Julian Assange Will Be Granted Asylum, Says Ecuadorean Official

[Hissyspit]

Last edited Tue Aug 14, 2012, 08:09 PM - Edit history (3)

Source: Guardian

Julian Assange will be granted asylum, says official

Ecuador's president Rafael Correa has agreed to give the WikiLeaks founder asylum, according to an official in Quito

The Guardian, Tue 14 Aug 2012 19.42

Ecuador's president Rafael Correa has agreed to give Julian Assange asylum, officials within Ecuador's government have said.

The WikiLeaks founder has been holed up at Ecuador's London embassy since 19 June, when he officially requested political asylum.

"Ecuador will grant asylum to Julian Assange," said an official in the Ecuadorean capital Quito, who is familiar with the government discussions.

On Monday, Correa told state-run ECTV that he would decide this week whether to grant asylum to Assange. Correa said a large amount of material about international law had to be examined to make a responsible informed decision.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/14/julian-assange-asylum-ecuador-wikileaks

[Justice wanted]

1. Good. The whole entire rape charge was B.S. (and this is from a victim of Rape) and the

even friends of mine from Sweden where pissed that their government was doing America's bidding.

The only reason why they wanted Assange in Sweden was so America could get their hands on him.

[glinda]

3. I second that. All of that.

[truebrit71]

6. Yup.

The whole thing reeked to high heaven....

[struggle4progress]

26. I'd rather not try sexual assault charges in the media, with public opinion as the jury

I had thought that here in the US progressive feminists had finally won that fight in the 60s and 70s, but nowadays I always do a double-take when reading DU on this case

[Justice wanted]

27. There is a HUGE difference between a man forcing himself on a woman AND a man and woman

having sex and the condom breaks and then the woman screams rape because he didn't pull out as quickly as she thought he should.

[struggle4progress]

32. I live thousands of kilometers from Sweden and was nowhere near Sweden at the time of the

Last edited Tue Aug 14, 2012, 06:05 PM - Edit history (1)

alleged criminal events. I do not know any of the parties involved. I was not involved in any portion of the investigation. I am in no position to sort out carefully what the exact allegations are or how credible the various individuals involved are. I have no substantial familiarity with the Swedish language, current Swedish dating customs, Swedish law, or Swedish criminal procedure. So I am in no position to sort out what happened and when or whether a crime occurred under the laws of Sweden (and, if so, how serious a crime)

For these reasons, and others similar, I should best regard this as a matter best handled by the local authorities. I know that many people believe that, simply by having internet access and being able to read claims on the internet, we all thereby become experts in the lives and characters of ordinary people thousands of miles away and so have some duty to enlighten everyone with our opinions about their affairs. I reject this point of view, regarding it as as conceited, insensitive, and uninformed. Who opinionates, on the internet, about what did or did not happen in this case, is a blowhard

The fact is that Swedish authorities attempted to negotiate a second interview with Assange, through his lawyer, and that while they were negotiating the interview Assange fled Sweden. Swedish authorities believed they had negotiated an interview with him on a particular date of return to Sweden, but Mr Assange did not return to Sweden on that date. Swedish authorities therefore issued an international warrant, indicating that rape was one of the offenses involved. The UK courts examined the matter carefully and upheld the warrant. The issue, according to both the Swedish authorities and the UK courts, therefore now belongs to the Swedish criminal justice system. I have no need to hold an opinion on what the proper outcome in Sweden should be: nowhere in the world do decent people attempt to decide such cases primarily by public opinion, as some Assange supporters want us to do in this case

[naaman fletcher]

41. You are full of it

A simple click on your journal shows that you have very, very strong opinions on Assange and things that he has done when you were not present. Yet here you act neutral and disinterested.

Everyone please read struggle4progress's journal entry on Assange.

