Assange to be extradited to Sweden to face charges: UK court

H S Rao and Prasun Sonwalkar
London, Feb 24 (PTI) WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange
should be extradited to Sweden to face charges of sexual
assault, a British court ruled on Thursday, rejecting
arguments that he would face an unfair trial there.
Delivering verdict in a packed Belmarsh's Magistrates
court, Judge Howard Riddle said: "I must order that Mr Assange
be extradited to Sweden."
"Swedish prosecutors' request that Assange be handed
over was valid and reasonable for their investigation into
allegations that he sexually abused two women last August,"
the judge said as 39-year-old Assange, wearing a dark suit and
tie, sat stony-faced in the dock.
Assange, who denies the charges, will appeal against
the ruling, delivered following a hearing two weeks ago.
His supporters stood outside the courthouse, waving
signs proclaiming his innocence.
Assange has been in the international spotlight for
months, since his whistle-blowing website released thousands
of US government documents on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
and on American diplomatic communications around the world.
He maintains that the sex-crimes allegations against
him are part of a politically motivated smear campaign.
His lawyers also contend that extraditing him to
Sweden would merely be a prelude to sending him to the US,
where government prosecutors are investigating the
possibility of espionage charges.
The accusations against him stem from separate
encounters with two women in Stockholm last summer.
They alleged that he refused to wear a condom during
sex despite their requests; one of the women also said he
began having sex with her while she was still asleep and
therefore unable to give her consent.
Under Sweden's strict laws on sexual assault, those
allegations amount to molestation and a form of rape, and
could carry a prison sentence of several years.
Assange acknowledges having sex with the women but
argued it was consensual.
He surrendered to police in London in December after
Britain received an arrest warrant from Sweden.
After a brief time in London's Wandsworth prison, he
was given bail, but only on condition that he spend his nights
at a supporter's country estate and wear an electronic
monitor.
His movements are relatively unrestricted during the
day, and he has full access to the Internet.
Assange has said that the work of WikiLeaks is
continuing in spite of his "mansion arrest," and he has come
to London to attend events at the Frontline Club, a
journalists' hangout.
During the hearing, Assange's defence team argued that
Swedish prosecutors did not have the authority to issue the
European arrest warrant and that what he is alleged to have
done would not count as serious crimes under British law.
Assange's attorneys also called a witness who
portrayed the chief prosecutor in the case as a radical
feminist with a vendetta against men.
Stating that extraditing Assange to Sweden would not
breach his human rights, the judge said, "Assange would have
to answer the allegations in Sweden."
He also disagreed with defence lawyers' claims that
what Assange is accused of doing would not actually amount to
rape in this country.
And he dismissed the argument that the whistleblower
would not receive a fair trial, despite a certain amount of
negative publicity surrounding the case.
This publicity includes allegedly damaging comments
said to have been made by the Swedish prime minister about
Assange.
Judge Riddle said: "The defence refer to the alleged
denigration of the defendant by the Swedish prime minister.
"For this reason and other reasons it is said Assange
will not receive a fair trial.
"I don't accept this was the purpose of the comment
or the effect."
Assange will appeal against the ruling at the High
Court, his barrister Geoffrey Robertson QC told the court in
legal argument.