Setting the record straight with Julian Assange and the rape affair in Sweden

[Adar]

Apparently Julian Assange is still stuck in the Ecuadorian embassy in London and people still doesn't seem to have managed to make sense of the complex politics behind the case.

The legal situation in Sweden
Swedish rape law is a very sensitive subject and unlike many other countries "rape" does not just mean "unwanted penetrative sex" but also include sexual behaviour which would be called abuse, assault or molestation in other countries. These laws put us in a relatively unique situation and there is strong lobbying for making the law even more unique.

Description of the case (mildly explicity):

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

In this case the actual accusations are that both women voluntarily had sex with him (at separate occasions) but that Assange in one case removed the condom during the sex and in the other case first had sex with the woman with a condom but then woke her up (by penetration) for "a second round" without a condom.

Timeline of the events and description of people involved

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

On 16 August, Julian Assange had sex with Sofia Wilen. Sofia had become known in the Swedish group around Assange for the shocking pink cashmere sweater she had worn in the front row of Assange’s press conference. Anna Ardin knew Assange was planning to have sex with Sofia Wilen. On 17 August, Ardin texted a friend who was looking for Assange:

“He’s not here. He’s planned to have sex with the cashmere girl every evening, but not made it. Maybe he finally found time yesterday?”

Yet Ardin later testified that just three days earlier, on 13 August, she had been sexually assaulted by Assange; an assault so serious she was willing to try (with great success) to ruin Julian Assange’s entire life. She was also to state that this assault involved enforced unprotected sex and she was concerned about HIV.

If Ardin really believed that on 13 August Assange had forced unprotected sex on her and this could have transmitted HIV, why did she make no attempt to warn Sofia Wilen that Wilen was in danger of her life? And why was Ardin discussing with Assange his desire for sex with Wilen, and texting about it to friends, with no evident disapproval or discouragement?
Ardin had Wilen’s contact details and indeed had organised her registration for the press conference. She could have warned her. But she didn’t.
Let us fit that into a very brief survey of the whole Ardin/Assange relationship. .


11 August: Assange arrives in Stockholm for a press conference organised by a branch of the Social Democratic Party.
Anna Ardin has offered her one bed flat for him to stay in as she will be away.


13 August: Ardin comes back early. She has dinner with Assange and they have consensual sex, on the first day of meeting. Ardin subsequently alleges this turned into assault by surreptitious mutilation of the condom.


14 August: Anna volunteers to act as Julian’s press secretary. She sits next to him on the dais at his press conference. Assange meets Sofia Wilen there.

Anna tweets at 14.00:

‘Julian wants to go to a crayfish party, anyone have a couple of available seats tonight or tomorrow? #fb’

This attempt to find a crayfish party fails, so Ardin organises one herself for him, in a garden outside her flat. Anna and Julian seem good together. One guest hears Anna rib Assange that she thought “you had dumped me” when he got up from bed early that morning. Another offers to Anna that Julian can leave her flat and come stay with them. She replies:
“He can stay with me.”


15 August Still at the crayfish party with Julian, Anna tweets:

‘Sitting outdoors at 02:00 and hardly freezing with the world’s coolest smartest people, it’s amazing! #fb’

Julian and Anna, according to both their police testimonies, sleep again in the same single bed, and continue to do so for the next few days. Assange tells police they continue to have sex; Anna tells police they do not. That evening, Anna and Julian go together to, and leave together from, a dinner with the leadership of the Pirate Party. They again sleep in the same bed.


16 August: Julian goes to have sex with Sofia Wilen: Ardin does not warn her of potential sexual assault.
Another friend offers Anna to take over housing Julian. Anna again refuses.


20 August: After Sofia Wilen contacts her to say she is worried about STD’s including HIV after unprotected sex with Julian, Anna takes her to see Anna’s friend, fellow Social Democrat member, former colleague on the same ballot in a council election, and campaigning feminist police officer, Irmeli Krans. Ardin tells Wilen the police can compel Assange to take an HIV test. Ardin sits in throughout Wilen’s unrecorded – in breach of procedure – police interview. Krans prepares a statement accusing Assange of rape. Wilen refuses to sign it.


21 August Having heard Wilen’s interview and Krans’ statement from it, Ardin makes her own police statement alleging Assange has surreptiously had unprotected sex with her eight days previously.

Some days later: Ardin produces a broken condom to the police as evidence; but a forensic examination finds no traces of Assange’s – or anyone else’s – DNA on it, and indeed it is apparently unused.

No witness has come forward to say that Ardin complained of sexual assault by Assange before Wilen’s Ardin-arranged interview with Krans – and Wilen came forward not to complain of an assault, but enquire about STDs. Wilen refused to sign the statement alleging rape, which was drawn up by Ardin’s friend Krans in Ardin’s presence.

