11:00 AM
Paul B
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| Julian Assange (Photo credit: bbwbryant) |
“The government of Ecuador, faithful to its tradition of protecting those who seek refuge in its territory or in its diplomatic missions, has decided to grant diplomatic asylum to Julian Assange,” said Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño, reading from a government communiqué at a news conference in the Ecuadorean capital, Quito. He added, “There are indications to presume that there could be political persecution,” and that Mr. Assange would not get a fair trial in the United States and could face the death penalty there.
The catch 22 with this? Assange is only safe while on Ecuadorian soil. Since he is still in London, he is only safe at the Ecuadorian embassy. If Assange tries to leave the embassy to go to the airport to fly to Ecuador, he can face arrest from British authorities.
Since Wikileaks leaked hundreds and thousands of classified U.S. documents back in 2010, Assange has been the focus of a lot of politicians, and other government officials. Many believe that these same government officials want Assange eliminated. It is also widely believed that the charges of rape that Assange is facing in Sweden may also be a part of a larger government conspiracy to take down Assange.
What's your opinion on Ecuador's decision? What's your opinion about Julian Assange and Wikileaks? Do you think Assange can make it to Ecuador? Let us know in the comments.
