It´s been an interesting week following
Circus Assange.
The extradition hearings that have taken place in London have given
Julian Assange, his defense-team and his supporters ample opportunity to try to muddy the waters by conjuring up one objection after another against Swedish justice, Swedish judges and prosecutors and Swedish laws.
Sweden is not some 'hell-hole' with a dodgy legal system. Sweden is a democratic country, we have an independent judiciary and prosecutors that are independent from the ruling powers. Sweden is in fact a nation under the rule of law, we do not have
"kangaroo courts" or a feminist lobby deciding the outcome of court cases.
The Swedish rape-laws are much the same as the British, the key word is
"consent" not whether a condom has been used during penetration or not (
sigh). We believe in the right of everyone - man or woman - to chose with whom we want to have sex, when and under what circumstances. If consent has been given it cannot be taken back after the fact (
deeper sigh). Whether or not a condom has been used does not constitute rape.
Claims have been made against Assange by two young Swedish women. The claims have to be investigated by the Swedish prosecutors. Assange should be willing to assist with that investigation. He will of course have the right not to answer any questions that he believes would incriminate him in anyway whatsoever.
If the prosecutor after the investigation finds that there are reasons to believe that the claims are enough to bring charges against Assange she has to do so. After that it is up to the court to decide if - given all the evidence and facts that has been presented to the court during the course of the trial - if it finds that the prosecution has fulfilled it´s burden to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.
Assange claims he is innocent and also says that he has the evidence to prove it, despite not knowing what the allegations him are as he hasn't been charged yet..
By appearing to be willing to use any legal
maneuvers
to avoid coming to Sweden Assange is giving the appearance of knowing that he is guilty of the allegations. He will loose a lot of support by this.
...and all the while this circus is going on the two women are vilified and harassed with their names, pictures and tweets posted all over the Internet by members of the media, the
John Pilger´s, the
Naomi Wolf´s and the
Naomi Klein´s of this world and all the rest of the
"Based on what I have read in the press, on the Internet or on the bathroom-walls I so feel that this must be a conspiracy and the charges must be trumped up"-mob.
Oh by the way, Sweden cannot extradite a person to another country without the prior consent of the country that has extradited that person to Sweden, neither can Sweden ever extradite anyone to a country where they risk the death penalty.
But hell, I don´t know why I waste my time, this is no longer about facts, it has become a religion with Julian as God.
The extradition hearings that have taken place in London have given Julian Assange, his defense-team and his supporters ample opportunity to try to muddy the waters by conjuring up one objection after another against Swedish justice, Swedish judges and prosecutors and Swedish laws.
Sweden is not some 'hell-hole' with a dodgy legal system. Sweden is a democratic country, we have an independent judiciary and prosecutors that are independent from the ruling powers. Sweden is in fact a nation under the rule of law, we do not have "kangaroo courts" or a feminist lobby deciding the outcome of court cases.
The Swedish rape-laws are much the same as the British, the key word is "consent" not whether a condom has been used during penetration or not (sigh). We believe in the right of everyone - man or woman - to chose with whom we want to have sex, when and under what circumstances. If consent has been given it cannot be taken back after the fact (deeper sigh). Whether or not a condom has been used does not constitute rape.
Claims have been made against Assange by two young Swedish women. The claims have to be investigated by the Swedish prosecutors. Assange should be willing to assist with that investigation. He will of course have the right not to answer any questions that he believes would incriminate him in anyway whatsoever.
If the prosecutor after the investigation finds that there are reasons to believe that the claims are enough to bring charges against Assange she has to do so. After that it is up to the court to decide if - given all the evidence and facts that has been presented to the court during the course of the trial - if it finds that the prosecution has fulfilled it´s burden to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.
Assange claims he is innocent and also says that he has the evidence to prove it, despite not knowing what the allegations him are as he hasn't been charged yet..
By appearing to be willing to use any legal maneuvers to avoid coming to Sweden Assange is giving the appearance of knowing that he is guilty of the allegations. He will loose a lot of support by this.
...and all the while this circus is going on the two women are vilified and harassed with their names, pictures and tweets posted all over the Internet by members of the media, the John Pilger´s, the Naomi Wolf´s and the Naomi Klein´s of this world and all the rest of the "Based on what I have read in the press, on the Internet or on the bathroom-walls I so feel that this must be a conspiracy and the charges must be trumped up"-mob.
Oh by the way, Sweden cannot extradite a person to another country without the prior consent of the country that has extradited that person to Sweden, neither can Sweden ever extradite anyone to a country where they risk the death penalty.
But hell, I don´t know why I waste my time, this is no longer about facts, it has become a religion with Julian as God.