[struggle4progress]

43. It is true that I do not like Assange. But I do not take a stand on the sexual assault allegations

I do think there are very good reasons not to idolize Assange. I suspect him of being a megalomanic and attention-whore and money-grubber. Based on those personality features, I wonder further whether he is willing to engage in borderline blackmail or whether he might have been selling some of his leaked material on the side

I recognize that those are all unproved suspicions. But I have tried to indicate with a variety of links the evidence that might lead one to such suspicions

On the other hand, I do believe in the rule of law. I don't think people should be subject to criminal justice without conviction in a fair court based on evidence that they have a fair chance to disprove. Sexual allegations, including rape, are particularly touchy, and vilification of the victims is quite common. It is a triumph of US feminism that modern practice in the US avoids public vilification of alleged rape victims -- a basic decency that Assange's supporters have too often ignored in this case

I have no idea what the outcome of a Swedish prosecution would be. To my recollection, I have never stated that I believed in either Assange's innocence or guilt in that matter

[struggle4progress]

55. ... Assange himself told friends in London that he was supposed to return to Stockholm

for a police interview during the week beginning 11 October, and that he had decided to stay away. Prosecution documents seen by the Guardian record that he was due to be interviewed on 14 October.

The co-ordinator of the WikiLeaks group in Stockholm, who is a close colleague of Assange and who also knows both women, told the Guardian: "This is a normal police investigation. Let the police find out what actually happened. Of course, the enemies of WikiLeaks may try to use this, but it begins with the two women and Julian. It is not the CIA sending a woman in a short skirt" ...

10 Days in Sweden
The Guardian / By Nick Davies
http://www.alternet.org/story/149254/10_days_in_sweden%3A_the_full_allegations_against_julian_assange?page=3&paging=off

[1monster]

78. Yes, Struggle4progress has not made any secret of his antipathy for Assange.

[naaman fletcher]

79. I buy into the idea that Assange is a jerk

I just don't see how it is relevant at all.

[struggle4progress]

82. I did not bring that into this thread: I just opposed media-trial of sexual-assault claims

That ought to be a matter upon which we can all agree, but apparently you object to my taking that POV

[ronwelldobbs]

80. Face it, you just want to see Assange dead. And preferably caught on tape.

Even if it cost the lives of Ecuadorian officials or anybody else that gets in the way of the Yankee Doodle Death Squad.

[struggle4progress]

81. Actually, I oppose the death penalty in all cases

And the question of whether or not Mr Assange ought to be prosecuted by the US, as a result of the vast 2010 releases, depends, to my mind, in a very precise way on precisely what Mr Assange did: given my present knowledge, I have no reason to think that Mr Assange has committed any recognizable crime for which he could be properly prosecuted in the US

Nevertheless, it is true that I do not much like Mr Assange, from what I know of him

And I certainly dislike the ill-informed paranoid nonsense that always surrounds any discussion of him and of his actions

[1monster]

2. Good!

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Good for Ecuador.

[stockholmer]

5. Interesting to ponder how they'll be able to run the thug's gauntlet to actually get him to Ecuador

[truebrit71]

8. ..that was my next question...how to actually get him from the embassy...

...to Ecuador....

Also...what do you reckon the chances are of a 'black-bag' kidnap job if he ever makes it there..??

Either way he's going to have to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder...

[freshwest]

7. Can't see anything at the link. But does this mean he can stay in London or moves to Ecuador?

Does asylum in a case like this mean he is similiar to a citizen of that country, and can be in the UK under their VISA with something like diplomatic immunity?

I have no idea how this works, but I thought that asylum entailed a person requesting to live in a certain country.

Having Assange and Wikileaks based in Latin America would be very informative to us on this side of the Atlantic.

[totodeinhere]

12. No, he is only safe when he is on embassy property.

If he leaves that sanctuary it is unclear what if anything the Brits would do. But they could arrest him if they wanted to.

[dipsydoodle]

13. Don't think he stay in London

without diplomatic immunity and I can't see Ecuador giving him diplomatic status.

I don't think there will be any issues in getting him from the embassy to Heathrow to catch a flight. Lufthansa and possibly others, fly direct to Ecuador.

[naaman fletcher]

42. If the brits want to they can get him at the airport.

It seems to me that they have to sneak him out of the embassy and put him on a private plane.

[starroute]

14. The link seems to be formatted for cellphones

If you remove the "m" at the beginning, it works normally.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/14/julian-assange-asylum-ecuador-wikileaks

[freshwest]

15. Thanks very much. I didn't know about that. Good article.

[LoisB]

9. Good news

[cosmicone]

10. How will Ecuador get him out?

Assange is currently on Ecuadorean soil - technically -- inside the embassy. However, at the Embassy's door is British territory and the brits can arrest him on his way to the airport.

