Justice

Balcony scene with Julian Assange

Julian Assange celebrates the UN-expert opinion as a victory: It assesses the handling of the Wikileaks founder as arbitrary detention. But Britain and Sweden to accept the verdict not. Barbara Wesel from London.

About thirty young and old supporters have, at the Embassy of Ecuador in the elegant district of Knightsbridge assembled. “Freedom for Assange” was on the posters, and “Shoot not the Messenger,” in reference to the 2010 Assange induced Wikileaks scandal with the publication of secret and politically sensitive U.S. documents. Over the last few years gathered the few faithful ones here again and again. A Ecuadorianerin held a long speech in Spanish, which the bystanders did not understand a Späthippie with a ponytail began, Protestlieder to sing. When, finally, “We shall overcome” rang out, was the memory of the civil rights movement of past decades perfectly. Now and again shoved a huge van of the neighboring noble Department store Harrods through the crowd. A couple of policemen seemed only to regulate the traffic parked.

Hammond remains on the hard line

Since the early Morning had more than a hundred reporters with their cameras and microphones in front of the Embassy is established. At least it was that helped you the colorful Unterstützergruppe to a few entertaining pictures. The day before, Julian Assange announced that he would the message, if the UN experts against him would choose. Not say he had, however, what he in case of a positive mean. Assange to UN-Flag before the door of the Embassy: The journalists were hoping for this kind of Coup. Instead, what she in the late afternoon, after hours of Waiting got was another balcony scene.

Only the shaking of the Netzvorhang in front of the window on the ground floor of the Embassy, and then joined Assange in a dark suit, in front of the Public. Since 2012, when he located in this building had taken refuge, is the balcony, this simple apartment his only option, directly to his followers to speak and the attention of the Public to win. At least that’s what it was on this day a success: “This is a victory of historic significance, how sweet he is”, said the Wikileaks founder. Here he kept a copy of the UN-Verdikts in the hands. And he appealed to the governments in London and Stockholm, the decision of the international lawyers to accept, as it is for a democratic rule of law belong. But both already had the Morning Pooh-Pooh-ed and their hard-line reinforced: The British foreign Minister Philip Hammond described the judgement of the UN-lawyers even as ridiculous. And if Assange’s message would leave, he would be immediately arrested and, after Sweden delivered. After his emotional message from the balcony disappeared Assange back in the room now for almost four years Zwangsasyl.

Assange supporters and journalists in front of the Embassy of Ecuador in London

The light at the end of the tunnel?

For lunch, kicked out members of the media at a press conference on each other’s feet, while legal experts the new situation from their point of view represented. One of the lawyers explained, you see the “light at the end of the tunnel”. Melinda Taylor made but it’s not clear where that should come: “Today, Julian Assange five years, one month and 29 days in prison. This is a damn long time to be without judgment locked up.” The crucial question is: Why was it that in these five years, Assange cannot be questioned, no evidence collected, no charges are brought? Their client was mental torture have been subjected to, said Taylor, because it’s forever in the dark hold.

The former Spanish investigating judge Baltasar Garzon, of the team of lawyers intensifies, called for the immediate annulment of the European arrest warrant against Assange. This was in every way illegal. And the deprivation of liberty, under which the Wikileaks founder is suffering, is worse than imprisonment. But the lawyers know, of course, the Crux of the matter: The verdict of the UN-lawyers is not legally binding, it puts governments at the most morally under pressure. And great Britain as well as Sweden seem to be in your Position, walled in. The appeal to the UN working group on “arbitrary detention” was one of the last opportunities for Julian Assange, his case legally to clarify. Now remains to him only the court of human rights in Strasbourg.

Behind it really is a political persecution?

The editorial recommends

“UN-expert opinion Assange is not binding”

A UN panel has to deal with Wikileaks founder Assange as the arbitrary detention rates. This was primarily a political weight, says scholar of international law Björn Schiffbauer in the DW-Interview. (05.02.2016)

Comment: Julian Assange wins, but not the freedom

The UN have the detention of Wikileaks founder Assange as “arbitrary,” branded and demand his release. A right step in a long judicial Saga, but not end, says Matthias von Hein. (05.02.2016)

The Frontline press Club is part of Julian Assanges story. There he had after his release in 2010, temporarily used. The founder is still today be standhaftester friend and supporter: “The British and Swedish authorities to have this case messed up,” said Vaughan Smith told DW. The Whole constitutes a violation of the principle of equal treatment, and the affair had neither the governments concerned nor the women helped, to whose complaint it Yes in this case should go.

After two minor allegations against Assange is dropped, receives the Swedish Prosecutor accused of rape upright. But why the Swedes have not taken the Chance it easy in London to interview? Smith refers to the revelations of the Italian magazine L’espresso last October: The public Prosecutor’s office in London had in an email to colleagues in Stockholm wrote: “It is not wise to Assange in London, to ask. (…) This case is not like another extradition case handled.” Since 2010, the British police arrested the first Time was, to the European arrest warrant to take place, had Assange in front of several courts argued that he feared prosecution and abuse in the United States. There is after press reports for years, a secret indictment by a Grand Jury against him is being prepared. Many observers have him in the last few years was a little paranoid, explains, for a conspiracy theorist. But one was again clear: An extradition case like any other, this is not in any case.