WikiLeaks' Assange to discover if he will be freed from jail on bail

By Michael Holden

 

FILE PHOTO: People celebrate after a judge ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should not be extradited to the United States, outside the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court, in London, Britain, January 4, 2021. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls/File Photo

 

LONDON (Reuters) - WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange will discover on Wednesday if he will be allowed to taste freedom after years of self-incarceration and jail time, following victory in his battle to avoid extradition from Britain to the United States.

 

A British judge on Monday rejected a request from U.S. authorities for Assange, 49, to be sent across the Atlantic to face 18 criminal charges of breaking an espionage law and conspiring to hack government computers.

 

The charges relate to the release by WikiLeaks of hundreds of thousands of confidential U.S. military records and diplomatic cables which U.S. officials say put lives in danger.

 

Although Judge Vanessa Baraitser accepted the U.S. legal arguments in the case, she said Assange's mental health issues meant he would be at risk of suicide if he were extradited.

 

The U.S. Department of Justice says it will continue to seek his extradition and will appeal against her verdict.

 

In the meantime, Assange, who is currently being held in the top-security Belmarsh Prison in east London, will seek to be freed on bail at a hearing on Wednesday.

 

If Baraitser grants his request, he will be able to enjoy freedom for the first time in more than eight years.

 

Admirers hail Australian-born Assange as a hero for exposing what they describe as abuses of power by the United States. But detractors cast him as a dangerous figure who has undermined the security of the West, and dispute that he is a journalist.

 

WikiLeaks published hundreds of thousands of secret U.S. diplomatic cables that laid bare often critical U.S. appraisals of world leaders, from Russian President Vladimir Putin to members of the Saudi royal family.

 

Assange made international headlines in early 2010 when WikiLeaks published a classified U.S. military video showing a 2007 attack by Apache helicopters that killed a dozen people in Baghdad, including two Reuters news staff.

 

FREEDOM?

In June 2012, Assange fled to London's Ecuadorean embassy after losing his bid to prevent extradition to Sweden, where he was wanted for questioning over alleged sex crimes.

 

He remained in the embassy, living in confined conditions, until being dragged out in April 2019. Although the Swedish case against him had been dropped by then, he was jailed for breaching British bail conditions and his supporters forfeited sureties of 93,500 pounds ($127,076).

 

He has remained behind bars after completing his jail term pending the outcome of the U.S. extradition case, which would include any appeal by the United States. Baraitser has previously refused him bail, saying he remained a flight risk.

 

Assange's partner Stella Moris, with whom he had two children while holed up in the embassy, said they could not celebrate as long as he was still in prison.

 

"We will celebrate the day he comes home," she said.

 

Assange's lawyer Edward Fitzgerald said on Monday that the extradition ruling cast a new light over the bail decision. But Nick Vamos, lawyer at London-based firm Peters & Peters and former head of extradition at Britain's Crown Prosecution Service, said he expected his bid not to succeed.

 

"To do so, he would have to point to some change in circumstances, for example the COVID-19 risk in Belmarsh, other than the extradition judgment in his favour," Vamos said. "I expect his bail application to fail."

 

($1 = 0.7358 pounds)

 

(Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Catherine Evans)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-01-06

 

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Let him go, the man's a hero having exposed the US government for who they are, a corporation that does and kills who it wants, we all saw the video and heard of how they tried to cover up it up and what Hillary and other said in their emails. They are the ones who should be in jail !

He has stated in court that he is suffering a range of mental health issue and that he is at risk of suicide.

 

Put him in a secure mental health facility while his extradition is being appealed.

 

 

 

 

13 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Put him in a secure mental health facility while his extradition is being appealed.

 

What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty, that is why we have a bail system, they even let out those who have killed on bail, he hasn't killed anyone, just rocked the BIG boat apparently, but not proven yet, so let him out, i.e. unless you would like to go to the facility in his place ?

One man's hero is another's traitor but by all general account an he's idiot... 

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

One man's hero is another's traitor but by all general account an he's idiot... 

