Foreign Secretary .. on Ecuadorian Government’s decision to offer political asylum to Julian Assange

[struggle4progress]

Foreign Secretary statement on Ecuadorian Government’s decision to offer political asylum to Julian Assange
16 August 2012

... Under our law, with Mr Assange having exhausted all options of appeal, the British authorities are under a binding obligation to extradite him to Sweden. We must carry out that obligation and of course we fully intend to do so. The Ecuadorian Government's decision this afternoon does not change that in any way. Nor does it change the current circumstances in any way. We remain committed to a diplomatic solution that allows us to carry out our obligations as a nation under the Extradition Act.

It is important to understand that this is not about Mr Assange’s activities at Wikileaks or the attitude of the United States of America. He is wanted in Sweden to answer allegations of serious sexual offences.

His case has been heard in our Courts. Following the court decision of 30 May this year, he exhausted all legal options available to him in the UK to prevent his extradition to Sweden. He then entered the Ecuadorian Embassy in London on 19 June. And since then we have worked patiently with the Ecuadorian authorities, both in London and Quito, in private discussions to seek a mutually acceptable resolution to this situation. We have held seven formal discussions as well as many other conversations ...

It is a matter of regret that instead of continuing these discussions they have instead decided to make today’s announcement. It does not change the fundamentals of the case. We will not allow Mr Assange safe passage out of the UK, nor is there any legal basis for us to do so. The UK does not accept the principle of diplomatic asylum. It is far from a universally accepted concept: the United Kingdom is not a party to any legal instruments which require us to recognise the grant of diplomatic asylum by a foreign embassy in this country. Moreover, it is well established that, even for those countries which do recognise diplomatic asylum, it should not be used for the purposes of escaping the regular processes of the courts. And in this case that is clearly what is happening ...

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=800710782

[movonne]

1. I see you are at it again...do you have a personal vendetta against Julian Assange???

[struggle4progress]

2. It is a useful document. It states the official UK position. I should have thought

it would be of interest to the so-called reality-based community

I added no editorial comments

Is there some particular reason you dislike that post?

[intaglio]

3. And again the UK Government massages the truth

He is wanted in Sweden to answer allegations of serious sexual offences.

A particular Swedish prosecutor wants Mr Assange to return to Sweden for questioning, the European Arrest Warrant is for failing to appear in the prosecutors office for questioning. That prosecutor refuses to have Mr Assange questioned overseas.The accusations were not serious enough for a prior prosecutor to even consider questioning Mr Assange.

His case has been heard in our Courts. Following the court decision of 30 May this year, he exhausted all legal options available to him in the UK to prevent his extradition to Sweden.

Technically Assange is not being "extradited" he is being rendered to Sweden on a "European Arrest Warrant". Extradition would require the case to be heard under the far more strict guidelines governing extradition, where evidence supporting the charges made against him would have to be examined in open court. The UK courts only examined whether the EAW was acceptable in law. They refused to consider the human rights aspect of Mr Assanges rendition to Sweden.

... it is well established that, even for those countries which do recognise diplomatic asylum, it should not be used for the purposes of escaping the regular processes of the courts. And in this case that is clearly what is happening ...

The escape here is not from the "regular processes of the courts" but from the known ability of the Swedish government to further render Mr Assange to the USA without due process.

[Downwinder]

4. Are we going to go back to trading diplomatic hostages?