Wee bit background
Assange was originally under arrest in absentia (but not charged) for four counts of sexual offense: one of unlawful coercion, two of molestation and one of rape. In Aug 2015, all counts expired due to the statute of limitations, except for the rape charge, which will remain intact until 2020. He’s been taking refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since Jun 19 2012. Swedish authorities have requested his extradition to Sweden, and have refused to question him in London. His appeal to the UK Supreme court to avoid extradition was rejected in Jun 2012, resulting in his seeking asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy. He has stated that he fears Sweden will extradite him to Pindostan if he travels there, and Sweden has not promised not to do so. Continuous police surveillance at the embassy to ensure Assange does not flee has cost the British taxpayers over £13m so far. The increasingly desperate plans to evacuate Assange to Ecuador have included the idea of placing him in a “diplomatic body bag,” which was rejected because his body heat could trigger thermal imaging, and British authorities would then have the right to open the bag and “seize the concealed Assange.”
He is reported, in recent months, to be showing signs of severe stress, such as knocking over bookshelves and screaming at embassy staffers. His health, after three and a half years of neither air nor sunlight, which prisoners get daily, can’t be good.
27th Nov 2016
The Inquisitr-2.30pm GMT
The conspiracy theory that Julian Assange is dead appeared to be put to rest this weekend when the WikiLeaks founder made his first appearance in weeks, speaking with an interviewer for a conference in Beirut and talking about some current events.
The appearance gave the “proof of life” that many conspiracy theorists had been requesting from WikiLeaks in recent weeks as the rumors of his death grew. Those who subscribe to this theory believe that Assange had gone missing after a series of strange events around the Ecuadorian embassy in London where he has been living, including an internet outage and reports of armed men surrounding the building in November.
The theories of Julian Assange’s death grew as the WikiLeaks founder — cut off from the internet for many weeks — remained holed up and did not make any live appearances.
That ended early on Saturday, when Assange appeared at the fifth annual Free Connected Minds FCM conference, which was held in Beirut. Assange appeared via telephone, and one attendee explained that he gave the long-awaited “proof of life” by making reference to an event that took place this weekend.
“The moderator started by telling him to speak about Castro’s death so people know it’s not pre-recorded,” wrote one Reddit user who attended the conference.
The reference showed that Julian Assange was still alive, the person reported, but other doubts still remained. The Reddit user posted the account on a subreddit dedicated to the conspiracy theory, and some people responded that he may still be in custody at some undisclosed location.
Others believed that the entire appearance may have been faked, and that the person talking wasn’t Assange at all.
“Use a good voice actor who’s already close, or a good video actor who is familiar with the target’s mannerisms, and things come together pretty convincingly,” one person speculated.
WikiLeaks appeared to do its part to quash the theories, posting the full audio of Saturday’s conference.
The events of the last few weeks had led many to believe that some kind of government agency moved to silence WikiLeaks, which had inserted itself into the U.S. presidential race by releasing emails from the campaign manager of Hillary Clinton as well as the Democratic National Committee.
The conspiracy theory that Assange was dead built through a mix of speculation and some outright fake news. While some of the evidence may have been based on actual events — like Ecuador’s decision to cut off Assange’s internet amid his alleged interference with the U.S. presidential election — other bits were outright lies. Some sites like the Conservative Daily Post falsely reported that Julian Assange was dead.
Regated was one of the outlets calling on WikiLeaks to show some proof of life for Julian Assange to quell the theories he had died.
Judging by the responses to the Reddit user’s account of Saturday’s conference, it appears that the conspiracy theory that Julian Assange is dead won’t be put to rest so easily. Many people still appeared to have doubts, and continued to call on the WikiLeaks founder to take a simple approach to ending the speculation — by simply going to the window at the Ecuadorian embassy and making a live appearance. READ IN FULL inquisitr
25 Nov 2016
WikiLeaks urges people to stop requesting Assange ‘proof of life’ RT
18 Nov 2016
Ecuador urges Swedish assurance on Assange Sky News Australia
17 Nov 2016
Assange can face justice in Sweden if given guarantee against US RT
16 Nov 2016
Julian Assange interview at FCM16 {16th Nov 26 2016} via
In this rare interview since his internet was cut, Julian Assange discusses asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the Pentagon papers, PGP keys, censorship and more.
- Second day of questions for Julian Assange in Swedish sex claims DigitalCamerasPlanet Blog
- WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange faces rape claims probe
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15th Nov 2016
WATCH
Summary In-Depth-Daily Nation
- The 45-year-old Assange sought refuge in Ecuador’s embassy in London in June 2012, fleeing allegations of rape and sexual assault in Sweden dating back to 2010.
- A first hearing scheduled for October with the prosecutor Toainga Wilson was postponed at Assange’s request, citing “his rights to the protection and defence of his person,” according to Ecuadoran prosecutors.
- Swedish prosecutors dropped their sexual assault probe into Assange last year after the five-year statute of limitations expired.
