Wednesday 30 May 2012

Julian Assange to be extradited to Sweden


No justice in fascist Britain. No doubt this is the first step towards a kangaroo court in the US.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to be extradited to Sweden over sex crime allegations
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has lost his latest attempt to avoid extradition to Sweden over rape and sexual assault allegations, but the case could yet be reopened on a rare technicality.

30 May, 2012

The founder of the WikiLeaks whistle-blowing website, accused of the sex attacks by two former volunteers, had argued that the European Arrest Warrant issued for him was invalid because it was made by prosecutors rather than a judge.

The Supreme Court, Britain's highest court, today rejected his claim in a ruling made by a 5-2 majority of senior judges.

Lord Phillips, the president of the court, said 'judicial authority' could mean a prosecutor.

But lawyers for the maverick Australian, responsible for the publication of thousands of American diplomatic cables and sensitive military files, indicated they may try to have the case reopened.

They said it was decided on a point not raised in the hearing, and were given 14 days to lodge a claim.

Mr Assange can also try to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights to avoid extradition.

The Strasbourg court would have to decide whether or not to hear his claim within a matter of weeks, and if it rejected it or refused to halt deportation in the meantime then Mr Assange, 40, would be put on a plane to Sweden for questioning.

He remains on bail at the Norfolk country mansion of a supporter where he has lived since his arrest in December 2010, forced to wear an electronic ankle tag and to report to police every day.

WikiLeaks supporters demonstrated outside the courtroom in central London before the hearing, with one holding a union flag poster bearing the slogan 'God save Julian'.

However Mr Assange himself misses the hearing, with supporter John Pilger claiming he had been stuck in traffic

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