Anna Ardin the request fomer Social Democractic Equality ombudsman Claes Borgström to represent her in the case.

21 August Chief Public Prosecutor) Eva Finné determine that there are no grounds for prosecution and declare, "I don't think there is reason to suspect that he has committed rape." However, Karin Rosander from the Swedish Prosecution Authority, said Assange remained suspected of molestation.


25 August the preliminary investigation was discontinued by Finné on 25 August, but two days later Claes Borgström, the attorney representing the two women, requested a review of the prosecutor's decision to terminate part of the investigation.


On 30 August, Assange was questioned by the Stockholm police regarding the allegations of sexual molestation. He denied the allegations, saying he had consensual sexual encounters with the two women.

On 1 September 2010, Överåklagare (Director of Public Prosecution) Marianne Ny decided to resume the preliminary investigation concerning all of the original allegations.


27 September. Assange leave Swedish. The Swedish authorities have asserted that this is the same day that they notified Assange's lawyer of his imminent arrest due to the risk of him fleeing the country.

Key participants in the case

Anna Ardin
Describes her blog as Feminist reflections and comments on animal rights, Swedish politics and Cuba from a political scientist, Christian left and long distance runner and wrote her master thesis on why Fidel Castro really is a nice guy. As a student she was an equality ombudsman at Uppsala student union which includes dealing with sexual harassment and other legal issues. She became unofficial host of Julian Assange as she was working for the Social Democrat "Brotherhood" (Christian Social Democrats) movement in Sweden.

Irmeli Krans
Known as the "gay police" and Social Democratic politician (you can read about her here). Anna Ardin did not bring Sofia Wilen to the closest police station but instead brought her to where Krans was working, allegedly to see if they could force Assange to take a STD test. Did not mention that Ardin participated in the hearing with Sofia in her report.

Claes Borgström
At the time member of the Social Democrats and former equality ombudsman (JämO) in Sweden. Is nowadays member of the Leftist (former communist) party in Sweden as he doesn't think the Social Democrats focus enough on solidarity. Participated in the work to write the current Swedish law on rape.

Marianne Ny, Chief prosecutor at the time who restarted the investigation (read more about her here)
Swedish prosecutor and radical feminist who worked with Borström to write the current Swedish penal code on rape. She have been the chief driver of the case since Assange fled to England and I think this is a fair assessment of her views "Marianne Ny, unlike other prosecutors, has made various statements [...] in which she regards the prosecution of men, even without sufficient evidence, as in the public interest ’pour decourager les autres’ [to deter others] [emphasis added]. She is a high profile prosecutor who is also a crusader on gender issues and the international attention that this case has received may have made her intransigent and, in my view, overly harsh and disproportionate in attacking Mr Assange by way of this EAW rather than by using the Mutual Legal Assistance provisions to obtain his evidence and, indeed, accepting his proffer of evidence by way of video link or Scotland Yard interview suite or attendance at the Swedish embassy."

My view on the case
I agree that this whole case is bogus and that JulianAssange is being unfairly prosecuted for it. But given the participants in the case I think it is evident that Assange is caught up in Swedish gender politics rather than some kind of CIA-conspiracy. Because otherwise it mean that some of Swedens most prominent radical leftwing feminists must be CIA-operatives which goes against pretty much everything they stand for.

[Sir Adrian]

And this is why modern feminism is poisonous, it will lead to dumb as laws like that one. What you guys need is an MRA party to balance the scales.


I highly doubt the prosecutor would lose, Assange is wanted by the US and it is widely known that Sweden is deep in bed with the US. A single phone call from the higher ups and Assange is instantly convicted and deported.

[Adar]

I highly doubt the prosecutor would lose, Assange is wanted by the US and it is widely known that Sweden is deep in bed with the US. A single phone call from the higher ups and Assange is instantly convicted and deported.

That is not how Swedish bureaucracy work.

In Sweden the local authorities act with considerable freedom and they got extremely strong protection by the law. Like for example, the Swedish government supported Nord Stream but local authorities on Gotland delayed the pipeline as they were responsible for evaluating the environmental effects of the pipeline.

A trial of Assange would take place in Tingsrätten and as described in the OP this case is driven by people who want to rewrite the law and are known as extremists on the issue of rape and sexual molestation.

[Hobbes]

Jesus, you could have at least gotten the name right.

[Adar]

Jesus, you could have at least gotten the name right.

Julius is a far more common name than Julian in Sweden so I didn't even notice that I got stuck with the wrong name. But I've fixed the mistake and I suggest that you read the references if you are interested.

[Andreius Pretorianus]

if Assange would have been apolitical,maybe I would have simpathaised with him.

But seeing him as an far left anarchist who want just to see neo nazis killed he s no better than any other crook in my opinion.He s not a freedom fighter,just a fanatic anarchist who got punked by one of his own("feminists")

[Prince Regent George]

That is not how Swedish bureaucracy work.