They may have to place him in a crate and cover the crate with diplomatic baggage seals. However, if the jurisdiction suspects that the diplomatic baggage convention is being misused, they can open the contents.

[totodeinhere]

11. He could stay at the embassy indefinitely.

Back in the days of the Cold War, some anti-communist dissidents stayed at western embassies for years at a time.

[cosmicone]

17. Or until statute of limitations in Sweden runs out n/t

[freshwest]

20. Would be miserable. I hope the UK will make a judgment as Ecuador did it is a humanitarian move.

The article says:

Correa and Patiño have both said that Ecuador will take a sovereign decision regarding Assange. They say they view his case as a humanitarian act, and are seeking to protect Assange's right to life and freedom.

I hope this happens without a lot of intrigue and he can make a life in Ecuador and continue whatever he does that is good. I don't believe everything that is said for or against Wikileaks, nor do I see Wikileaks or Anonymous as the solution to our problems. But transparency is important and information is vital to transform societies. Most of the past revolutions, peaceful ones, have been accomplished by the increase of knowledge among the public in different societies or nations in history. Like the printing press allowing for dissemination of information helped with freedom of thinking and spreading more liberating ideas.

[struggle4progress]

34. Or, if the UK decided to take great offense, they might demand Ecuador

hand Assange over, as a criminal suspect in violation of bail conditions, and if Ecuador refused, the UK could begin expelling Ecuadorian diplomatic staff

If the UK concludes the Ecuadorians have decided to abuse diplomatic privilege by harboring criminal suspects, the UK is not in any ways obliged to play along

[hunter]

76. I suspect the UK engineered this solution...

... and will look the other way as Assange leaves the country.

[riderinthestorm]

40. Can't they just drive a diplomatic car in the compound gates and Assange gets in.

Within the sanctity of the car, he goes to Heathrow where he's driven right up to the steps of the diplomatic jet that takes him away?

Do the official vehicles of an embassy also provide refuge? Regardless, I'm thinking it would create quite the international row if the UK decided to stop a diplomatic limo with Assange and drag him from the car.

[Angleae]

61. They could deny the car entrance to Heathrow and/or deny the plane permission to take off.

If they plane isn't there in the first place, they could deny it entrance into the UK in the first place.

[cliss]

16. Awesome good news.

This is the best news I've heard all year. I've been worried about him - it looked like Assange was out of options.

Well, he needs to pack his bags, take some sun tan lotion. And hope the U.S. doesn't bomb Ecuador.

[barbtries]

18. i'm glad to hear that.

i think he's been hounded for political purposes, not because he's a criminal.

[qb]

19. I am happy he's getting asylum. I'm outraged that he needs protection from our government.

[dembotoz]

21. and george bush and the torture kings continue to walk free

[Bodhi BloodWave]

68. So just when did Sweden become a part of America? n/t

[qb]

70. Uh... see post #1

It's no secret who's next in line to get their hands on him.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

73. wouldn't work

Extradition to the US could risk death penalty(assuming they even make a request) which means Swedish laws prevents them from handing him over to the US. I also think there is a law within the EU that would require the Brits to sign off on such an transfer(to the US) as well(since they are transferring him to Sweden.)

Conspiracy theories shouldn't prevent justice from happening in my eyes(you have Swedish courts, British courts and Interpol considering the warrant legit which gives some weight to the accusations)

[struggle4progress]

22. It's a trial balloon floated by unnamed officials

[Vidar]

23. Excellent news! Bravo Ecuador!

[warrprayer]

24. Thanks Hissyspit

You are a credit to D.U.!

[Cleita]

25. That's good to hear.

It would have been a big blow to real democracy and freedom if he had been turned over to our Torquemada justice system.

[Enrique]

28. this will get Ecuador added to the Axis of Evil n/t

[byeya]

29. Good for Ecuador!

[radhika]

30. Let's hope the UK doesn't nab him on the way to the airport

I don't know if 'asylum' has to be recognized outside the embassy walls.

