WikiLeaks' Assange says Ecuador seeking to end his asylum

By Alexandra Valencia

 

FILE PHOTO: Wikileaks founder Julian Assange speaks on the balcony of the Embassy of Ecuador in London, Britain, May 19, 2017. REUTERS/Neil Hall/File Photo

 

QUITO (Reuters) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said on Monday that Ecuador is seeking to end his asylum in its London embassy and hand him over to the United States, but a judge rejected his lawsuit over embassy living conditions.

 

Assange spoke from the embassy via teleconference at a hearing in Quito of a lawsuit challenging the Ecuadorean government requiring him to pay for medical bills, phone calls and clean up after his pet cat.

 

He took refuge in the embassy six years ago to avoid extradition to Sweden in a sexual assault case that was later dropped. He remains there to avoid being jailed by Great Britain for violating the terms of his bail, which he has said would result in his being handed over to Washington.

 

During the hearing, Assange said the new rules were a sign Ecuador was trying to push him out, and said Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno had already decided to end his asylum but had not yet officially given the order.

 

"If Mr. Assange wants to stay and he follows the rules ... he can stay at the embassy as long as he wants," said Attorney General Inigo Salvador, adding that Assange's stay had cost the country $6 million.

 

Foreign Minister Jose Valencia declined to comment on Assange's assertion that Ecuador sought to hand him over to the United States.

 

Judge Karina Martinez rejected the lawsuit, saying the Foreign Ministry was in charge of determining his living conditions.

 

Assange's legal team said it immediately appealed the ruling.

 

Embassy staff had complained of Assange riding a skateboard in the halls, of playing football on the grounds and behaving aggressively with security personnel.

 

Ecuador's government also objected to his making online commentary about sensitive political issues in other countries, including publishing opinions about the Catalonia separatist movement in Spain.

 

The new rules were meant to address these concerns, Salvador said.

 

The United Kingdom in August had assured Assange that he would not be extradited if he left the embassy, Salvador told reporters last week.

 

Valencia told Reuters last week that the government was "frustrated" by the lawsuit and that it would no longer intervene with British authorities on Assange's behalf.

 

U.S. federal prosecutors in Alexandria, Virginia, have maintained a long-running grand jury investigation into WikiLeaks, which according to one source includes a probe into leaks of Central Intelligence Agency documents to the website. (https://reut.rs/2z8JdlY)

 

(Reporting by Alexandria Valencia; Writing by Luc Cohen; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Lisa Shumaker)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-10-30

 

"...If Mr. Assange wants to stay and he follows the rules ... he can stay at the embassy as long as he wants," said Attorney General Inigo Salvador, adding that Assange's stay had cost the country $6 million..."

 

I think Ecuador has been extraordinarily generous to Assange, and that the tosser is an ungrateful anchor (spelling).

 

As far as I am concerned, toss the idiot out on the street and let him fend for himself.

 

Plonker.

 

 

14 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...If Mr. Assange wants to stay and he follows the rules ... he can stay at the embassy as long as he wants," said Attorney General Inigo Salvador, adding that Assange's stay had cost the country $6 million..."

 

I think Ecuador has been extraordinarily generous to Assange, and that the tosser is an ungrateful anchor (spelling).

 

As far as I am concerned, toss the idiot out on the street and let him fend for himself.

 

Plonker.

 

 

And you base your contempt on what.. a few news reports, or personal knowledge?

Maggot should be kicked out in the gutter where he belongs.

55 minutes ago, webfact said:

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said on Monday that Ecuador is seeking to end his asylum in its London embassy and hand him over to the United States,

 Good he can be given asylum is a US jail.

Time is right for the man who had the huge set of balls to reveal top secrets to the world to walk out of the embassy and face the consequences that may be following his action, it will show whether he's a coward or a man of principles... 

47 minutes ago, Aussie999 said:

And you base your contempt on what.. a few news reports, or personal knowledge?

Maybe the comment was just based on common sense and the fact you should be grateful to and not provoke the ones that tries to help you. Ever considered that?

TRUMP  will sick mad dog maddis on him

 

He should go to the same prison where Chelsea Manning was incarcerated.   Prison totally changed her.

Trump owes him a favour. Time to call in his marker.

2 hours ago, yogavnture said:

TRUMP  will sick mad dog maddis on him

 

Trump will pardon him.

4 hours ago, Aussie999 said:

And you base your contempt on what.. a few news reports, or personal knowledge?

No. The slime ball is treasonous and a sex assault suspect, isn't he? Let him fend for himself as we would all have to do.

And you don't have personal knowledge of him either. Do you?

???? Should have kicked him out long ago....ungrateful brat....

1 hour ago, Bundooman said:

No. The slime ball is treasonous and a sex assault suspect, isn't he? Let him fend for himself as we would all have to do.

And you don't have personal knowledge of him either. Do you?

No I don't, know him, that's why I don't make judgement, oh, and as for "treasonous," he is Ecuadorian, Australian, neither have charged him with treason.

