by Shelby Vcelka
Impunity Watch Desk Reporter, Europe
LONDON, England–
Ecuador’s foreign minister, Ricardo Patino, has announced that the Swedish government will be allowed to question Wikileaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Assange has been living in the embassy seeking refuge since 2012, awaiting extradition to Sweden on rape allegations.
Assange’s extradition to Sweden was allowed in 2012 after a long legal battle he ultimately lost in supreme court. After his bail was set for extradition, Assange fled to the Ecuadorian embassy out of fear that his extradition back to Sweden would be a pretext for his extradition to America. Both Assange and his supporters believe he could be charged under the U.S. Patriot Act for posting classified documents on the Wikileaks site.
Under Swedish law, Assange cannot be formally charged without an interview taking place. In December 2014, the Swedish Prosecution Authority announced it was making a new request to interview Assange in London. The British government granted the request last June. “When all necessary permits and arrangements are ready, the interview will be performed by the supporting prosecutor to the case, chief prosecutor Ingrid Isgren, together with a police investigator,” the Swedish authority commented.
The Ecuadorian authorities have responded that they are willing to accept Sweden’s petition to question Assange, “as long as the sovereignty of the Ecuadoran state and the laws in the constitution are respected.” Patino requested that the Swedish prosecutors provide their Ecuadorian colleagues with the questions they will be asking Assange, as well as allowing them to place one of their own prosecutors in the room during the interview.
Kristinn Hrafnsson, a spokesperson for Wikileaks, stated that Assange has embraced the “opportunity to deliver his statement to the prosecutor. Julian has been offering his statement to the prosecutor by various means for five years [in total] and for three-and-a-half years since he went into the embassy – whether via videolink or by the prosecutor coming to London. Let’s hope [the interview] can be carried out as soon as possible. Julian is very eager to get his point of view into the investigation.”
For more information, please see–
The Guardian– Julian Assange to be questioned by Swedish prosecutors in London— 15 January 2016
Latino One– Ecuador Announces Cooperation with Swedish Prosecutors in Julian Assange Case— 15 January 2016
Telesur– Ecuador Gives Sweden Green Light for Assange Interrogation— 15 January 2016
South China Morning Post– WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange free to live in Ecuador if cleared of Swedish charges— 16 January 2016