[Cleita]

33. I do believe the embassy official limo has diplomatic immunity.

Hopefully, he will be safe from authorities.

[struggle4progress]

62. The embassy itself is clearly off-limits and similarly the ambassador's residence

The limousine may enjoy less protection: I understand that diplomatic limousines are routinely impounded at the Hague for parking and traffic violations

[Cleita]

63. If the limo gets into an accident while in use

officially, isn't it immune from a country's usually mundane traffic laws? I know this is a murky area, but it would seem that if it's in use officially it should be immune from any kidnapping attempt by authorities even if legally under other circumstances they could arrest Assange for whatever crimes he is charged with. Maybe an empty limo at the Hague committing a parking violation would be fair game. I believe traffic violations are immune, but then I'm just speculating from what little I've read about the matter of diplomatic immunity. You probably know better.

[struggle4progress]

65. The ambassador has immunity from prosecution; to varying degrees family and staff may enjoy

a similar immunity

Because of these immunities, it can be difficult (say) to collect traffic tickets: you may not be able to bring the ambassador or his driver to trial for refusing to pay their $5000 backlog of tickets. But you might be able to impound the limousine lawfully, if you choose: it's not an embassy or a residence or a diplomatic pouch

There are almost always options. A host country might waive those options, in some or most or all cases, for various reasons. The diplomatic immunities are meant to make diplomacy feasible; but if they are treated instead as a carte blanche to disrespect the laws and customs of the host country, diplomatic consequences will follow

[SoapBox]

31. Excellant n/t

[Comrade_McKenzie]

35. Excellent news. The character assassination fails.

I hope he can continue his work safely now.

[roody]

36. I love Ecuador.

[struggle4progress]

37. WSJ reporting at 4:32 Ecuador has not yet reached a decision

August 14, 2012, 4:32 p.m. ET
Ecuador Hasn't Decided on Asylum for Assange - Official
By Ana Paulina Escobar
Special to Dow Jones Newswires
QUITO--Ecuador hasn't yet decided whether it will grant asylum to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange ...
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120814-714174.html

[struggle4progress]

38. Rafael Correa desmiente que le haya otorgado asilo a Julian Assange

Mediante su cuenta twitter
Rafael Correa desmiente que le haya otorgado asilo a Julian Assange
Martes, 14 de agosto de 2012 | 4:43 pm

Señaló que es un tema que aún se está analizando.

Los rumores que el gobierno de Rafael Correa habría aprobado el pedido de asilo del australiano Julian Assange, fundador de Wikileaks, fueron desmentidos por el propio mandatario ecuatoriano, quien aseguró que aún no llegan a una decisión.

"Rumor de asilo a Assange es falso. Todavía no hay ninguna decisión al respecto. Espero informe de Cancillería." escribió Correa en su cuenta de twitter ante la creciente expectativa de que la respuesta sería positiva, al punto que el diario ingles The Guardian señalaba como un hecho seguro ...

http://www.larepublica.pe/14-08-2012/rafael-correa-desmiente-que-le-haya-otorgado-asilo-julian-assange

The Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa himself, saying he had not reached a decision, denied rumors that his government would approve the request for asylum from Wikileaks' founder, Australian Julian Assange

[WillyT]

39. Excellent News !!! - K & R !!!

[struggle4progress]

44. Correa: Assange asylum rumors false, no decision yet (RT)

Published: 14 August, 2012, 22:58

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa took to Twitter to dispel rumors that his government had granted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange political asylum. Correa added that no decision has been made either way.

“Assange asylum rumor is false,” Correa confirmed on his Twitter feed. He added that he is waiting for a Foreign Ministry report on the issue, without which a decision will not be made ...

http://www.rt.com/news/assange-granted-asylum-ecuador-298/

[struggle4progress]

45. Ecuador denies Assange asylum report (Radio Australia)

Updated 15 August 2012, 8:04 AEST

Ecuador's president Rafael Correa denies a British press report that his country has decided to grant asylum to Australian Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Ecuador's president Rafael Correa has denied British press reports that his country has decided to grant asylum to Australian Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Britain's Guardian newspaper is reporting that Ecuadorian officials have confirmed that Mr Assange's request for sanctuary has been granted on humanitarian grounds.

