Today I am talking to Mark Stephens, Julian Assange’s lawyer. A great deal has been written about the rape allegation, the bail issue and, of course, the Wikileaks revelations themselves. It is not hyperbole to say that this is probably the most famous legal issue in the world at the moment.
Mark Stephen’s is quoted in The Daily Mail …as saying says his client, WikiLeaks boss Julian Assange, is accused of ‘sex by surprise’ in Sweden.
‘Whatever “sex by surprise” is, it’s only an offence in Sweden,’ says Stephens.
Mark Stephens told BBC1′s Andrew Marr Show: ”It is quite bizarre, because the chief prosecutor in Sweden dropped the entire case against him, saying there was absolutely nothing for him to find back in September, and then a few weeks later on – after the intervention of a Swedish politician – a new prosecutor, not in Stockholm where Julian and these women had been, but in Gothenburg, began a new case which has resulted in these warrants and the Interpol Red Notice being put out.
”It does seem to be a political stunt.
”I have, and his Swedish lawyer has, been trying to get in touch with the prosecutor since August. Usually it is the prosecutor who does the pursuing, not the pursued..”
The Telegraph reported …”Mark Stephens said Mr Assange would ”certainly” fight deportation to Sweden on the grounds that it could lead to him being handed over to the US, where senior politicians have called for him to be executed.”
To put some structure into to this complex subject I have divided the podcast into the following key sections:
THE RAPE ALLEGATIONS
THE EUROPEAN ARREST WARRANT
THE BAIL ISSUE
EXTRADITION
HOW JULIAN ASSANGE CAME BY THE WIKILEAKS INFORMATION
HAS JULIAN ASSANGE COMMITTED ANY CRIME UNDER US LAW
THE ATTACK ON WIKILEAKS BY AMAZON, PAYPAL, VISA AND OTHERS
POSSIBLE ACTION FOR INDUCEMENT TO BREACH OF CONTRACT
I am grateful to Carl Gardner, ex government lawyer and author of the Head of Legal blog, who assisted me in focusing on the salient issues. I am doing a further detailed podcast with Carl Gardner on these issues tomorrow.
thanks for this podcast.
What I find remarkable is the twitter-verse hegemony of thought whereby those of us who question the timing and substance of these accusations are somehow “misogynists”.
[...] CharonQC managed to secure an interview today with Mark Stephens – no doubt a very busy solicitor at the moment, given the arrest and detention of his client Julian Assange on a European arrest warrant from Sweden. [...]
[...] Charon QC (a.k.a. Mike Semple Pigott) has scored a blawger’s coup in securing an interview with Mark Stephens, the lawyer representing Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks. Charon QC’s podcast is available at: Lawcast 173: Mark Stephens, Julian Assange’s lawyer, on the rape allegations, Extradition and Wiki…. [...]
[...] Charon QC (a.k.a. Mike Semple Piggot) has scored a blawger’s coup in securing an interview with Mark Stephens, the lawyer representing Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks. Charon QC’s podcast is available at: Lawcast 173: Mark Stephens, Julian Assange’s lawyer, on the rape allegations, Extradition and Wiki…. [...]
A very interesting podcast, thank you.
There does seem to be an imbalance in the appliance of law here. Notwithstanding the different jurisdictions, tonight, Shrien Dewani gets bail on murder (with serious evidence to boot) but Assange, on sex by surprise (and no info) doesn’t.
I think the scales of justice must be out of order. In every sense.
Buki – To play Devil’s advocate, Dewani surrendered his passport, is tagged, and is unlikely to go anywhere. Assange makes flitting from country to country a habit and, apparently, refused to give an address…
Lex – Mark Stephens said that Police were quite happy with address given by Assange and surprised that bail not granted
sobk13 makes THE most salient point.
# the scales of justice must be out of order. In every sense.
Isn’t the real issue that Assange seems to be presumed guilty until proved innocent? I must be confused, I thought it was the other way round.
Anna Ardin says she had sex with Julian, AGAIN – SEVERAL DAYS LATER. Then, after talking with the second woman, retrospectively decided to accuse him of sexual harassment.
The second, Sophia Wilén, again paid for his ticket to return to Stockholm AFTER, she now alleges, he sexually harassed her.
So how credible are their accusations? (Note their names are already in the public domain.)
How many other Red Notices, top priority International Arrest Warrants, has Interpol issued? – not for alleged sexual harassment, but for “sex by surprise”? I’m told this is the only one!
Is there any precedent? Yes.
The American Establishment used a very similar tactic to try to destroy a US Supreme Court nominee in 1991. Anita Hill made retrospective sexual harassment charges against the Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, although she had actually followed him when he moved to work for a new organization! Hill later recanted saying she did not want to make the legal claim of sexual harassment.
The similarities are frightening. Could this instead be illegal misuse of power by the Swedish authorities at American instigation?
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[...] CharonQC managed to secure an interview today with mar&… – no doubt a very busy solicitor at the moment, given the arrest and detention of his client Julian Assange on a European arrest warrant from Sweden. [...]
Dear Sir,
I’m trying to locate the law firm or employer of Julian Assange’s lawyer Mark Stephens.
Can you tell me who they are and how to contact them please?
Yours faithfully,
Malcolm Samuel.