Repressive Ecuador odd pick for WikiLeaks' Assange- OPINION: Hypocrisy of Assange, free speech crusader

Ecuador is an unlikely place for WikiLeaks mastermind and self-styled free speech activist Julian Assange to seek asylum, given its long history of repression, corruption and human rights violations.

The South American nation is set to decide whether to grant the request to Assange, who has been holed up in its embassy in London since Tuesday. Assange faces extradition back to Sweden where he is wanted for questioning over alleged sexual assaults on two women. But turning to Ecuador for help is a curious choice, according to experts familiar with the nation's history and current regime of Rafael Correa.

"For someone like Julian Assange, it is a remarkably cynical and hypocritical move to make," said Arch Puddington, vice president of research at Freedom House, a New York-based human rights advocacy group. "I don't think he would find life in Ecuador very comfortable. It's a country that does not value freedom of the press or freedom of expression.

"He certainly would be unable to continue his work on WikiLeaks," Puddington added.

Human Rights Watch says Correa has continued a longstanding policy of not allowing dissent.

"Ecuadors laws restrict freedom of expression, and government officials, including Correa, use these laws against his critics," the world watchdog says. "Those involved in protests marred by violence may be prosecuted on inflated and inappropriate terrorism charges.

The Ecuadorean government has an insult law in place known as Descato, which historically has criminalized free speech and expression. Under Descato, which is part of the Ecuadorian Criminal Code, any person who offends the president could be sentenced up to two years in prison and up to three months for offending any government official.

Police corruption and abuses are widespread across the country and murder cases involving criminal gangs never go to trial as they are often attributed to a settling of accounts, according to critics.

Assange told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio via phone that he decided to turn to Ecuador after his native Australia refused to intervene in his planned extradition from Britain to Sweden.

He said Wikileaks had "heard that the Ecuadorians were sympathetic in relation to my struggles and the struggles of the organization with the United States."

See the article here:
Repressive Ecuador odd pick for WikiLeaks' Assange- OPINION: Hypocrisy of Assange, free speech crusader