But on Twitter this morning Mr Correa said the report was not correct ...

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2012-08-15/ecuador-denies-assange-asylum-report/999276

[sabrina 1]

51. Correa loves Assange. He will just drag it out to keep him safe as long

as he can. Assange did a superb interview with Correa a couple of months ago on his TV show. Great TV and real news.

Most free thinking, democratic leaders around the world respect him. Tunisia's new leader, a former Human Rights activist himself, also interviewed by Assange on his TV show, has told him he would be always be welcome in Tunisia also.

Correa is very smart, he knows that Assange is safer in the embassy than he would be in Ecuador. So, I would be surprised if he didn't take a long time to think about it.

[struggle4progress]

58. The embassy might end up being a bit close quarters for everyone there:

it has perhaps five or six small rooms, one of which is now Assange's home; so for the sake of the embassy staff, we must hope that reports, of Assange's poor hygiene, are exaggerated


... A reader, Christopher Fitzsimons, says he interned at the Embassy in 2003 ... and even has a letter of recommendation as proof of this which he sent us ... According to Fitzsimons's 2003 recollection:

The embassy itself is quite small. There is a small reception area with one or two staff members dealing with visitors ... The ambassador's office is located directly across from the reception and is the largest room in the embassy ... There are three to four other small rooms (a fax/printer room, a room with two-three desks used for processing visas, passports, other admin tasks and so on, a kitchen/dining area with a television and some filing cabinets and one more small office, where I worked).

Julian Assange requests asylum at Ecuador embassy
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jun/20/julian-assange-asylum-ecuador-embassy-live

... Assange ... has been living ... in a small, square room, which friends who have recently visited estimate is around 15ft wide ...
Ecuador seeks to stop 'evil' of Julian Assange US extradition
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jul/26/ecuador-julian-assange-extradition-us?newsfeed=true

... “He’s tall — probably 6-foot-2 or 6-3 — and lanky, with pale skin, gray eyes and a shock of white hair that seizes your attention,” Schmitt wrote to me later. “He was alert but disheveled, like a bag lady walking in off the street, wearing a dingy, light-colored sport coat and cargo pants, dirty white shirt, beat-up sneakers and filthy white socks that collapsed around his ankles. He smelled as if he hadn’t bathed in days” ...
Dealing With Assange and the WikiLeaks Secrets
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/30/magazine/30Wikileaks-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

... In addition to the serious charges, the police reports capture criticism by the women of Assange’s personal hygiene ... Assange ... didn’t shower ...
Documents in Julian Assange Rape Investigation Leak Onto Web
By Juha Saarinen
02.02.11
http://m.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/02/wikileaks-sweden/

... Former Wikileaks insider Daniel Domscheit-Berg describes Assange as a paranoid megalomaniac whose lack of personal hygiene and table manners suggest he was 'brought up by wolves' ...
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange 'boasted of fathering children all around the world'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1355651/Wikileaks-founder-Julian-Assange-boasted-fathering-children-world.html

[sabrina 1]

60. If you're going to continue to use Domshceit Berg to bolster your case here, I just want

you to know that this is a completely discredited and despised man. He is generally viewed as a stooge, a traitor to the cause he pretended to support and a thief. But worse, he is the one who saved the Banks making it possible that he was paid to do so.

He alone destroyed any chance people had of exposing the corruption of the Big Banks and his words, since he has lied blatantly about his intentions regarding the material he stole, are worthless. That's the problem when you lie, no one ever trusts you again.

The fact that you continue to use him as a credible source, tells me you know little about this case, or are hoping no one else knows the facts.

As far as the embassy becoming small for Assange, lol, again, how much do you know of this story? Assange has lived in closets for years while on the run from Oppressive Dictators. He is not exactly used to luxury. Right now he's probably living in better conditions than he ever has in the recent past.

Other fugitives from oppression have remained in embassies for years. I could see that happening here and would not be surprised if both he and Correa planned it when they met a few months ago for Assange's TV show.

