Swedish prosecutor has decided to discontinue the investigation against Julian Assange, who has been accused of sex crimes in Sweden. If this means that Julian is free to leave the embassy to go to Ecuador or not remains to be seen.
takyon: It does not mean that Assange is free to leave the embassy at this time, although his lawyer is asking for an arrest warrant to be dropped:
The London Metropolitan Police, however, made it clear in a statement that there is an outstanding arrest warrant for Assange. "Westminster Magistrates' Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Julian Assange following him failing to surrender to the court on the 29 June 2012. The Metropolitan Police Service is obliged to execute that warrant should he leave the Embassy," it read.
The maximum penalty for breaching bail is up to a year in prison or a fine.
The police also recognized that Assange is now "wanted for a much less serious offense" and said they would "provide a level of resourcing which is proportionate to that offense."
It remains unclear whether there is a standing U.S. extradition order for Assange. The policy of Britain's Home Office is to neither confirm nor deny extradition orders until such time as a person has been arrested in relation to an order. Last month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he was stepping up efforts to arrest Assange as part of a broader fight against those who leak secrets into the public domain.
Also at BBC and The Guardian.
(Score: 5, Funny) by DeathMonkey on Friday May 19 2017, @08:00PM (4 children)
It would be beneath the dignity of a United States President to do such an inappropriate thing.
Exactly, that's why I predict it'll happen as early as next week.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday May 19 2017, @08:11PM (3 children)
Look. Trump managed to give a somewhat sane, calm state of the union address. He did not poop on the carpet -- which I had expected him to do. I know that is a very low bar to set for a president to give a speech without pooping on the carpet. But Trump did it. So have some faith. Maybe he can not sexually assault someone -- even though he was brave enough to admit that he just can't help himself. When you're president they'll let you do anything.
People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 19 2017, @09:34PM
Nope. That's not what happened.
In order to report on your year's activities as president, you have to have been president for a year.
What Donnie Tiny Hands gave wasn't a SotU.
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by edIII on Friday May 19 2017, @10:41PM (1 child)
Faith? Funny you mention that. I think that's what Imperial Officers run on when hoping not be forced choked to death by ol' Darth.
Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Monday May 22 2017, @07:05PM
I find your lack of faith in this code disturbing.
People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.