Assange has nothing to fear say Swedes

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should turn himself in for questioning in a Swedish rape investigation and has no reason to worry about not getting a fair trial, Sweden’s Justice Minister has said.

Beatrice Ask’s comments yesterday reveal the irritation among senior Swedish officials at the arguments used by Assange’s lawyers in fighting his extradition in a UK court, where closing arguments are set for today.

The lawyers defending Assange, accused of sexual misconduct against two Swedish women, say a closed-door trial in Sweden would represent “a flagrant denial of justice” and claim he risks being handed over to the United States, which is investigating whether Assange’s secret-spilling website should be held responsible for leaking classified information.

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Assange “has a lot of prejudice,” Ask said in an interview at the Swedish Parliament. “I think it’s beyond doubt that we are very careful about the independence and quality of the justice system in this country.

“Everyone is equal before the law. He is suspected, accused of a serious crime and should of course present himself for interrogation.”

WikiLeaks has angered the US and other governments by publishing tens of thousands of secret military documents on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as a massive trove of US diplomatic cables.

Assange’s supporters say the rape allegations are trumped up and possibly politically motivated, charges the women’s lawyer has denied.

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He met both women in connection with a seminar on free speech in Stockholm in August.

His objections to extradition range from how the arrest warrant was issued to the “secret” nature of rape trials in Sweden, where such hearings are often held behind closed doors out of respect for the victims.

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