[Hissyspit]

66. Domscheit-Berg has no credibility.

http://rixstep.com/1/20110814,00.shtml

http://rixstep.com/1/1/20110604,00.shtml

http://rixstep.com/1/20110624,00.shtml

[msanthrope]

69. OMG!!! He got kicked out of a Computer Club!!!

Seriously, reading articles about people whining that D D-B stole stuff from Wikileaks is pretty, well, hysterical...

[Hissyspit]

71. No, he got caught in numerous fabrications.

[msanthrope]

75. And if you could cite them, I am sure you would. But I was wrong--

apparently D D-S is back in CCC.

[struggle4progress]

46. No Decision on Julian Assange’s Asylum Request Announced Despite Statements from Ecuador Officials

By: Kevin Gosztola Tuesday August 14, 2012 5:33 pm

Julian Assange's mother, Christine Assange, meets with Ecuador President Rafael Correa | Flickr Photo by Presidencia de la República del Ecuador

Ecuador President Rafael Correa has stated the rumor that WikiLeaks founder and editor-in-chief Julian Assange has been granted asylum is false. Using his Twitter account, he declared, “There is still no decision. I hope Foreign Ministry report.”

The “rumor” is the result of officials in Quito, one of whom The Guardian quoted as saying, “Ecuador will grant asylum to Julian Assange.” The official also said, “We see Assange’s request as a humanitarian issue,” and, “It is clear that when Julian entered the embassy there was already some sort of deal. We see in his work a parallel with our struggle for national sovereignty and the democratization of international relations.” ...

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2012/08/14/no-decision-made-on-julian-assanges-asylum-request-despite-statements-from-ecuador-officials/

[struggle4progress]

47. Ecuadorean Government Walks Back Report of Assange Asylum (Atlantic Wire)

Adam Martin 3:50 PM ET

Update (5:10 p.m. EDT): President Correo denied The Guardian's report on his Twitter stream Tuesday, saying it was a rumor and "there is no decision." Russia Today also reported that "a representative of the Correa administration in Ecuador confirmed to RT by phone that no official decision has been made on whether to grant Assange asylum." Correa had said on Monday that he hoped to make an official decision this week ...

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2012/08/ecuador-offers-assange-asylum-if-he-can-only-get-there/55765/

[struggle4progress]

48. WikiLeaks' Assange unaware if granted asylum: spokesman (KGMI)

Posted: Tuesday, 14 August 2012 04:44PM

LONDON (Reuters) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is unaware whether he has been granted asylum by Ecuador, a WikiLeaks spokesman said on Tuesday after a report in Britain's Guardian newspaper that the Latin American country had decided to do so.

"I cannot confirm. I just spoke to him (Assange) and he said he had not been notified either," said WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson ...

http://kgmi.com/WikiLeaks-Assange-unaware-if-granted-asylum-spokes/11461924?newsId=160668

[struggle4progress]

49. STORY IS UNTRUE. SEVERAL INDEPENDENT REBUTTALS.

Correa denied via Twitter. RT got disavowal by phone. Assange says nobody's told him that

[msanthrope]

50. Ecuador is denying that a decision has been reached. nt

[sabrina 1]

52. Good, he's much safer in the Embassy and Correa knows that. They are good friends,

he will not do anything that would jeopardize Assange's freedom and/or safety.

[msanthrope]

53. Correa will sell him out if the price is right.

He's a corrupt thug, who really doesn't give a crap about freedom of the press...as evidenced by the journalists he JAILED for accurately reporting on the millions of dollars his brother got in government contracts. So right now, Correa has a pet journalist.

Mr. Correa is seeking to destroy or silence the remaining independent media, which to his distress have taken on topics such as the hundreds of millions of dollars in government contracts awarded to his brother. The president has filed one lawsuit against the authors of a book about his brother and a second against the editorial page editor and three directors of one of Ecuador’s most influential newspapers, El Universo.

Employing an archaic law that criminalizes expression “to discredit, dishonor or disparage” an “authority,” Mr. Correa demanded prison sentences and $80 million in compensation for a column in which the editor, Emilio Palacio, referred to the president as a dictator and faulted his behavior during a controversial episode in which soldiers clashed with striking police officers last year. Last week the president personally attended the trial while thuggish supporters threw eggs and bottles at the defendants outside the courthouse.

