8 ms·
RIP. It's only a matter of time before he's extradited, and I would think the current US government would definitely push for the death penalty under the Espion
by rudiv 8y ago
RIP. It's only a matter of time before he's extradited, and I would think the current US government would definitely push for the death penalty under the Espionage Act. I suppose it's little solace that he'll join a long list of illustrious names prosecuted under that infamous act. (Emma Goldman, Eugene Debs, Victor Berger, Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden)
- rudiv 8y agoReading the rest of the comments, it's surprising that so many people seem to have reduced WikiLeaks & Assange to 'co-conspirators with the President'. They've been around before the 2016 election.
- fifnir 8y agoBut on the biggest issue of american politics of the last 50 years, he has found himself (chosen?) on the wrong side of history <edit> If you hear trump talk for two minutes and you don't immediately realize the danger and what he represents, you might be too cynical
- nerflad 8y agoThe majority of people I know don't remember or care what Chelsea Manning's leaks actually contained. Or that she exists.
- Loughla 8y agoHonestly, in flyover country, the only time folks talk about Chelsea Manning is as a thinly veiled attack on trans individuals. Nothing about what was leaked or that she even leaked anything important. It's sad.
- matthewmacleod 8y agoNeither the UK nor Sweden is legally able to extradite to countries where there is a risk of the death penalty being applied.
- nabla9 8y agoIt applies only to cases where death penalty is possible. Even in those cases extradition is possible after prosecutor agrees not to seek death penalty.
- peteretep 8y agoIf he’s likely to face the death penalty, then he has an excellent legal defence against extradition. If he’d left earlier, he’d have had a chance to appeal to the ECJ too. Ooops
- threeseed 8y agoBrexit has been extended to October and it's very likely it won't happen at all. Or that UK would be subject to ECJ anyway.
- peteretep 8y ago> it's very likely it won't happen at all I mean I really hope you're right, but betting markets have odds on that at about 30%, which for me doesn't count as "very likely" > Brexit has been extended to October The English legal system moves sloooooooowly. I mean not third-world slowly, but the McKinnon case had what, a decade in it? > Or that UK would be subject to ECJ anyway. As a sibling comment noted, I was wrong to talk about the ECJ, when the ECHR is what's important. Interesting to see how that thrashes out post-Brexit.
- tareqak 8y agoThe UK hasn’t left the EU yet and just negotiated the extension to Brexit to October 31 of this year at the latest. I don’t see why Assange wouldn’t be able to appeal now unless his case never gets there before Brexit.
- chki 8y agoThis is not about the ECJ but he could instead appeal to the ECHR, which the UK is still a party to even if there was a Brexit.
- Reason077 8y agoThe UK does not permit extradition where there is a risk of the death penalty being applied. It would require an assurance against the death penalty as a condition of extradition.
- chki 8y agoYes, if he were to be extradited facing the death penalty this would actually violate the European Convention on Human Rights as decided in Soering v UK.
- frereubu 8y agoIt's not quite as clear-cut as that any more: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jul/23/uk-will-not-oppose-us-death-penalty-for-isis-beatles https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jul/23/uk-will-not-... That's an old article (July 2018), but I couldn't find anything more recent about that specific aspect of the case.
- codedokode 8y agoWhat about life sentence instead of death penalty?
- pedrocx486 8y agoIt's very clear: It only applies to death penalty. Life sentence would have him extradited.
- blisterpeanuts 8y agoAre you referring to Assange's connection with the Snowden leak? Why would they seek the death penalty? Even Snowden wouldn't get the death penalty were he to return and be prosecuted.
- matt4077 8y agoThe UK is unlikely to extradite without assurances that the death penalty will not be applied, which is doubtful in any case.
- empath75 8y agoThe us is not going to execute him are you mad?
- microtherion 8y agoWhy on earth would the US govt want to punish him? He helped getting Trump elected and is on friendly terms with Trump Jr. It's not like that bunch is known for their loyalty, but even sheer self preservation would suggest that they not meddle with somebody who doubtlessly has ample receipts of their interactions.
- celticninja 8y agoHe cant be extradited without there being a guarantee that he will not face the death penalty.
- ilikehurdles 8y agoHe’s more likely to be executed by whichever information sources he has a risk of ratting out in a trial than by the US. Maybe he won’t even make it to US land.
- mzs 8y agoThat is highly unlikely due to precedent of the '60s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_by_the_United_States_federal_government#Post-Furman_executions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_by_the_Unit...