This morning, at 8.30 am Eastern, the Foreign Minister of Ecuador made a far-ranging statement during which he announced that his country was to grant political asylum to Wikileaks Founder, Julian Assange
Assange took refuge in the London Embassy of Ecuador in June this year.
That was at about the same time that his appeal against extradition to Sweden to face charges of a sexual nature was finally denied.
Assange has claimed that the charges are both false and politically motivated. He accuses the United States of seeking to use false charges as a way to secure his extradition to the US.
In a blunt statement, the Ecuador Foreign Minister confirmed their belief that Assange has a genuine fear of persecution by the US, and that they had sought assurances from various governments that his safety would be guaranteed. None were forthcoming.
Additionally, Ecuador is not best pleased that the UK has threatened to remove Diplomatic status from the London Embassy, and enter the building to arrest Mt Assange.
They suggest, and there seems to be some agreement, that such action would be a direct breach of the Vienna Conventions, which have been accepted by the UK and the US.
Taking action such as this would threaten the security of diplomatic personnel all around the world.
From the BBC:
Earlier, the UK Foreign Office warned it could lift the embassy's diplomatic status to fulfil a "legal obligation" to extradite the 41-year-old by using the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987.
Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino: ''We are not a colony of Britain''
That allows the UK to revoke the diplomatic status of an embassy on UK soil, which would potentially allow police to enter the building to arrest Mr Assange for breaching the terms of his bail.
Mr Assange says he fears that if extradited to Sweden, he will then be passed on to the American authorities.
While the charges against Mr Assange cannot simply be dismissed, the actions taken by the UK do appear to be out of all proportion, especially given the political implications.
The seriousness of Sweden to actually investigate the criminal case should also be questioned:
It was during that fortnight, while on bail, that he sought refuge.
A subsequent offer by Ecuador to allow Swedish investigators to interview Mr Assange inside the embassy was rejected.
This story is not going away, and the concern for us all is that it is predicated on the simple fact that countries around the world are increasingly unlikely to accept assurances from the United States that this country will give a fair trial to those accused of crimes.
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6:32 AM PT: People please. This Diary is specifically NOT about any criminal charges that Assange may be facing. It is about the news, and the statements of both the UK and Ecuador, which encompasses the US.
If you are unable to behave like an adult in the comment thread, then please refrain from commenting. Thank you.