[LINK] Web poll on Swedish charges

[Philip Argy]

Both the subject of this thread and the ABC web poll are wrong in referring
to "charges".  Assange has NOT been charged with anything in any country!
There have been 'rape' ALLEGATIONS which the original Swedish prosecutor
declined to pursue and a second has decided to investigate.  The Swedish
arrest warrant is for the purposes of questioning.  Interpol was asked
urgently to issue a Red Notice based on that warrant.  (See
http://www.interpol.int/Public/ICPO/FactSheets/GI02.pdf for the kinds of
notices that Interpol can issue).  People can decide for themselves, knowing
the allegations and the circumstances, whether such a notice was
appropriate.  If you take the view that Sweden's request for an urgent
Interpol Red notice was not appropriate given that Assange had earlier
stayed to await the decision of the first prosecutor and only left Sweden
upon being told that the allegations would not be pursued, you might then
more readily infer that the underlying allegations and the second
prosecutor's decision to investigate them with such zeal are unusual to an
extent that requires closer examination and public explanation.

By the way, just by way of comparison, Gabe Harrison has been granted
$100,000 bail despite having been formally charged in Arkansas with the
murder of his wife while honeymooning on the Barrier Reef.  Assange's bail
has been set at four times that amount based on alleged facts that would not
constitute rape in most western countries.

Philip

-----Original Message-----
From: link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au
[mailto:link-bounces at mailman.anu.edu.au] On Behalf Of David Boxall
Sent: Friday, 17 December 2010 16:38
To: Link
Subject: [LINK] Web poll on Swedish charges