UK told Swedes not to interview Assange in London
Recently revealed documents have shown that Britain was hindering efforts by Swedish authorities to question Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy where he has secured political asylum for the last three years.
According to emails obtained by the Italian news magazine L’Espresso under the Freedom of Information Act, Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service told the Swedish authorities in 2011 that it would “not be prudent” for them to interview Assange in the UK.
A separate email, dated January 25, 2011, was also released saying, “Any attempt to interview him under strict Swedish law would invariably be fraught with problems.” Another email dated January 13, 2011 said, “Please do not think that the case is being dealt with as just another extradition request.”
Assange has been in the Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012 and has secured political asylum from the South American country after he lost a legal battle against extradition to Sweden where he faces allegations of sexual assault, which he denies.
It is believed that Assange’s extradition is a cover for sending him to the US, where he is wanted over the release of thousands of classified US documents on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on his whistleblower website.
During an interview with The Guardian published on Monday, Assange said, “This is astonishing. I have been on the phone with my lawyers all morning and they are as shocked as I am.”
A police siege on the embassy, where Assange currently lives in a small room, was recently halted but not before it cost British taxpayers over $15.5 million.
In August, the Hazel Press news organization revealed, via a Freedom of Information Act request, that since 2010, Sweden had granted 44 requests to interview witnesses or suspects in the UK. A figure which according to Assange’s supporters proves he is being singled out. Assange has offered to be interviewed by Swedish authorities inside the embassy in London, but all attempts to set up a meeting have so far run aground.
Back in August, three of the four cases against him expired after reaching Sweden’s five-year legal expiry date, but the remaining allegation will expire in 2020.
1 in 3 Muslims considers leaving UK due to rising Islamophobia
Over 300 Arab figures urge British FM apology over Gaza genocide denial
Thousands rally in London against far-right racism
Diplomat discourages recourse to pressure, intimidation, confrontation against Iran
UN: 2024 deadliest year for aid workers amid genocide in Gaza
Gaza health official warns of hospital shutdowns within 48 hours
Israel kills 5 more paramedics in southern Lebanon: Health ministry
Iran to launch ‘new, advanced’ centrifuges in response to IAEA resolution: AEOI
Yemen fires hypersonic missile at Israeli airbase
VIDEO | New Delhi chokes under toxic smog as air quality remains at hazardous levels
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
