WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is wanted in Sweden where he faces allegations of rape and sexual assault, instead broke his bail conditions and fled to London's Ecuadorean embassy in June and was granted political asylum. Now, nine of his supporters are being ordered to pay £93,500 for not fulfilling their promise to "guarantee Assange would abide by bail conditions."
The Guardian reports:
A court ruled on Monday that the payments must be made within a month by nine friends and backers who in 2010 pledged £140,000 to guarantee Assange would abide by bail conditions during a failed legal challenge to extradition proceedings brought by authorities in Sweden, where he faces allegations of rape and sexual assault.
Chief magistrate at Westminster magistrates court Howard Riddle said of the ruling that, "I accept that they trusted Mr Assange to surrender himself as required." He added, "I accept that they followed the proceedings and made necessary arrangements to remain in contact with him. However, they failed in their basic duty, to ensure his surrender."
h/t The Guardian
Shares