 

The closest analog we have for Assange is Daniel Ellsberg.  There's still a few hawks that wish they could hang the guy.  But the vast majority of Americans and "history" itself have cast him as an admirable whistleblower.   It took awhile for the public to accept we'd been duped into an immoral war back then.  It's going to take awhile -and some more brave souls- for Americans to accept we've been duped again and we're still being duped.

 

Personally, I hope Trump pardons him (and Snowden).  If that doesn't happen, I'd like to see them jointly awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.  With that kind of international pressure, the US won't be able to isolate them in a dark room for the rest of their lives.

1 hour ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty, that is why we have a bail system, they even let out those who have killed on bail, he hasn't killed anyone, just rocked the BIG boat apparently, but not proven yet, so let him out, i.e. unless you would like to go to the facility in his place ?

Well he was given bail wasn’t he, and he skipped it.

 

Or have you forgotten that bit?!

I assumed that trump would pardon him if he agreed to say that Russia was not involved in the DNC hack? No clue why assange didn't take that deal? Maybe his mental issues are too severe?

 

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Well he was given bail wasn’t he, and he skipped it.

 

Or have you forgotten that bit?!

The difference this time is that extradition is denied. So at the moment he faces no charges.

 

The last time he was wanted only in sweden, those charges are now gone. So his bail is only for US charges for which extradition denied.

 

New circumstances.

Techinically he'd be swapping a jail cell for a more comfortable four walled prison as the UK is locked down right now. More of a sideways maneuver.

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

He has stated in court that he is suffering a range of mental health issue and that he is at risk of suicide.

 

Put him in a secure mental health facility while his extradition is being appealed.

 

 

 

 

I think the ruling was that he is at risk if he continues to be locked up, so being put in a secure mental facility is unlikely to help.

3 minutes ago, 2530Ubon said:

Techinically he'd be swapping a jail cell for a more comfortable four walled prison as the UK is locked down right now. More of a sideways maneuver.

True, but australia has said he is welcome to go home there. He will not be extradited from australia because what he did is not a crime there.

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Well he was given bail wasn’t he, and he skipped it.

 

Or have you forgotten that bit?!

 

What part of this don't you get, yes he skipped bail and went to the Ecuadorian embassy to seek asylum in fear of being sent back to Sweden to hear drummed up charges so that the US could have him extradited, remember he had consensual sex with two women who later accused him of rape, i.e. accusing him of removing a condom during sex or not using one, how dirty, at the time it was ok, was it, but after, OMG, he didn't use a condom, did they get pregnant, did they get any diseases, nope, but let's get him charged so the US can extradite him, I wonder how much was in the brown envelope. If you haven't worked it out, there was no rape, but Sweden will travel half way around the world to get this guy for screwing two broads without using a condom......LOL.

 

The previous Ecuadorian government didn't like the US, but changed leadership and the US made some agreement with the new leader to kick Assange out, which they did, so he has now served his time handed down by the court for skipping bail 7 years ago on those trumped up charges, i.e. he did 50 weeks for skipping bail, so they have to let him go, but will they ?

 

No doubt the US will be putting pressure on the Swedish government to start up the extradition process again, but I believe the statute of limitations has expired, but we will see how that pans out, won't we, who knows maybe some other floosy will come along and say he did it to me while in London, but I was too embarrassed to say anything.

 

I truly hope he gets bail and skips the country as the US government doesn't like being exposed for crimes it commits, you know like George Bush Junior invading Iraq on suspicion that they had weapons of weapons of mass destruction, oops, the UK and a handful of others were in on that too weren't they.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_the_Iraq_War

 

No weapons of mass destruction ever found, hundreds of thousands of innocent people killed, the leader of that country, regardless of what we think of him and what he allegedly does to his people, the invasion shouldn't have occurred, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more.

 

Yeh, Assange is a higher profile person, who put people's lives at risk, give me a break !

 

https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/4/12/18306901/julian-assange-arrest-wikileaks-rape-sweden-embassy

 

Enjoy your day...