STOCKHOLM
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange’s questioning at the Ecuadoran embassy in London over a longstanding rape allegation ended on Tuesday, Swedish prosecutors said.
The results of the questioning by an Ecuadoran prosecutor, which began on Monday, will not be provided immediately as the matter still “subject to confidentiality,” the Swedish prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
“After this report, the prosecutors will take a view on the continuation of the investigation,” it added.
The 45-year-old Assange sought refuge in Ecuador’s embassy in London in June 2012, fleeing allegations of rape and sexual assault in Sweden dating back to 2010.
Mr Assange has always denied the claims, saying they were politically motivated.
The former computer hacker, an Australian national, refused to travel to Sweden for questioning, saying he feared he would then be extradited to the United States over WikiLeaks’ release of 500,000 secret military files on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
A first hearing scheduled for October with the prosecutor Toainga Wilson was postponed at Assange’s request, citing “his rights to the protection and defence of his person,” according to Ecuadoran prosecutors. Swedish prosecutors dropped their sexual assault probe into Assange last year after the five-year statute of limitations expired.
But they still want to question him about the 2010 rape allegation, which carries a 10-year statute of limitations.
Assange insists the sexual encounters in question were consensual. Earlier, Mr Assange’s lawyer Per Samuelsson said the questioning was expected to last several days.
“I am very hopeful,” Mr Samuelsson told Sweden’s TT news agency. “Objectively, there is no doubt that everything happened as Assange said it did.” The former computer hacker insists his sexual encounters with the two women, who he met on a 2010 trip to Sweden, were consensual.
He has refused to travel to Sweden for questioning, fearing he could be extradited over WikiLeaks’ explosive release of 500,000 US secret military files on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Swedish prosecutors dropped the sexual assault probe last year after the five-year statute of limitations expired. But they still want to question him about the 2010 rape allegation, which carries a 10-year statute of limitations.
GATHERED OUTSIDE EMBASSY
A small group of protesters gathered outside the embassy to greet the prosecutors, waving banners reading “Free Assange” and “You Won’t Stop WikiLeaks”.
“Freedom Loving People of the World Say Thank You Ecuador!” read another banner hung under the balcony from which Assange has sometimes addressed supporters.
But Elisabeth Fritz, the lawyer for Assange’s alleged victim, said: “My client has been waiting six years for justice… It is time for this to go to trial.”
She added in a statement: “We are expecting that the prosecutor will announce charges after this questioning and that these charges lead to a trial in a Swedish court.”
A Swedish police inspector was also due to attend the questioning and investigators planned to take a DNA sample from Assange, subject to his agreement.
The grilling has been delayed in the past because of diplomatic disagreements between Ecuador and Sweden, making this the first time Assange has been interviewed over the matter since initial questioning by Swedish police at the time of the allegation.
Speaking through his lawyer, Assange has said he welcomes the “chance to clear his name” and hopes the investigation will subsequently close.
In May, a Swedish court reaffirmed the arrest order, rejecting the finding of a UN working group that his confinement in the Ecuadoran embassy amounted to arbitrary detention.
In the days since the US election, supporters have launched a petition calling on President-elect Donald Trump to pardon Assange by “absolving him of any crimes alleged against him” — an apparent reference to the military leaks.
The petition on the change.org website, which has gathered more than 17,700 signatures, hails Assange as a “hero” for exposing the “corruption of those who presume to rule us”
ADDRESS RAPE CLAIM
Assange’s lawyer said he had made “repeated requests” for an interview with police to address the rape claim, though Ecuadoran prosecutors say a hearing scheduled for October was postponed at the Australian’s request.
“Julian Assange has always wanted to tell his version to the Swedish police. He wants a chance to clear his name,” Samuelsson told AFP.
Later on Monday WikiLeaks said Samuelsson had not been summoned to attend Assange’s questioning, blaming Sweden for “irregularities with procedure”.
“For the first time since August 2010, Mr. Assange was finally able to give his statement in relation to this allegation. He has done so in part to ensure the Swedish authorities have no further excuse not to discontinue their preliminary investigation,” WikiLeaks said in a statement, adding that Assange fully cooperated with the process. READ IN FULL SOURCE
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- Accused of rape, Julian Assange gives statement to Swedish Opinion: Sydney Morning Herald
- Julian Assange optimistic Sweden will end probe into rape claim Sydney Morning Herald
- WikiLeaks: Julian Assange questioned by Swedish prosecutors for ABC Online
- Julian Assange now the hero of the alt-right: DiManno In-Depath-Toronto Str
14th Nov 2016
- Wall Street Journal
- Assange questioned over Sweden ‘rape’ at Ecuadorean embassy BBCNews
- Opinion-Daily Mail
13th Nov 2016
Julian Assange faces Swedish prosecutor in London over rape Guardian
WikiLeaks founder’s Swedish lawyer says he has been barred from attending interview, scheduled to take three days
Swedish prosecutor Ingrid Isgren arrives at the Ecuadorian embassy in London to interview Julian Assange.
