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U.S. NEWSFriday 5 February 2016
Assange finds surprising ally but it may not be enough
GREGORY KATZ In this Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012, file photo, Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks speaks to the me- Assange.
JAN M. OLSEN dia and members of the public from a balcony at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Per E. Samuelsson, a Swed-
Associated Press ish lawyer for Assange, told
LONDON (AP) — WikiLeaks Associated Press The Associated Press that
founder Julian Assange has prosecutors should “re-
found a surprising ally — a Swedish prosecutors want jumping bail. agreed to be questioned voke” the arrest warrant
little known United Nations to question Assange over The unexpected panel in Sweden, after which and “set him free” in light of
panel that has decided he allegations of rape stem- finding in Assange’s favor the prosecutor most likely the panel’s conclusion.
has been unfairly detained ming from a working visit he confounded some experts would have been forced Samuelsson said: “If it hap-
in Britain while seeking to made to the Nordic coun- who have followed the to abandon the case due pens that way, it will be a
avoid extradition to Swe- try in 2010 when WikiLeaks case. Ove Bring, a profes- to a lack of evidence, Bring victory.”
den to answer allegations was attracting internation- sor of international law at said. So far, there are no indica-
of sexual misconduct. al attention for its secret- Stockholm University, said Assange, 44, has demand- tions that prosecutors are
But it’s not clear if the find- spilling ways. They haven’t he was very surprised. ed via Twitter that he be ready to end an inquiry
ings of the five members charged him with any “First of all I don’t think it’s given back his passport — into rape allegations. Swe-
of the U.N. Working Group crime so far, but Assange a detention. Secondly, it’s held by British authorities — den’s prosecution author-
on Arbitrary Detention, to has refused to return to an- not arbitrary,” Bring said. in light of the U.N. panel’s ity noted Thursday that the
be officially announced in swer questions — saying he He said Assange’s situation conclusion. statement from the work-
Geneva Friday, will lead to fears the whole thing is an “is definitely not a case of The panel’s finding, based ing group has no formal
a change in Assange’s le- elaborate setup designed unlawful detention” since on a claim filed by Assange impact on the ongoing in-
gal status. The sun-starved to send him to the United the WikiLeaks-founder has and his lawyers more than vestigation, according to
computer hacker has States to face espionage chosen to stay at the em- a year ago, could increase Swedish law.
holed up inside the Ecua- charges there. British police bassy. pressure on prosecutors to Sweden and Britain may
dorean Embassy in London also accuse Assange of He could at any time have drop proceedings against also choose to appeal the
for more than three years, panel’s decision, a process
and as things stand now he that could take months.
still faces arrest if he steps Two women accused As-
outside. sange of the sexual mis-
Swedish officials said Thurs- conduct in 2010, leading
day the UN panel report Swedish police to open an
concludes Assange has investigation and seek him
been a victim of an “arbi- for questioning. Last year,
trary detention,” appar- prosecutors dropped inves-
ently because he has been tigations of less serious al-
unable to leave the em- legations into alleged sex-
bassy without fear of be- ual assault as their statute
ing immediately taken into of limitations expired, but
custody by British police were not willing to do so
armed with a European ar- with the more serious rape
rest warrant. allegation, which centers
British and Swedish officials around a woman’s claim
have indicated they will that Assange had sex with
not be swayed by the U.N. her when she was asleep,
panel’s report, which is not which can be considered
binding and has no legal rape in Sweden.q
authority.
Man admits killing Dutch ex-
minister over euthanasia law
MIKE CORDER view. work on euthanasia.” In this Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014 file photo, Els Borst, foreground,
Associated Press Former health minister Els Prosecution spokeswoman applauds after a speech from Alexander Pechtold, during a
THE HAGUE, Nether- Borst, who drafted the na- Jeichien de Graaff said D66 party congress in Amsterdam.
lands (AP) — A man ac- tion’s landmark 2002 law Van U.’s statement in court
cused of killing a former legalizing euthanasia, was would be taken into ac- Associated Press
Dutch health minister ad- stabbed to death at her count in a psychiatric as-
mitted the slaying at a court home two years ago. sessment that aims to help scene of Borst’s slaying. der or, alternatively, man-
hearing Thursday, claiming News of the motive behind judges decide if he can be
it was an “order from God” her death sent shockwaves held criminally responsible Van U. is charged with mur- slaughter in both slayings.q
because she was respon- through Borst’s former po- for his actions.
sible for the Netherlands’ litical party, D66. Van U. was arrested last
euthanasia law. “My worst fears have been year on suspicion of stab-
The suspect, identified only realized,” said current par- bing his sister to death, De
as Bart van U. because of ty leader Alexander Pech- Graaff said. Prosecutors
privacy rules, made the told. “The suspect’s motive say that during the inves-
confession during a closed is shocking and confron- tigation into that slaying,
hearing, Rotterdam Court tational. Els was killed be- he gave DNA samples
spokesman Pelle Biesmeijer cause of her socially and that were found to match
said in a telephone inter- politically groundbreaking traces of DNA found at the
