Firsty, a repetition of how it all started. Julian Assange had, in connection with a conference in Sweden, sexual intercourse with two aquainted Swedish women, Anna Ardin and one we can call "S". What later became a problem was that Ms. Ardin, the leader of the two, had been first in line - and that this young lady holds somewhat old-fashioned opinions about sex: Sexual intercourse between man and woman constitutes a binding promise of lifelong fidelity.
Before we continue, Anna Ardin must be given a thorough presentation. According to her blog she is a political scientist, communicator, entrepreneur and freelance writer with special knowledge in faith and politics, equality matters, feminism and Latin America. She apparently also has bitter experiences of various amorous adventures. In a posting, she adviced other women at length on what to do to about men who fail to live up to his their stringent fidelity requirements (men who have "dumped" them, as Ms. Ardin put it). More precisely, such men should be subjected to a ruthless seven-stage revenge program. In the toolbox for such campaigns, the lie is prominent. From Ardin´s seven-stage revenge manual:
Step 5: "Think about how you can get revenge systematically. Perhaps a series of letters and photos, to make the new girlfriend believe that the two of you are still together can be just as effective as just one big single lie?"
Step 6: "Rate the components of your systematic revenge program from low to high in terms of likelyhood of success, input required and the degree of satisfaction if successful. The ideal revenge obviously scores high on this barchart, but often an increased input of labor and capital can provide a safer output in terms of the other two, really important parameters."
Step 7: "Get at it. And keep you goal in sight while performing the operation, namely that your victim will suffer as he made you suffer."
According to the blog samtycke.nu, Ms. Ardin published her revenge manual on 7/1, 2001. Years later, during the week when the two women filed their complaints against Mr. Assange, steps number two to seven in the manual were deleted. Right now, the original version of the blog post is also deleted from archive.org. The current, self-censored, version retains the title "A seven-step manual for revenge within the law", on top of a list consisting of only one item. Julian Assange's solicitors have submitted printouts of the original blog post to the Swedish authorities. Ardin's attitude to the truth as such is highly relevant to an assessment of her credibility, and hence the possibility of a rape conviction of a man with whome she admits having had sex with several times.
Equally important in this context is the fact that Ms. Ardin organized a party in Mr. Assange's honor in her own apartment - only days after the date when she was allegedly raped by the very same man. During the party, Ardin tweeted merrily, claiming to be having fun with "the world's coolest, smartest people, it's amazing." Furthermore, Anna and S exchanged text messages with each other during the days following their sexual meetings with Assange, informing each other of what had gone down. The messages were boastful and did not reference any sexual violence or negative comments about Assange whatsoever.
Just as much as a Swedish woman has the right to go to bed with whoever she pleases, the two ladies, who are both politicians, were definitely aware that Assange has not violated any law by allowing himself to go to bed with two women successively. Nevertheless, Anna Ardin apparently felt offended by what had transpired. One can only guess - but curcumstances indicate that Ardin's grandiose self-image has led her to the view that a political scientist, communicator, entrepreneur, etc. of her own high standing deserves the protection of special rules: Most importantly, a rule stating that a man who causes emparrassment in Anna Ardin´s love life shall be jailed for years and have his life shattered. In order to achieve this self-styled justice, Ms. Ardin has obviously awarded herself the right to lie about men who have earned her scorn. Since she is an active politician, it is obvious that the draconian penalties resulting from her principles are exclusive to men who dare to offend Anna Ardin, and not meant for the protection of other women. During her political career, Ardin never proposed neither long nor short prison sentences for men who have "dumped" their girlfriends.
Julian Assange is still today not charged with anything. Chief prosecutor Eva Finné closed her investigation against Assange, the case lacking all substance. According to Finné, there was not even grounds for suspicion. Some weeks later, however, Karin Rosander at the Stockholm prosecutor's office announced that Assange was again suspected, this time only for sexual molestation. On 20/10, 2010, Assange was questioned by the Stockholm police, refuting the allegations. The next day a feminist prosecutor, Marianne Ny, announced the investigation would be re-opened under her personal direction. Assange, who had applied for work permit and had intended to move to Sweden, finally got enough of the Ardin revenge campaign and left the country.