 As for "sexual assault" suspect, mate, keep up with the news.... no charges, no proof.... geez.

 

treason

/ˈtriːz(ə)n/

noun

 

1. the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill or overthrow the sovereign or government.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

clean up after his pet cat

Well that just lost my support for Assange.

"If Mr. Assange wants to stay and he follows the rules ... he can stay at the embassy as long as he wants," said Attorney General Inigo Salvador".

 

Fair enough, and I can only assume Assange is 'losing the plot' when deciding to start a law suit against the Ecuadorian govt.

 

"said Attorney General Inigo Salvador, adding that Assange's stay had cost the country $6 million."

 

Really?  How?

 

"Embassy staff had complained of Assange riding a skateboard in the halls, of playing football on the grounds and behaving aggressively with security personnel.  Ecuador's government also objected to his making online commentary about sensitive political issues in other countries, including publishing opinions about the Catalonia separatist movement in Spain.  The new rules were meant to address these concerns, Salvador said."

 

All of this makes sense as to the more than irritating/annoying elements of his behaviour whilst living under their protection, apart from "playing football on the grounds" (?!)

 

"and clean up after his pet cat."

 

Whereas this makes no sense at all.  Part of Assange's (stupid IMO) lawsuit against living conditions in the Embassy included having to clean up after his cat?  Sounds like media propaganda to me, but perhaps I'm wrong?

 

3 hours ago, zaphod reborn said:

Trump will pardon him.

 He will have to join the big queue that does not seem to be moving as yet.

25 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

"If Mr. Assange wants to stay and he follows the rules ... he can stay at the embassy as long as he wants," said Attorney General Inigo Salvador".

 

Fair enough, and I can only assume Assange is 'losing the plot' when deciding to start a law suit against the Ecuadorian govt.

 

"said Attorney General Inigo Salvador, adding that Assange's stay had cost the country $6 million."

 

Really?  How?

 

"Embassy staff had complained of Assange riding a skateboard in the halls, of playing football on the grounds and behaving aggressively with security personnel.  Ecuador's government also objected to his making online commentary about sensitive political issues in other countries, including publishing opinions about the Catalonia separatist movement in Spain.  The new rules were meant to address these concerns, Salvador said."

 

All of this makes sense as to the more than irritating/annoying elements of his behaviour whilst living under their protection, apart from "playing football on the grounds" (?!)

 

"and clean up after his pet cat."

 

Whereas this makes no sense at all.  Part of Assange's (stupid IMO) lawsuit against living conditions in the Embassy included having to clean up after his cat?  Sounds like media propaganda to me, but perhaps I'm wrong?

 

 

well at least this overstayer ain't freeloading on our NHS...

3 hours ago, zaphod reborn said:

Trump will pardon him.

It's already in the works, “It’s very real and very possible."

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/roger-stone-tried-to-secure-pardon-for-julian-assange

 

33 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

Sounds like media propaganda

Complaints are coming from Attorney General Inigo Salvador, not the media. 

Assange need not panic just yet.

 

Mueller is not yet ready to arrest him and is unlikely to make any moves to do so before the mid terms.

 

Assange can start panicking when Mueller arrests Roger Stone.

 

(And incidentally, so can Farage).

Six million dollars.... damn... that’s 750,000 a year to keep this guy.

 

i wouldn’t want to leave either, if I was getting that sort of money spent on me. ????

Gees. So many anti-Assange comments. Sad, but unfortunately not surprising.

 

Unless some reliable facts come to light in the future that show possible major shortcomings to his character, Assange will always remain a hero for me (and, I am sure, also, to millions of others around the world).

22 minutes ago, JemJem said:

Gees. So many anti-Assange comments. Sad, but unfortunately not surprising.

 

Unless some reliable facts come to light in the future that show possible major shortcomings to his character, Assange will always remain a hero for me (and, I am sure, also, to millions of others around the world).

How about the time Assange introduced Israel Shamir under a pseudonym to wiki leaks inner circle , in an attempt to hide his real identity.

Then allowed Shamir to give Belarus dictator unredacted US cables that identified dissidents and pro democracy activist

Troll posts and the replies have been removed. 

8 hours ago, Bundooman said:

No. The slime ball is treasonous and a sex assault suspect, isn't he? Let him fend for himself as we would all have to do.

And you don't have personal knowledge of him either. Do you?

 

lol

 

The details of the sexual assault were this:

Julian had sex with a woman. The next day, he had sex with a different woman. Both consensual. When the 2nd woman found out about the first, she changed her mind, she said she'd have not had sex with him had she known. A woman can withdraw consent after the event in Sweden.

 

As for treason - as has been said, treason is an act against your  OWN country.

Assangi should be repatriated to Australia, if/ when he leaves the equatorial embassy... to face any charges the Australian government might want to progress.

 

under trumps stance of not permitting US of Ts citizens being prosecuted by any other countries courts, it’s hypocritical to ask for them to have him, before Australia has its way, given he’s an Australian, with dual citizenry.