Legal Myths About the Assange Extradition
Legal Myths About the Assange Extradition
A brief critical and source-based guide to some common misconceptions.
By David Allen Green Published 20 August 2012 13:49
Whenever the Julian Assange extradition comes up in the news, many of his supporters make various confident assertions about legal aspects of the case.
Julian Assange
Some Assange supporters will maintain these contentions regardless of the law and the evidence – they are like ‘zombie facts’ which stagger on even when shot down; but for anyone genuinely interested in getting at the truth, this quick post sets out five common misconceptions and some links to the relevant commentary and material. It complements a similar post on the leading Blog That Peter Wrote.
[Add: also now see this excellent post by barrister Anya Palmer.]
One: ‘The allegation of rape would not be rape under English law’
This is flatly untrue. The Assange legal team argued this twice before English courts, and twice the English courts ruled clearly that the allegation would also constitute rape under English law.
(See my post at Jack of Kent for further detail on this.)
Continue reading at the New Statesman.