4 ms·

”And at the centre of all of this, that everyone seems to have forgotten, are these two women that have accused him of rape.” As far as I know, and at least As

by sedeki 7y ago

”And at the centre of all of this, that everyone seems to have forgotten, are these two women that have accused him of rape.” As far as I know, and at least Assange has claimed this publicly in a video at least once, these two women themselves did not make rape charges against Assange. The case was picked up by some prosecutor who initiated the charges.

Maxious 7y ago
One of the victims' lawyer said a month ago when he left the embassy they still wanted to re-open the case: "We are going to do everything we possibly can to get the swedish police investigation re-opened so that Assange can be extradited to Sweden and prosecuted for rape. No rape victim should have to wait 9 years to see justice be served." https://twitter.com/ElisabethMFritz/status/1116292951125180416 https://twitter.com/ElisabethMFritz/status/11162929511251804...
DanBC 7y ago
"Pressing charges" may be a thing in US law, but it isn't elsewhere. In many jurisdictions prosecutors don't need the permission, nor cooperation, of the victims to bring a case to court. This is especially important in crimes of sexual violence because the fear of retribution causes many victims not to report; and because some victims will be being coercively controlled by their partners.
- learc83 7y ago
  It's not a thing in US law either (at least in the states I'm aware of). "Do you want to press charges" is just a colloquialism that means "do you want the prosecutor to press charges, and will you cooperate as a witness." In less serious cases the victim's wishes are taken into account. However, the prosecutor is the one who charges the accused, and consent or cooperation from the victim isn't needed. It is hard to convict in cases where an uncooperative victim is the only witness, but it happens in domestic abuse cases all the time.
SiempreViernes 7y ago
They did in fact file rape charges, but as is common they didn't do it immediately but after talking about the event with friends. They have also, wisely avoiding much of the media, enlisted a lawyer to speak on their behalf on the matter, and it was the lawyers filing that led to the investigation being reopened again. For a pretty complete chronology, see this page on the Swedish prosecution authority: https://www.aklagare.se/en/news-and-press/media/the-assange-matter/chronology/ https://www.aklagare.se/en/news-and-press/media/the-assange-...
moorhosj 7y ago
Is Assange a reliable narrator in this instance?
dragonwriter 7y ago
In most legal systems, the initiation of criminal charges is the exclusive domain of public prosecutors, so this seems like one of those statements of Assange’s that is both strictly true (in this case, because it is impossible for it to be any other way) and also deliberately misleading, like the one that his internet was cut by “a state actor”.

by sedeki 7y ago

Maxious 7y ago

One of the victims' lawyer said a month ago when he left the embassy they still wanted to re-open the case: "We are going to do everything we possibly can to get the swedish police investigation re-opened so that Assange can be extradited to Sweden and prosecuted for rape. No rape victim should have to wait 9 years to see justice be served." https://twitter.com/ElisabethMFritz/status/1116292951125180416 https://twitter.com/ElisabethMFritz/status/11162929511251804...

DanBC 7y ago

"Pressing charges" may be a thing in US law, but it isn't elsewhere. In many jurisdictions prosecutors don't need the permission, nor cooperation, of the victims to bring a case to court. This is especially important in crimes of sexual violence because the fear of retribution causes many victims not to report; and because some victims will be being coercively controlled by their partners.

learc83 7y ago
It's not a thing in US law either (at least in the states I'm aware of). "Do you want to press charges" is just a colloquialism that means "do you want the prosecutor to press charges, and will you cooperate as a witness." In less serious cases the victim's wishes are taken into account. However, the prosecutor is the one who charges the accused, and consent or cooperation from the victim isn't needed. It is hard to convict in cases where an uncooperative victim is the only witness, but it happens in domestic abuse cases all the time.

SiempreViernes 7y ago

They did in fact file rape charges, but as is common they didn't do it immediately but after talking about the event with friends. They have also, wisely avoiding much of the media, enlisted a lawyer to speak on their behalf on the matter, and it was the lawyers filing that led to the investigation being reopened again. For a pretty complete chronology, see this page on the Swedish prosecution authority: https://www.aklagare.se/en/news-and-press/media/the-assange-matter/chronology/ https://www.aklagare.se/en/news-and-press/media/the-assange-...

moorhosj 7y ago

Is Assange a reliable narrator in this instance?

dragonwriter 7y ago

In most legal systems, the initiation of criminal charges is the exclusive domain of public prosecutors, so this seems like one of those statements of Assange’s that is both strictly true (in this case, because it is impossible for it to be any other way) and also deliberately misleading, like the one that his internet was cut by “a state actor”.