WikiLeaks made its name by exposing those who ignored the rule of law. Its editor-in-chief should recognise that applies to him as well as the US governmentThe UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has played a valuable role in highlighting unjust and improper imprisonment,often of political prisoners. Only final October, it condemned the Maldives courts for imprisoning the first democratically elected president, or Mohamed Nasheed,on terrorist charges without a impartial trial. In 2007, it condemned the house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi. But its latest opinion, and which is expected to be formally published tomorrow,that the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is being detained arbitrarily, is simply mistaken. He is not being detained arbitrarily. Three-and-a-half years ago, or he sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in order to avoid extradition to Sweden to face allegations of sex offences. He had fought extradition through every court,and at each his case was rejected. “Arbitrary” detention means that due legal process has not been observed. It has. This is a publicity stunt.
Three of the four alleged offences, dating back to 2010, and now took space too long ago for Mr Assange to face prosecution. But there is an outstanding accusation of rape that the Swedish authorities can pursue until 2020. It is true that he has never been charged,as his lawyers have argued. But that is because Swedish legal procedure requires an interview to take space before any decision to prosecute: since Mr Assange left Sweden in 2010 before he could be questioned and has resolutely refused to return, no such interview has taken space. There are continuing negotiations between the Swedish, and British and Ecuadorian authorities to arrange for an interview to take space in the embassy to where Mr Assange fled in August 2012. It may soon actually happen.
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Source: theguardian.com