Three weeks later, on request of the new the prosecutor, the Stockholm District Court issued an arrest warrant. In this document, Assange was suspected (but still not prosecuted) for a range of crimes of sexual violence against the two ladies. Rape included.
Firstly, it is obvious that there has never been any basis for a criminal prosecution of Julian Assange. If the new prosecutor, Marianne Ny, would have had substance for prosecuting him she could and would have done so in his absence, without a second interrogation. The thought that Mrs. Ny expects Assange to incriminate himself so blatantly that a bona-fide prosecution would suddenly be possible, could she only get a second interview with him, is silly. Hence we are not disussing a convicted offender, not even a prosecuted suspect. The European arrest warrant of which we have all heard so much, is directed at a suspect who has already been interrogated. The prosecutor merely wishes to interrogate the man a second time before deciding wether or not to prosecute.
Secondly, during his exile in London, Assange has made himself available for further questioning, albeit where he is. Swedish law allows such questioning and it occurs regularily. Assange's motives for his demand are obvious. He refuses to travel to Sweden because of the risk that Sweden, if it get its hands on him, will proceed to deliver him to the US, where he will be imprisoned for life. This looming life sentence has nothing to do with women. It would be Assange´s punishment for having helped the hero whistleblower Bradley/Chelsea Manning in revealing US war crimes in Iraq.
Thirdly, Assange has declared his willingness to return to Sweden for interrogation as requested, provided only that the responsible Swedish officials declare that Sweden will contend herself with prosecuting him for the famous sex crimes. This suggestion was greeted with ridicule by the Swedish Foreign Minister at the time, Carl Bildt. That, if anything, shows that Julian Assange has calculated quite correctly in the matter. His concern, that a short visit to the Swedish justice system might end with a lifelong visit to its American counterpart, is well-founded.
Given all these circumstances, I agree with the UN legal commission: Sweden´s refusal to interrogate Assange on location in London is a gross miscarriage of justice. In order to please the American politicians who are eager to silent heroic journalists, the Swedish authorities harass a completely innocent man. Marianne Ny, the responsible chief prosecutor, makes herself guilty of an ongoing misconduct so serious that nothing less than the women´s correction facility at Hinseberg could be considered for her part.
The behavior of news media in the Assange case speaks volumes about the quality of those designated to provide our country´s citizens with the news we need. Svenska Dagbladet contented itself with barking that Assange is a paranoid, megalomanic troublemaker who resides voluntarily at an exotic embassy, because he wants to cause a media circus. The division of labor between the Svenska Dagbladet and its sister company Aftonbladet is conventional: SvD uses a parlance that company executives and teachers may swallow. AB takes care of the rest of us. The tabloid, Swedens biggest, had sent their own reporter to one of the hearings in London. This man reported that Julian Assange was surrounded by a "horde of shysters", "shouting" allegations at the Swedish justice system. Furthermore, Assange was a "cowardly shithead" who is "bullshitting" and who has "lost his honor". In another article, Aftonbladet taught us that the founder of Wikilieaks is an "Australian pig". Interestingly, the main theme of that article was that Assange, (rather than they themselves), poses a "threat to investigative journalism".
Unfortunaely, the propaganda war against Assange is not confined to Sweden. I followed the Swiss radio news about the UN report last Wednesday, the report that finally outlawed the Swedish authorities' behavior. In the newscast, an "expert" reporter told us that Assange is hiding in London because of a Swedish prosecution for rape, "nicht gerade ein cavaliersdelikt" (not a trivial offense mind you). I assume that raped women across Switzerland are grateful for this enlightenment. Next broadcast, an hour later, was adjusted. This time they actually told listeners about the real reason why Assange refuses to set foot in Sweden - and explained the stupidity of Assanges stand: According to the same expert it is "höchst unklar" (far from certain) that the Swedish and American prosecutors will gang up against Julian Assange, like Swedish and British prosecutors have ganged up against Julian Assange. My hope is that Martin Alli, the journalist in question, now enjoys a game of Russian roulette. Why not? That his life will end with the help of just one single cartridge is "höchst unklar".
Finally my best greetings to Julian Assange! You will never be the hero of the people and the wanna-be powerful at the same time.
Carl Lundström
+41 763 262630
carl@lundstrom.com
