Ecuador grants asylum to WikiLeaks founder Assange
Ecuador grants asylum to WikiLeaks founder Assange - The Globe and Mail
Ecuador decided Thursday to grant political asylum to Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder who sought refuge in the country’s embassy in Britain to avert extradition to Sweden.
“The Ecuador government, loyal to its tradition to protect those who seek refuge with us at our diplomatic missions, has decided to grant diplomatic asylum to Mr. Assange,” Ecuadoran Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said at a news conference.
Ecuador Grants Political Asylum to WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange | World | TIME.com
Ecuador says it is granting political asylum to WiliLeaks founder Julian Assange two months after he took refuge in its London embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden to face questioning for alleged sexual misconduct.
Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino says Ecuador found that Assange faces a real threat of political persecution including the threat of extradition to the United States, where Patino said the Australian would not get a fair trial and could face the death penalty.
In the two months since Julian Assange ducked into Ecuador’s London embassy to seek political asylum, President Correa has been consistently deferential to Britain while insisting on his right to protect what he sees as a free speech advocate facing persecution.
Asked earlier this week if he felt solidarity with the WikiLeaks founder, Ecuador’s leftist president told a TV interviewer “of course, but we also feel solidarity for England and for English and international law.”
The decision on Assange’s petition, which his government said it would announce Thursday, would come only after careful scrutiny of the law and consultations with the governments involved, Correa insisted. And after London’s Olympics fest was over.
On Wednesday, the cordiality ended.
(MORE: Why Is Ecuador Julian Assange’s Choice for Asylum?)
Read more: Ecuador Grants Political Asylum to WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange | World | TIME.com
Ecuador grants asylum to WikiLeaks founder Assange - The Globe and Mail
Ecuador decided Thursday to grant political asylum to Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder who sought refuge in the country’s embassy in Britain to avert extradition to Sweden.
“The Ecuador government, loyal to its tradition to protect those who seek refuge with us at our diplomatic missions, has decided to grant diplomatic asylum to Mr. Assange,” Ecuadoran Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said at a news conference.
Ecuador Grants Political Asylum to WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange | World | TIME.com
Ecuador says it is granting political asylum to WiliLeaks founder Julian Assange two months after he took refuge in its London embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden to face questioning for alleged sexual misconduct.
Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino says Ecuador found that Assange faces a real threat of political persecution including the threat of extradition to the United States, where Patino said the Australian would not get a fair trial and could face the death penalty.
In the two months since Julian Assange ducked into Ecuador’s London embassy to seek political asylum, President Correa has been consistently deferential to Britain while insisting on his right to protect what he sees as a free speech advocate facing persecution.
Asked earlier this week if he felt solidarity with the WikiLeaks founder, Ecuador’s leftist president told a TV interviewer “of course, but we also feel solidarity for England and for English and international law.”
The decision on Assange’s petition, which his government said it would announce Thursday, would come only after careful scrutiny of the law and consultations with the governments involved, Correa insisted. And after London’s Olympics fest was over.
On Wednesday, the cordiality ended.
(MORE: Why Is Ecuador Julian Assange’s Choice for Asylum?)
Read more: Ecuador Grants Political Asylum to WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange | World | TIME.com
