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| Assange concerned over 'natural justice' in Sweden | Assange concerned over 'natural justice' in Sweden |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Julian Assange has told the BBC that he is fighting a Swedish extradition warrant because he believes "no natural justice" would occur in Sweden. | Julian Assange has told the BBC that he is fighting a Swedish extradition warrant because he believes "no natural justice" would occur in Sweden. |
| Mr Assange was speaking in an interview for the Today programme, at the mansion in East Anglia where he is staying under strict bail conditions. | Mr Assange was speaking in an interview for the Today programme, at the mansion in East Anglia where he is staying under strict bail conditions. |
| The Wikileaks founder suggested the two women who have accused him of sexual assault had got into a "tizzy". | The Wikileaks founder suggested the two women who have accused him of sexual assault had got into a "tizzy". |
| Mr Assange denies the allegations and says the case is politically motivated. | Mr Assange denies the allegations and says the case is politically motivated. |
| The 39-year-old is free on bail in the UK while facing the extradition proceedings to Sweden and staying in Norfolk. | The 39-year-old is free on bail in the UK while facing the extradition proceedings to Sweden and staying in Norfolk. |
| Mr Assange told the BBC's John Humphrys: "I don't need to go back to Sweden. | Mr Assange told the BBC's John Humphrys: "I don't need to go back to Sweden. |
| "The law says I... have certain rights, and these rights mean that I do not need to speak to random prosecutors around the world who simply want to have a chat, and won't do it in any other standard way." | "The law says I... have certain rights, and these rights mean that I do not need to speak to random prosecutors around the world who simply want to have a chat, and won't do it in any other standard way." |
| He also said the Swedish authorities had asked, as part of their extradition application, that he and his Swedish lawyer be gagged from speaking about the case. | He also said the Swedish authorities had asked, as part of their extradition application, that he and his Swedish lawyer be gagged from speaking about the case. |
| "What is requested is that I be taken by force to Sweden and once there, be held incommunicado: That is not a circumstance under which natural justice can occur," Mr Assange said. | "What is requested is that I be taken by force to Sweden and once there, be held incommunicado: That is not a circumstance under which natural justice can occur," Mr Assange said. |
| Mr Assange also said it was possible that the allegations against him arose from the two women going to the police for advice rather than to make a complaint. | Mr Assange also said it was possible that the allegations against him arose from the two women going to the police for advice rather than to make a complaint. |
| Legal loopholes | Legal loopholes |
| He said "one description" of what that occurred was that after having discovered they had each been sexually involved with him, they had got into a "tizzy" about the possibility of sexually transmitted diseases, had gone to the police for advice "and then the police jumped in on this and bamboozled the women". | He said "one description" of what that occurred was that after having discovered they had each been sexually involved with him, they had got into a "tizzy" about the possibility of sexually transmitted diseases, had gone to the police for advice "and then the police jumped in on this and bamboozled the women". |
| But he also said there were "other people making descriptions" that the women had deliberately abused a loophole in Swedish law, whereby if they went to the police for advice, they could not be charged with filing a false report. | But he also said there were "other people making descriptions" that the women had deliberately abused a loophole in Swedish law, whereby if they went to the police for advice, they could not be charged with filing a false report. |
| The same loophole also existed for approaching the police about sexually transmitted diseases, Mr Assange said. | The same loophole also existed for approaching the police about sexually transmitted diseases, Mr Assange said. |
| Wikileaks has released thousands of leaked US diplomatic cables - a move that US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said was "sabotaging peaceful relations" between countries. | Wikileaks has released thousands of leaked US diplomatic cables - a move that US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said was "sabotaging peaceful relations" between countries. |
| But Mr Assange insisted his mission was "to promote justice through the method of transparency". | But Mr Assange insisted his mission was "to promote justice through the method of transparency". |
| "The world has a lot of problems that need to be reformed - and we only live once," he said. | "The world has a lot of problems that need to be reformed - and we only live once," he said. |
| "Every person who has some ability to do something about it, if they are a person of good character, has the duty to try and fix the problems in the environment in which they're in." | "Every person who has some ability to do something about it, if they are a person of good character, has the duty to try and fix the problems in the environment in which they're in." |
| Mr Assange said Wikileaks had already done a lot of good: "The gradual unfolding of the process of political reform is something that we cannot see immediately, but already we see that we have changed governments - we have certainly changed many political figures within governments. | Mr Assange said Wikileaks had already done a lot of good: "The gradual unfolding of the process of political reform is something that we cannot see immediately, but already we see that we have changed governments - we have certainly changed many political figures within governments. |
| "We have caused new law reform efforts. We have caused police investigations into the abuses we have exposed." | "We have caused new law reform efforts. We have caused police investigations into the abuses we have exposed." |
| Asked whether the publication by Wikileaks would prevent diplomats from committing to paper their honest opinions, Mr Assange added: "No, they just have to start committing things to paper that they're proud of." | Asked whether the publication by Wikileaks would prevent diplomats from committing to paper their honest opinions, Mr Assange added: "No, they just have to start committing things to paper that they're proud of." |
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