The Julian Assange interview wasn't easy to follow because the audio wasn't all that good.
What has happened is that Assange reiterated where it's at:
1. Assange has not at any time been charged with any offence in Sweden or in the UK.
2. The basis of the asylum that was granted by the Ecuadorian government is in relation to the ongoing US Dept. of Justice investigation (for the purpose of pursuing prosecution) of the founders and managers of WikiLeaks, that's now been ongoing for over 4.5 years.
3. No women have accused Assange of rape. This is a false assertion. The Swedish women themselves explicitly denied that. Parties to the Supreme Court submissions (in UK, I believe) agreed to that statement of facts, along with Swedish officials.
4. The Swedish government resurrected the alleged 'sexual misconduct' matter, which had been dropped -- and it pursued the matter aggressively without charge against Assange in Sweden, who is merely sought for *interview* by the Swedish authorities.
5. However, the matter has been in limbo because the Swedish prosecutors have not made a move to interview Assange (and I recall reading somewhere they would not take his phone calls or accept service of legal documents). Also looks like they didn't accept a free airline ticket to UK to interview him. So what does that tell you? That hardly comes across as genuinely interested in prosecuting.
6. A number of legal and human rights groups have made submissions regarding human rights abuses by the Swedish government. A number of human rights groups have also made a submission that it's time for the US Dept of Justice to drop the long, drawn out and aggressive investigation which involves dozens of agencies.
Note: the investigation against those involved in WikiLeaks also puts other publishers and journalists at risk.
7. The Swedish investigation is being used to OBSTRUCT Ecuador granting asylum to Assange and, as mentioned, no progress has been made in 4 years -- in contravention of the Swedish sides own laws, which stipulate that prosecution be executed with maximum speed and minimum cost.
8. The UN requires that prisoners receive a minimum of 1hr per day of sunlight. Assange doesn't even get that. He's been shut up in the Ecuadorian embassy for 2 years with no access to sunlight, while Sweden's sat on the 'case' they supposedly have against him.
The US, Australia, UK and Sweden are all involved in harassing Assange, by the look of it, and while he's been granted asylum by Ecuador, he has been denied safe passage. The denial of safe passage to Assange, under the circumstances, constitutes a violation of international law (as I understand).
Somewhere in there was a mention of the FBI and it's investigations in Sweden and elsewhere. Proceedings had been brought against the FBI for bribery and other actions (as I understand).
That's the round up of what I got out of the video.
Must have missed the bit where JA is saying he's leaving the embassy 'soon'.
That's all over the news right now, so maybe he will step out on the basis that it will then be up to the other side to pursue some coarse of action against him?
Don't know.
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