In Sweden the local authorities act with considerable freedom and they got extremely strong protection by the law. Like for example, the Swedish government supported Nord Stream but local authorities on Gotland delayed the pipeline as they were responsible for evaluating the environmental effects of the pipeline.

A trial of Assange would take place in Tingsrätten and as described in the OP this case is driven by people who want to rewrite the law and are known as extremists on the issue of rape and sexual molestation.

Well, the exportation of Assange to U.S.A. is certainly a more serious issue that how close to Gotland should the pipeline be constructed. I suspect that Sweden would be as independent as Europe was, when Snowden was alledgedly flying over her.

Of course, the facts leave no doubt that there was no rape whatsoever, but I object to U.S.A. not being involved in this affair. It's not necessary that the two offended ladies were undercover agents.
Bribing or blackmailing is equally efficient and the sudden appearance of rape charges, just after the reveal of U.S.A.'s diplomatic secrets seems rather suspicious, considering that, appart from the danger of exportation, they also decisively damaged the reputation of a man, who proved the difference between pretext and cause, in the external affairs, significantly harming the American propaganda.

if Assange would have been apolitical,maybe I would have simpathaised with him.

But seeing him as an far left anarchist who want just to see neo nazis killed he s no better than any other crook in my opinion.He s not a freedom fighter,just a fanatic anarchist who got punked by one of his own("feminists")

2/10

[Adar]

Of course, the facts leave no doubt that there was no rape whatsoever, but I object to U.S.A. not being involved in this affair. It's not necessary that the two offended ladies were undercover agents.
Bribing or blackmailing is equally efficient and the sudden appearance of rape charges, just after the reveal of U.S.A.'s diplomatic secrets seems rather suspicious, considering that, appart from the danger of exportation, they also decisively damaged the reputation of a man, who proved the difference between pretext and cause, in the external affairs, significantly harming the American propaganda.

Essentially you can chose between 2 scenarios.

1) A known radical feminist use her political connections to get revenge on a man for having sex with another woman.

2) The US government bribe a pro-Castro career politician of the Social Democratic party, the former equality ombudsman of Sweden who've been anti-American since the 1970s, a radical queer-political policewoman and one of Swedens politically most influential prosecutors.

I you look up the Swedish laws on tax-transparency you would also know that at least three of the conspiracy members will never be able to spend much money as they are under political scrutiny which would raise major red flags if they started to spend money they do not have according to their tax statements.

Furthermore alternative 2 suffer from another major weakness. If this was a US conspiracy where Anna Ardin acted as a honey pot, then she must have known about this plan before she set her self up as Assanges sex partner and personal secretary during the visit (13th August). But despite this she actively undermines the case between the 14th and 20th August by bragging about being so close to Assange until she finds out about his sexual relationship with another woman.

Well, the exportation of Assange to U.S.A. is certainly a more serious issue that how close to Gotland should the pipeline be constructed. I suspect that Sweden would be as independent as Europe was, when Snowden was alledgedly flying over her.

Nord Stream is billion dollar project that is an absolute necessity for Russian-German interests to bypass Poland/Ukraine when exporting Russian gas to Germany.

Julian Assenge was a short lived superstar who had already committed his major impact when he got caught up in the rape-affair. And Wikileaks was already breaking apart under his self-centered leadership.

So I think you need to reconsider your priorities.

[Phier]

Being, "all sex with a man is rape by the man" is a typical radfem idiocy, his mistake was in his choice of partners.

My feeling is the rape charges are "real" and unrelated to the US wanting him. I won't say it couldn't be a ploy, but my feeling is that the two are unrelated, just more wacky fun for a guy who enjoyed his 15 minutes and now is heading into overtime.

[Wismar]

Sweden has one of the highest number of rapes per capita in the world and the majority of them are imported from the third world.

[Sphere]

Sweden has one of the highest number of rapes per capita in the world and the majority of them are imported from the third world.

Faroes Islands is number one.

[Col. Tartleton]

Rape statistics are entirely based on what gets reported. I forget the city but one of the cities in the UK had unusually high rape numbers and everyone made a fuss about how bad it was there, but in reality they had a far higher number of reports which is a good thing.

So the fact Sweden has a high rape rate just means that women in Sweden (or men I'm so post gender ) are reporting their rapes without fear or stigma. Of course the drawback is that Sweden also seems to have unrealistic standards when it comes to what is rape. What Assange did should be labeled sexual misconduct. Taking off a condom without asking during consensual sex isn't rape. I get why the girl is mad, that's not cool, but that can't be a crime. It undermines the rule of law to call that rape.

[Gaidin]

Sweden has one of the highest number of rapes per capita in the world and the majority of them are imported from the third world.

You realize that that would mostly be due to Sweden's definition of rape right? When they don't even bother with a sexual assault charge like most countries and call them the same thing...