Galloway under fire for backing Assange

Claims of sexual offences against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange do not constitute rape, the well-known British Parliamentarian George Galloway claims

George Galloway, the well-known British politician, is under fireafter he defended Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks.Galloway, the UK Respect party's MP, saidthat the claims of sexual offences against Assange in Sweden do notconstitute rape.
In a video podcast, he condemned what he described as Assange's"sexual behavior" as "disgusting." Galloway added that Assange's actions may just have been "bad manners."
Salma Yaqoob, the leader of Respect party, rebuked Galloway's remarks as disappointing.
“Let me be clear, as a politician and as a woman. Rape occurs when awoman has not consented to sex. George Galloway's comments on whatconstitutes rape are deeply disappointing and wrong,” she said in astatement.
Assange, who has taken refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London sincelast June to avoid extraditions to Sweden, is accused of sexuallyassaulting two women in Sweden in 2010. He is wanted by theSwedish judicial authorities for questioning.
"I don't believe, from what we know, that the Director of PublicProsecutions would sanction a prosecution in Britain. What occurred isnot rape as most people understand it,” Galloway added
He hinted that the claims against Assange are politically motivated."And it's important to note that the two women involved did notinitially claim it."However Yaqoob said “there are many political issues entwined in thecase of Julian Assange.These issues cannot be used to diminish in anyway the seriousness of any allegations against him. Any individualaccused of a crime, sexual or otherwise, is innocent until provenguilty.
"By the same token, any individual who believes themselves to be a victim has a right to have their grievances heard in a fairmanner and not have their allegations belittled or dismissed. This isthe cornerstone of justice.”
In a statement issued after Yaqoob “ s remarks, Galloway insisted theclaims against Assange'' would not have led to prosecution in Britainand had "all the hallmarks of a set-up".
He added, "No never means yes and non-consensual sex is rape. There'sno doubt about it and that has always been my position. But, if myremarks on the podcast need clarification, I am happy to do that.”
Assange had repeatedly made clear he was ready to go to Sweden toface questioning, if they guarantee he will not then be extradited tothe US.
"It is not denied that Assange had consensual sex with woman A onAugust 14, 2010, and similarly with Miss W three days later. She evenhosted a party for him the following evening," Galloway said.
"Over the next three days, the women met up and talked to a journalistabout the events. On August 20, both went to a police station, not toallege rape, but to see if it was possible to force Assange to have anHIV test.
"An arrest warrant was issued and then withdrawn, with a chiefprosecutor saying, 'I don't think there is reason to suspect he hascommitted rape'."