Julian Assange Could Be Arrested In Embassy, UK Warns Ecuador

"The diplomatic and political minefield that is the fate of Julian Assange is expected to come a step closer to being traversed when Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa, gives his decision on whether his country will grant the WikiLeaks' founder asylum around lunchtime on Thursday.

The decision -- if it comes -- will mark the end of a turbulent process that on Wednesday night saw Ecuador's foreign minister, Ricardo Patiño, raging against perceived threats from Britain to "storm" the embassy and warning that such a "dangerous precedent" would be met with "appropriate responses in accordance with international law".

The dramatic development came two months after Assange suddenly walked into the embassy in a bid to avoid being extradited to Sweden, where he faces allegations of sexual assault...".* The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur breaks it down.

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[marcbarber]

When exposing crimes IS a crime, get out of that Police State.

[Smclaugh]

First time I ever agreed with Cenk. Assange is a hero and the citizens of the workd should stand in support of assange and put pressure on these draconian governments persecuted Assange for doing actual journalism. Assange gave up his life and put his freedom and future at risk to preserve freedom and fight for truth he has my respect and admiration.

[OliverCoady]

Fully. Hero to the world. Could not have been said better. Man finds truth about governments and publishes it freely is a criminal, man who makes money off your personal information is a hero. Fuck me.

[AmericanNohbuddy]

Just the thought of Ecuador sending their Navy anywhere NEAR the UK is hilarious.

[MinesAGuinness]

I seriously doubt that the police are allowed to ignore the fact that Julian Assange's appeal against extradition has been dismissed by the High Court, and then the Supreme Court. If he appears on UK soil once more, he shall face arrest and extradition. To suggest that they 'might not' just because they are feeling public pressure is disingenuous.

[steadyeddie]

I am shocked and appalled by my government that the UK Foreign Office would risk losing a diplomatic relationship with a country - any country - over one man, charged with a crime based on less-than-damning evidence committed in another nation state with a different criminal justice system. At this stage, this should be about dialogue between Sweden and Ecuador - the UK should not make diplomatic threats on Sweden's behalf.

[IreapsI]

When a Libyan gunman shot a British police officer from the Libyan embassy in the 80's, we had to let them all go unchallenged...


But this guy gets asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy and we are willing to take down their gates.


Almost as if there are bigger things at play in this story.

[runebeo]

Hero to the World! These women need to tell the truth that they were pressured in to filing these charges before he's railroaded to a life sentence or even killed. Lets get some interviews with these women!

[MinesAGuinness]

What do you not get here? That is what claiming asylum is. He can expect to be safe at least until a decision has been made either way. Should the Ecuadorians decide not to grant him asylum, he will be shown the door, and can be arrested. If they grant asylum, he is safe from arrest inside the building. The idea that grabbing Assange is intended to deter thousands of burglars and muggers from running to embassies to claim asylum is ludicrous.

[jimhigham]

Agreed. Our government is being an embarrassment on this issue. We seem to be suspending our own commitments to both the UN convention on Human Rights and the Vienna Convention. Dismayed.

[MinesAGuinness]

The Foreign Office has denied nothing, stating that "Throughout this process we have drawn the Ecuadoreans' attention to relevant provisions of our law, whether, for example, the extensive human rights safeguards in our extradition procedures, or to the legal status of diplomatic premises in the UK. We are still committed to reaching a mutually acceptable solution." The final sentence is diplomatic speak for, "Read the veiled threat included in the sencond-to-last sentence."

[yourkie]

With people like me...there would be no difference, we'd still go to work like we do . We'd still make laws and vote on things. We just wouldn't defend our country when it's in the wrong and hurting people whether they're US citizens or not. We wouldn't feel that our country is a magical place that can do no wrong. That's it.

[MrUniversality]

Not to mention 1. Those girls were caught bragging on the net about what they did. 2. He was never officially charged nor is still of ANYTHING... wake up! 2. He made a mistake letting his guard down as a man is all.

[jobzombi]

If England does not storm them, good for Assange, an American hero.Yes I said hero.He is putting his neck on the line here for our benefit, to bring to light the truths about our corrupt government &state.If they do storm them, &England is not reprimanded for such action, they just set a precedent on storming embassies.As stated:Article 22, the premises of a diplomatic mission, such as an embassy, are inviolate &must not be entered by the host country except by permission of the head of the mission.

[golightly]

Sexual assault/abuse victims in the U.K. should stand in front of that embassy and demand the same amount of persistence by the government to find and bring to justice the people who assaulted/abused them. I really hope the charges against Assange are false though...

[MinesAGuinness]

Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said the letter from the UK to Ecuador stated: "You need to be aware that there is a legal base in the UK, the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987, that would allow us to take actions in order to arrest Mr Assange in the current premises of the embassy.We sincerely hope that we do not reach that point, but if you are not capable of resolving this matter of Mr Assange's presence in your premises, this is an open option for us..."

[dkamouflage]

Not if it wasn't an "embassy." The law in the story simply says that Parliament has the right to decide what land "is" and "is not" consular premises, and that they reserve the right to revoke that designation in the event of abuses of consular inviolability, such as providing safe havens to violent offenders.

The law was passed in 1987, in response to the 1984 Libyan Embassy siege, in which gunmen within the embassy allegedly fired on anti-Gaddafi protestors outside, killing a London cop.

[BranDenhauer]

When a government detains people indefinitely, violates every privacy law on the books, and violates international torture treaties, it is within your right as a human being to not recognize the sovereignty of such a government, as it is deserving of no such recognition. Thus it is within Julian Assanges' rights to avoid extradition to the United States, as the United States can no longer be recognized as a sovereign nation by any freedom loving human being.

[UFO]

Whether Julian Assange is a hero or villain is up for debate, but the UK Government's threat to storm the Ecuador's embassy to get Assange is certainly way out of line and unacceptable. It'd be considered a breach of international law if not an act of war. That kind of bullying behaviour really makes the UK look bad.

[MinesAGuinness]

Wow! Who would have thought it was THAT simple!

"Mr President, I would like to present to you in person information exposing the illegal actions of your administration."
"Thank you. I realise now that I was wrong. I will take appropriate action to mend my ways, ensure that members of my administration must face charges where appropriate. You are free to go, and please accept the humble thanks of my people for helping us strive towards a more perfect Union."