Letters: Breaches of Julian Assange's human rights open to debate

If you had any doubt as to whether or not the world had lost its compass bearings, doubt no longer.

Julian Assange sought refuge voluntarily in the Ecuadoran Embassy, about three years ago, to avoid being arrested and extradited to Sweden where he faces a charge of sexual assault.

Now, a UN Human Rights panel considers that he has been illegally deprived of his liberty and, further, is entitled to compensation for this breach of his civil liberties. I presume that any suspects can now just find some gullible or misguided embassy which will afford them protection from arrest.

Here is a WikiLeak for Mr Assange. The metal protuberance half way down the front door is what we call the “handle”. Freedom beckons.

(Emeritus Professor) David Alexander

Aberdeen

Countries, including the UK, are once again exposed for ignoring investigations into what are effective breaches of human rights. The absolving of Julian Assange by the United Nations Working Group that followed an appeal by Mr Assange into his enforced refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London has elicited statements from the UK authorities effectively dismissing the UN Working Group verdict. This dismissive reaction will be repeated without doubt by the US authorities, and by the same in Sweden. Yet these are countries that consistently place themselves on the side of human rights.

Some respect for asylum they are demonstrating here, when the representative body of the international community is derisory of their detention of Assange, a member of the WikiLeaks organisation.

This latest UN report effectively absolving Mr Assange and WikiLeaks while implicating the countries that have collaborated in his detention again exposes such countries as hollow upholders of human rights.

Ian Johnstone

Forman Drive, Peterhead

Whatever the result of the “UN Panel” investigation into the Julian Assange affair, and whether or not he is arrested if he dares leave the Ecuadoran Embassy in London, is irrelevant. By cowering there for years and thereby avoiding facing up to the very serious rape charges in Sweden, he has revealed himself to be a coward.

If, as he consistently claims, he is innocent then why not return and state his case and face the music in the court of a European country renowned for its liberal values? There is I fear only one answer to that.

Alexander McKay

New Cut Rigg, Edinburgh