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Ecuador Grants Asylum to Assange

British police stand outside Ecuador's embassy, where Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is seeking asylum, London, August 16, 2012.

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VOA News

August 16, 2012

Ecuador has granted asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, intensifying a political dispute involving Ecuador, Britain and Sweden.

Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino announced the decision Thursday in Quito, saying Assange's personal security was at risk. He said Assange would not receive a fair trial if he is eventually extradited to the U.S.

Key Dates in WikiLeaks

2006: Set up by a group of people, including Australian Julian Assange
2008: Publishes Sarah Palin hacked emails
2009: Posts thousands of text messages from U.S. emergency workers and military personnel from September 11, 2001
2010: Releases hundreds of thousands of classified U.S. military documents and diplomatic cables
2011: Assange appeals extradition from Britain to Sweden on sex crime charges
2012: British court upholds extradition of Assange, who takes refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London. Ecuador grants him asylum in August

Britain Foreign Secretary William Hague said Britain will not give Assange safe passage out of Britain and is determined to extradite him to Sweden.

Assange is wanted in Sweden for questioning in connection with sexual assault allegations. He has denied those accusations.

Following the decision, Sweden summoned Ecuador's Stockholm-based ambassador. A Swedish government spokesman said it is "unacceptable" that Ecuador is trying to halt Sweden's judicial process.

One of Assange's lawyers urged a Swedish prosecutor to come to London to interrogate the WikiLeaks founder, saying it is no longer possible to question him in Sweden because he has been granted asylum.

Assange took refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London nearly two months ago after losing a legal battle to fight extradition to Sweden.

Outside the Ecuadorian embassy Thursday, British police tussled with protesters chanting slogans in support of Assange. At least three protesters were arrested.

Ecuadorian officials have accused Britain of threatening to storm Ecuador's embassy to arrest Assange. Britain has warned of using a law that would allow it to revoke the embassy's diplomatic status.

Assange fears Sweden could send him to the United States to face possible charges related to the 2010 release of hundreds of thousands of classified documents, including diplomatic cables held by the U.S. State Department about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

_{Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.}

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by: Al Dorman from: Baltimore

August 17, 2012 11:33 AM

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We all need to celebrate this brave decision by doing more tourism in Ecuador!

by: Fred from: NY

August 16, 2012 12:50 PM

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This seems to be a cat and mouse game. The story so far is that an organization exposes possible corruption, behind the scene deals, and pretty much makes a few world powers irate. Then without fail we have two people claiming a sexual abuse occurred. Now was this an attempt to discredit the aforementioned organization, probably. Now we have the leader of the organization trying to avoid the said world powers he made irate. It seems for him the best option was to go to a country that really doesn’t like world powers’ actions or politics. It is a smart move of the mouse, but I am sure the cat will eventually win.

We as the general public do not know the true story of events from both sides of this case. The leader of the organization could have sexually abused the parties involved. He could have released the information about the world powers for other reason then to make information open to the public. Or this could be a case, that if you are whistleblower about a government you better make sure you have an exit strategy. In any event, if you are for or against either party this would make a great movie.

by: dubkemps

August 16, 2012 11:26 AM

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Democracy Now! reports on the latest in Assange's bid for asylum, speaking with Michael Ratner, an attorney on Assange's legal team, and several of his supporters. http://www.democracynow.org/topics/julian_assange

by: Chris from: New York

August 16, 2012 10:30 AM

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I sincerely hope Mr. Assange is able to escape England and ultimately live in moderate safety in Ecuador.

Let's follow the path to it's source - it is not he who threatens the security of other countries, it is those who's corruption and hypocrisy he exposes who do. That Mr. Assange has exposed these people for who they are, at grave expense to his own safety, makes him a hero in my book.

Our country would be far better served by throwing most of our corrupt leaders in prison than Julian Assange or Bradley Manning.