logical reason why an accused should have the option of getting all charges dropped because somehow being prosecuted for them violates his rights? The analogy with shooting someone is obviously different, in that shooting someone tends to be a violation of their rights. Arresting them when they skipped bail is not quite the same as a bullet to the head.
- josteink 8y agoWhat charges? Uncovering massive war-crimes committed by the US? (And how many have been charged as the result of those?) Are you saying it’s ok to let people off the hook for war-crimes, but reporting them should put you in prison? What kind of society would that be? Certainly not one I would want to live in.
- matt4077 8y agoThe danish rape charge, which would have probably been resolved with a few months of probation or some mandatory training. Somehow, Assange managed to turn that prospect into the self-inflicted and unlimited golden cage that is the Ecuadorian Embassy. Guy's a true genius...
- cheez 8y agoIf you've been paying attention to #metoo, Kavanaugh and all that, this type of thing is done to discredit. No matter what Assange would do afterwards, every story would start: Assange, who agreed to probation for a rape charge, ...
- ineedasername 8y agoYeah i never quite understood the charges either, but more because he works for an organization that isn't subject to the US jurisdiction.