10 minutes ago, Sujo said:

True, but australia has said he is welcome to go home there. He will not be extradited from australia because what he did is not a crime there.

 

Being an Aussie, I wouldn't trust the government with my life as I remember how they treated someone else, no names mentioned, he did eventually get to come back from Gunnamatta a broken man and wasn't allowed to tell his story.

 

Assange would be better off going to a country that doesn't have a treaty with the Yanks like:

• Russia, China, and Mongolia.
• Brunei.
• The Gulf States.
• Montenegro.
• Eastern Europe: Ukraine and Moldova.
• South-East Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.
• Island Nations: Maldives, Vanuatu, and Indonesia.
• Africa: Ethiopia, Botswana, and Tunisia.

Just because you like this guy, or what he did, doesn't mean he shouldn't be tried if he committed crimes.  Only banana republics do that.  And as of yet, the US hasn't turned into that.  Close...but not yet! LOL

 

He's been indicted.  Innocent until proven guilty.  Be a man, stand up to the charges.  If innocent, you'll go free.  Running is what cowards do.  Or, those who know they are guilty.

 

In the end, he's not mentally stable.  He's had problems for decades.  Research his early life.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indictment_and_arrest_of_Julian_Assange

Quote

According to the indictment, Assange was accused of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion in order to help Chelsea Manning gain access to privileged information which he intended to publish on Wikileaks.

 

7 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

Being an Aussie, I wouldn't trust the government with my life as I remember how they treated someone else, no names mentioned, he did eventually get to come back from Gunnamatta a broken man and wasn't allowed to tell his story.

 

Assange would be better off going to a country that doesn't have a treaty with the Yanks like:

• Russia, China, and Mongolia.
• Brunei.
• The Gulf States.
• Montenegro.
• Eastern Europe: Ukraine and Moldova.
• South-East Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.
• Island Nations: Maldives, Vanuatu, and Indonesia.
• Africa: Ethiopia, Botswana, and Tunisia.

Yeah, all countries criminals on the run go to.

I think he has self inflicted enough punishment on himself already and should be set free.

It's totally inhumane of anyone to say otherwise IMHO.

2 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

I think he has self inflicted enough punishment on himself already and should be set free.

It's totally inhumane of anyone to say otherwise IMHO.

He created his mess. He has to deal with it.  He knew what he was doing.  Man up.  Face the charges.  He'd probably be out of jail by now, just like Manning.  His choice.

19 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

Being an Aussie, I wouldn't trust the government with my life as I remember how they treated someone else, no names mentioned, he did eventually get to come back from Gunnamatta a broken man and wasn't allowed to tell his story.

 

Assange would be better off going to a country that doesn't have a treaty with the Yanks like:

• Russia, China, and Mongolia.
• Brunei.
• The Gulf States.
• Montenegro.
• Eastern Europe: Ukraine and Moldova.
• South-East Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.
• Island Nations: Maldives, Vanuatu, and Indonesia.
• Africa: Ethiopia, Botswana, and Tunisia.

Yes i remember how badly the govt treated david hicks.

29 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

What part of this don't you get, yes he skipped bail and went to the Ecuadorian embassy to seek asylum in fear of being sent back to Sweden to hear drummed up charges so that the US could have him extradited, remember he had consensual sex with two women who later accused him of rape, i.e. accusing him of removing a condom during sex or not using one, how dirty, at the time it was ok, was it, but after, OMG, he didn't use a condom, did they get pregnant, did they get any diseases, nope, but let's get him charged so the US can extradite him, I wonder how much was in the brown envelope. If you haven't worked it out, there was no rape, but Sweden will travel half way around the world to get this guy for screwing two broads without using a condom......LOL.

 

The previous Ecuadorian government didn't like the US, but changed leadership and the US made some agreement with the new leader to kick Assange out, which they did, so he has now served his time handed down by the court for skipping bail 7 years ago on those trumped up charges, i.e. he did 50 weeks for skipping bail, so they have to let him go, but will they ?

