Thursday, February 2, 2012

#Sweden #Assange : Lawyers Claim Extradition Bid Is Valid

Swedish authorities told Britain's Supreme Court on Thursday that a bid to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for questioning over rape claims is valid and does not breach his human rights.

In his final avenue of appeal within the British legal system, Assange's entire case rests on the argument that the Swedish prosecutor who ordered his arrest in December 2010 was not a proper judicial authority.

But Clare Montgomery, a British lawyer acting on behalf of the Swedish prosecuting authorities, rejected claims made the previous day by lawyers for the 40-year-old Australian.

"The issuing member state has the task of identifying who it regards as the judicial authority competent to issue the European Arrest Warrant," she told the panel of seven judges.

Montgomery added that there was "nothing either shocking to the conscience or alternative to basic human rights" for a prosecutor or police officer to issue such a warrant....read more


http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gcrRnlV2K7cFu0ypZh5E2-29vUEQ?docId=CNG.24803825869086c5c2957f38c6bd3e8c.4b1