To no one’s surprise, the provisional judge hearing the case quickly ruled in the president’s favor, sentencing Mr. Palacio and the three El Universo directors to three years in prison and awarding $40 million in damages to Mr. Correa — an amount that exceeds the total value of the newspaper. The defendants are appealing to higher courts, but as the media rapporteur of the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights noted, the decision “constitutes a grave warning to any citizen or media outlet that has opinions or information about public officials that could be considered offensive, thus obstructing processes that are natural and necessary in any democracy.”

Such criticism is unlikely to deter Mr. Correa, who recently won approval of a constitutional amendment setting up a media oversight panel he could use to censor and fine journalists without bothering to go to court. The conclusion offered by Inter-American Press Association President Gonzalo Marroquin was grim but appropriate: This is a “systematic and hostile campaign to do away with the independent press and establish, by law or through the courts, ownership of the truth that all the Ecuadoran people must swallow.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ecuadors-autocrat-cracks-down-on-media-freedom/2011/07/27/gIQA5BRtfI_story.html?wpisrc=nl_cuzheads

That this is who Assange has allied himself with is a rough justice.

[sabrina 1]

56. The irony is amazing. You accuse Correa of suppressing journalists, while fully

supporting the destruction of Wikileaks by the US Government. And you offer a blatantly biased opinion piece from the Western Press without any by-line that I could see. Who planted that in the WAPO?

That opinion piece is so devoid of facts it isn't worth reading. How much do you know about Ecuador btw?

Correa will do everything he can to protect Assange and Wikileaks, and he is well aware that by doing so, he too will be smeared by the Western media in retaliation. That is why I do not believe he will make a decision for a very long time. Assange is safe in the Embassy and so long as no final decision is made, there will be no opportunity for a showdown.

You need to learn a few things about Latin America. Correa is one of the most popular leaders there, and for good reason. He's tough, not a fool, and will not allow the Global Cartels back in to ravage his country as they have always done. Any Latin American leader who takes such a stand against Globalists, will be trashed in the Western Media which is why I go to foreign and independent media for news of Latin America and take what I read here with a great big grain of salt. Our history there is shameful. Too bad we don't seem to want to improve it.

[msanthrope]

57. Correa put journalists in jail for reporting things he did not like. That is a fact, unaltered

by rhetoric, and was in all the newspapers, Sabrina. So was the 40 million dollar verdict.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17060578

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/9611105

Correa now has a pet journalist, one who will be kinder to the son of drug smuggler who likes to play with FARC. He and Assange are well-matched.

[reorg]

72. Not true. You don't know much about anything, do you?

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa has pardoned the owners and a journalist at El Universo newspaper who faced jail terms and $40m (£25m) in damages for libelling him.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17177646

Correa "did not like" the lie that he ordered the police to shoot at civilians in a hospital, but apparently that is the kind of "free press" you want to see in Latin America: lying and slandering their elected leaders while the US stooges stage violent coups.

But keep spilling these talking points, makes pretty clear where you are coming from.

[msanthrope]

74. How magnanimous!! Prosecuting then pardoning members of the press when

one finds it politically expedient...or when Panama grants asylum to your victims, and you look like sort of an asshole because you have an Ecuadorian newspaper editor living in the Panamanian Embassy in Quito.

How wonderful that Mr. Correa has the unbridled power to do such actions! Surely the mark of a free society is the ability of the Executive to jail and pardon members of the press at will.

This article details three such prosecutions Mr. Correa has overseen, and the worldwide disgust over his prosecutions of journalists who dared to report on the 600 million dollars in contracts his brother got.

http://www.dailyfinance.com/article/correa-pardons-newspaper-in-libel-case/2119200/

[Odin2005]

54. YAY!!!

[msanthrope]

59. You might wanna read the thread. nt

[Odin2005]

64. AW, shit!

[Socal31]

67. I hope it was worth it.

Now he is marked by the Russians and the CIA. For what?

Yes he embarrassed some embassy officials, but he should have waited until he had some gold until going public.

Now he has the blood of several Afghan informants on his hands, and the people he was trying to target are laughing him off.

[unblock]

77. i think the only way out is helo from the embassy to a ship in international waters.