 

No doubt the US will be putting pressure on the Swedish government to start up the extradition process again, but I believe the statute of limitations has expired, but we will see how that pans out, won't we, who knows maybe some other floosy will come along and say he did it to me while in London, but I was too embarrassed to say anything.

 

I truly hope he gets bail and skips the country as the US government doesn't like being exposed for crimes it commits, you know like George Bush Junior invading Iraq on suspicion that they had weapons of weapons of mass destruction, oops, the UK and a handful of others were in on that too weren't they.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_the_Iraq_War

 

No weapons of mass destruction ever found, hundreds of thousands of innocent people killed, the leader of that country, regardless of what we think of him and what he allegedly does to his people, the invasion shouldn't have occurred, nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more.

 

Yeh, Assange is a higher profile person, who put people's lives at risk, give me a break !

 

https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/4/12/18306901/julian-assange-arrest-wikileaks-rape-sweden-embassy

 

Enjoy your day...

Assange is indicted.

 

What’s your argument that he should not stand trial?

Just now, Jeffr2 said:

He created his mess. He has to deal with it.  He knew what he was doing.  Man up.  Face the charges.  He'd probably be out of jail by now, just like Manning.  His choice.

I dont think manning is out of jail.

 

he never ran from the US. 

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Assange is indicted.

 

What’s your argument that he should not stand trial?

Because he has to pass the extradition test. If he doesnt have to go then he doesnt have to stand trial.

 

Why in the world would anyone voluntarily go to US to stand trial, its not like they have a great court system.

4 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

He created his mess. He has to deal with it.  He knew what he was doing.  Man up.  Face the charges.  He'd probably be out of jail by now, just like Manning.  His choice.

How did he create it? Manning created it. Assange and other media reported it.

6 minutes ago, Sujo said:

I dont think manning is out of jail.

 

he never ran from the US. 

Manning it out.  She, he, it, whatever...LOL

4 minutes ago, Sujo said:

How did he create it? Manning created it. Assange and other media reported it.

I think it's much more complicated than that.  From my Wiki link above:

 

According to the indictment, Assange was accused of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion in order to help Chelsea Manning gain access to privileged information which he intended to publish on Wikileaks.

12 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

He created his mess. He has to deal with it.  He knew what he was doing.  Man up.  Face the charges.  He'd probably be out of jail by now, just like Manning.  His choice.

Ambiguous statements don't matter what's done is done he should be freed.

10 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Manning it out.  She, he, it, whatever...LOL

True,thought she/he was still in gor refusing to testify,  but out last march.

14 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Ambiguous statements don't matter what's done is done he should be freed.

If you don't agree with the rule of law, then you are right.  If you believe in the rule of law, then you are wrong. 

 

He's a fugitive on the run.

 

From my Wiki link.  He needs to be tried. 

 

Quote

On 23 May 2019, a grand jury added 17 espionage charges related to his involvement with former US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, thus bringing a total of 18 federal charges against Assange in the US.

 

10 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

I think it's much more complicated than that.  From my Wiki link above:

 

According to the indictment, Assange was accused of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion in order to help Chelsea Manning gain access to privileged information which he intended to publish on Wikileaks.

In my view thats the only charge he needs to worry about. Simply reporting on it was ok. But helping get the info is bad.

 

They put manning back in jail for refusing to testify against assange. By doing do it indicates to me they needed her/his testimony.

 

So it may be they have a week case on that one. The strength of the case is also a consideration in extradition.

 

The guy is a clown and i wouldnt go have a beer with him so no skin off my nose.

12 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

If you don't agree with the rule of law, then you are right.  If you believe in the rule of law, then you are wrong. 

 

He's a fugitive on the run.

 

From my Wiki link.  He needs to be tried. 

 

 

He is not a fugitive on the run. He is in jail.

 

I also believe in the rule of law which allows the defendant to contest the charges using the law. Which he is doing.

 

Rule of law works both ways.