Democracy and law are just blindfolds for the people...criminal states like the USA and its meatpuppets will do whatever they please inside or outside the law...arresting Julian is detracting from the real criminality that is the USA. Damn them

ps them that despise and hate the truth will be burned by it...possibly without end.

Dave C
“would he be better off in Sweden than in the UK?”

“JENNIFER ROBINSON: Both countries have extradition agreements with the U.S., so the U.S. can of course seek his extradition from Britain. We would much prefer to fight the extradition here from Britain. Britain has a very strong tradition of liberty and a strong adversarial proceeding. Sweden, on the other hand, is not renowned for that.”
democracynow.org

Sweden have civil law and a inquisitorial system.
“An inquisitorial system is a legal system where the court or a part of the court is actively involved in investigating the facts of the case, as opposed to an adversarial system where the role of the court is primarily that of an impartial referee between the prosecution and the defense.”

The rule of law can be questioned. In 2001 after the big demonstrations in Gothenburg German courts denied extradition to Sweden of people suspected of violence and rioting due to that they meant that rule of law wasn’t adequate in Sweden. The proceedings was held in Germany, police testemoney that was enough to send people to several years in prison in Sweden was overruled in Germany.

Writeon:
“Also the new rightwing Swedish government is highly supportive of the United States.”

Well the Social democratic party that “usually” rule is no less supportive, they dragged us in to the Afghan war and is still highly supportive of that, they are as much “leftist” as Tony Blair is leftist.

The “ghastly redition flights” did happen under social democratic rule and with OK from highest government level.

Dave,

Your query is interesting. The answer is, it's difficult to tell, it all depends. Sorry if that sounds vague.

Formally, it would appear, on the surface that Assange might be better off in Sweden than in the UK, because Sweden hasn't signed the kind of asymetrical extradition that exists between the UK and the USA.

This means that it's far easier for a UK citizen, resident, to be hauled off to the US than the other way around. For example a the US can demand the extradition of a UK citizen for an offence which isn't and offence in the UK, and the UK government is treaty bound to pack the person off to the US!

In contrast the UK has no right and cannot extradite a US citizen for an offfence which isn't a crime in the United States. That's why it's despised, unfair, and asymetrical in the extreme. A one-way treaty from a vassal to his lord.

But in practice delivering a person into the hands of the Americans is far more diffult, as the UK has country where human rights and liberal values in relation to the state vs. individual are entrenched and important. Also public opinion is of paramount importance, and the courts and the government are accutely aware of them, which is why that computer guy who was searching for infomation about UFO's is still in the UK. Give Gordon Brown his due, he did put a lot of effort into resisting his extradition to the US.

Sweden doens't have an asymetrical treaty with the US, though it does have an extraditon treaty. But Sweden is a small country with a different social structure. This means that Sweden is far more likely to bow to pressure than a large country like the UK. Also the new rightwing Swedish government is highly supportive of the United States. So I think that Assange is far safer in the UK than in Sweden, after all here he has many influential, powerful and rich friends, in Sweden he'd be far more vulneralble and isolated.

This is why it's vital that he not be extradited on "trumped up" charges of "rape."

And don't imagine that the law functions perfectly in Sweden. It doesn't. For example the Swedish government has knowingly and illegally helped the Americans with these ghastly redition flights, transporting poor souls to and from countries where they've been tortured. The jets landed in Sweden for refueling and were protected from prying eyes by the Swedish secret service and the police, no questions asked. So it's not completely unthinkable that Assange could end up on one of those planes, and end up where exactly? Maybe he would simply vanish?

And finally what would stop the Swedes rushing a change of their laws through their parliament to allow for the speedy transfer of Assange to the United States?

Contrary to what most people think, Sweden, like most western states, is just another vassal.

The reason the existance of American death squads was so secret wasn't just because of possible political repercussions inside Pakistan, but also because murdering people in a foreign country like this, is illegal under United States, international, and not surprisingly, Pakistani law. Some cynics might be tempted to label it international terrorism!

swatantra nandanwar
11 December 2010 at 14:55

Lets hope Assange has the guts to present himself before the Courts and park this issue once and for all and then get back to revealing some more *interesting* stuff than we've had so far. The allegations are a distraction.

writeon
11 December 2010 at 15:56

Swatantra,

I don't understand how you can say that the revalations are *uninteresting* so far.

wrighton... ??? you should get the spell checker working and try to read some more... LOL

I bet writeon is dumb enough to think the SAS is not in Pakistan doing the same thing. Those "death squads" are Special Forces doing what Special Forces do best. Get behind the lines and cut their throats.

@ Hans Castorp

It's people like you that write drivel and give humanity a bad name.

My advice, stick your head down the toilet and flush it. I may clear your head.

This is terrible! We need more people's Help solving the crimes by studying criminal justice search the web for "United Forensic College"