On the second anniversary of Julian Assange's dramatic arrival at the Ecuadorian embassy, he shows no sign of leaving. And Britain and Sweden show no signs of letting him leave without marching him down to the nearest police station. So what are the options for the WikiLeaks founder? Stay put forever, face the music, hope for a law change? Or is it all one massive distraction anyway? <\/p>\n
We ask close friends and associates of Assange, as well as tech experts and extradition lawyers where Assange will be, in five years time. <\/p>\n
The US pledges not to prosecute Assange and the WikiLeaker is free to pursue his interests - after facing questioning in Sweden Jennifer Robinson, legal advisor to WikiLeaks and director of legal advocacy for the Bertha Foundation <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\"Ideally, Julian will be able to travel freely around the world as an Australian or Ecuadorian citizen without fear of prosecution for publishing material in the public interest. The US will have seen the error of its ways and the adverse impact on free speech caused by the WikiLeaks grand jury and will have given assurances he would not be prosecuted or extradited. <\/p>\n
\"Sweden will take his testimony and let that process run its course so he has a chance to clear his name and, after a public inquiry into the mishandling of his case, change its laws on pre-trial detention much like the UK has already amended its Extradition Act to prevent extradition without charge to prevent anyone else suffering the injustice Julian has suffered. None of this is unreasonable: simply asking the states involved to respect due process and international human rights standards and, indeed, in the case of the US respect its own Constitution. <\/p>\n
\"If not, he will still be stuck inside that embassy at a cost of 20m to UK taxpayers (on current police costs for surveillance of the Ecuadorian embassy in London) unless Sweden, the UK and the US show political will towards resolving this situation.\" <\/p>\n
Result: Putting his doubts aside, Assange accepts President Hilary Clinton's promise not to ask for his extradition. He faces questioning in Sweden, and rehabilitates WikiLeaks. <\/p>\n
Ecuador throws out Assange to the mercy of the UK police Extradition Law Expert Julian Knowles QC, of Matrix Chambers <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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