
Ecuador Acknowledges It Restricted WikiLeaks Founder's Internet Connection - molecule
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/10/18/498472235/ecuador-acknowledges-it-restricted-wikileaks-founders-internet-connection
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gleenn
This is very interesting given many people thought it was merely Assange
trying to hype up non-existent dirt on Hillary Clinton.

In general I'm very in favor of free speech but I think this changes when he's
releasing information just before an election to change its outcome. If he was
trying to do it for public good, he'd have released it when he found it. Sad
that Assange has become so biased towards hurting Clinton that he'll go to
such trouble. I'd also hope he'd release anything he has about Trump if he had
it.

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greenhatman
He should have done it at least before the Democratic primaries. What does it
help he does it now? She can't really lose the election anymore. And on the
off chance that she might there is someone even worse waiting to take the
chair.

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marricks
I think the big question is if he will get internet back after the election.

A life without freedom of movement and internet isn't much of a life these
days, especially if your life is running wikileaks...

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redthrowaway
He's free to answer charges in Sweden. Nobody's keeping him locked up.

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yankyou
First, he hasn't been charged. Second, he faces the threat of extradition and
execution if he answers the call to be questioned on Swedish soil. Third, the
UK has spent millions each year to make sure he doesn't get away.

~~~
redthrowaway
>he faces the threat of extradition and execution if he answers the call to be
questioned on Swedish soil.

A threat that he, and only he, has elucidated. There's no extradition request
in place, and Sweden isn't _actually_ a banana republic whereby the government
can order the courts to approve an extradition request.

>Third, the UK has spent millions each year to make sure he doesn't get away.

Well, yes. He's a wanted man. You generally don't want to let those slip.

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gotofritz
Come on, I'm not a fan of Assange either, but it's perfectly realistic to
believe he'll be syphoned off to the US if he steps out of that embassy

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aerovistae
Good on them. He was clearly operating with an agenda in this case given the
timing, and I think it was an unwise one.

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contingencies
Dupe of
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12739349](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12739349)

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osbjmg
Ecuador "respects the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of
other states."

But they are willing to intervene to give Assange refuge?

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orev
You can't tell the difference between a sort of asylum for one person and the
tampering of an election for an entire country?