A senior Swedish prosecutor has begun interviewing Julian Assange at Ecuador’s embassy in London, six years after a woman in Stockholm accused the WikiLeaks of rape.
Ingrid Isgren, Sweden’s deputy chief prosecutor, arrived at 9.30am on Monday at the central London embassy where Assange has been confined since June 2012.
Assange sought asylum from Ecuador to avoid extradition to Sweden over the accusation, which he denies.
Isgren was greeted by dozens of photographers, international TV crews and a small number of the Australian’s supporters, who unfurled banners and chanted their support. She paused briefly for photographs but did not speak to reporters.
Prosecutors have said they will not comment while the investigation is ongoing
Three days have been set aside for the interview, which is being conducted by an Ecuadorian prosecutor, following a list of questions submitted earlier this year by the Swedish prosecution authority.
Isgren is allowed to ask Assange to clarify his answers, but not to put additional questions, and will receive a written transcript of the exchanges from Ecuador after the interview has concluded. Her office has said it will seek to take a DNA sample from Assange if he agrees.
Assange’s Swedish lawyer, Per Samuelson, said he had been barred from the interview. “Ecuador refuses to let me in and insists that the questioning will continue without my presence, against my client’s wishes to have me there,” he told Reuters.
Samuelson said he still hoped to be admitted if the interview continued, “but a good chunk of questioning has already taken place, as far as I understand”.
In a statement released on Monday night, WikiLeaks said there had been “numerous irregularities” in the Swedish investigation. “Unfortunately, the irregularities with procedure have continued today,” it said, citing the fact that Samuelson had not been permitted to attend, which it called a “clear breach of process”.
It said Assange “felt compelled to participate even with these problems”.
Sweden’s investigation of the rape accusation has been locked in stalemate since he fled to the embassy. Prosecutors initially insisted he would have to travel to Sweden to be interviewed, but Assange refused, arguing that it would put him at risk of onward extradition to the US for potential prosecution over WikiLeaks publications.
Peter Tatchell (second from right) holds a message of support for WikiLeaks outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Prosecutors finally agreed to questioning in London after coming under increased pressure in Sweden to move the case forward. In November 2014, Sweden’s appeal court rejected Assange’s appeal against the warrant but criticised the country’s chief prosecutor, Marianne Ny, over her failure to examine alternative avenues of investigation.
The court upheld the warrant again upheld in September this year. In February, a UN panel said Assange’s continued presence at the embassy amounted to “arbitrary detention”.
An investigation into separate sexual assault allegations a second Swedish woman made against Assange had to be dropped last year after the deadline to bring charges expired. READ IN FULL GUARDIAN
8th Nov 2016
Washington Times. In this Oct. 4, 2016. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange … subject of rape allegations raised after he traveled to Stockholm in 2010.
- Sweden says Julian Assange to face questioning next week Minnesota Public Radio News
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- Sweden Expected to Question Julian Assange Over Rape Case International-CDA News
7th Nov 2016
The Local Sweden- Julian Assange to be questioned by Ecuador over rape allegation Guardian
- Julian Assange to be interviewed by prosecutor and Swedish police Independent
- Julian Assange to be interviewed by police inside embassy over Opinion-Daily Mail
- Sweden wants Assange DNA sample from interrogation International-The Local Sweden
Oct 30th 2016
Secret World of US Election: Julian Assange talks to John Pilger (FULL INTERVIEW)
July 28th 2016
WATCH
Jan 11th 2016
WATCH
Feb 3rd 2016
WATCH
8 Sep 2015
WATCH
Swedish prosecutors are determined to extradite Julian Assange on sex crime charges. But details in a leaked police report suggest it may not be that easy, writes Guy Rundle.
Will the most high-profile rape case in the world hinge on the events at a beer and lobster night? It certainly looks that way. On Monday the WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, will appear in Belmarsh Magistrates Court, London, as the Swedish prosecution service attempts to extradite him for further questioning on four sex crime accusations. He is yet to be charged with anything.
A summary legal defence paper made public by his lawyers in January says Assange will oppose the request on just about all grounds – arguing not only that the accusations against him do not amount to a crime in Britain, but that the extradition is politically motivated. Crucially, his legal team will argue that the process of investigation has been so shoddy and compromised that any attempt to prosecute him would collapse immediately.
They may have plenty to go on, given some of the material contained in the forhor, the 100-plus page record of interview. Although it is fair to say that the report, which has been seen by the Herald, paints a portrait of Assange that is far from flattering, it also contains enough flat contradiction of the existing prosecution argument to push a British court to conclude that extradition would amount to a denial of natural justice.
Assange was first accused of rape and sexual misconduct on August 20, after two women he had been sexually involved with went to a police station to report a series of allegations – chiefly that Assange had used force and surprise to ensure that sex occurred without a condom. The rape accusations were cancelled 24 hours later by a senior prosecutor, and reinstated weeks later, following a request by Claes Borgstrom, a senior Swedish political figure – indeed the co-sponsor of the sex crimes act Assange would be charged under – who had become the women’s lawyer. SOURCE
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