Egypt, S.Arabia step up trade ties through coordination council talks    Egypt reviews progress on $200m World Bank-funded waste management hub    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    SCZONE, Tokyo Metropolitan Government sign MoU on green hydrogen cooperation    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egyptian pound down vs. US dollar at Monday's close – CBE    Egypt's FM, Palestinian PM visit Rafah crossing to review Gaza aid    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



UK court backs decision to bail WikiLeaks'' Assange
Published in Almasry Alyoum on 16 - 12 - 2010

London's High Court upheld a decision on Thursday to free on bail WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is fighting extradition to Sweden over rape allegations.
Assange, the target of US fury over WikiLeaks' release of secret diplomatic cables, denies allegations of sexual misconduct made by two female WikiLeaks volunteers.
High Court Justice Duncan Ouseley ruled that the 39-year-old Australian could be released on bail of 200,000 pounds (US$317,000), and made slight changes to several bail conditions set by a lower court judge on Tuesday.
"He clearly does have some desire to clear his name because, if he were not to do so, the allegations would always be hanging over him," Ouseley said.
British prosecutors had gone to the High Court to appeal against the lower court's decision to grant bail.
Photographers caught Assange giving a defiant victory sign from within the police van taking him to court on Thursday. He sat in the dock listening to proceedings from behind ornate metal bars.
WikiLeaks has infuriated the US authorities by publishing part of a trove of 250,000 US diplomatic cables, including details of overseas sites that Washington regards as vital to its security.
It was expected that Assange would leave custody on Thursday after his lawyer Mark Stephens said the 200,000 pound cash surety had been raised by supporters.
BAIL TERMS
Other bail conditions stipulate that Assange must stay at a country house in eastern England owned by a wealthy supporter, report to police daily, and wear an electronic tag.
Ouseley made three changes to the bail conditions, including the hours of the curfew Assange will be subject to, the boundaries of the area where he must stay and adjustments to the hours during which he must report to police every day.
Prosecution lawyer Gemma Lindfield said the nature of the alleged offences provided strong incentive for him to abscond.
She said he had no community ties in Britain, and that many of his supporters were fighting a cause and might welcome him absconding.
Defense lawyer Geoffrey Robertson rejected the concerns.
"He has always been available. He was never in hiding. The suggestions that have been made before you ... are sheer speculation," he told the court.
Celebrities such as journalist John Pilger, film director Ken Loach and socialite Jemima Khan are backing Assange.
There was confusion over whether Britain or Sweden had been behind the bid to deny him bail. A spokeswoman for Sweden's prosecution authority said the case was in British hands.
Britain's Director of Public Prosecutions told BBC radio that prosecutors had been acting as the agents for the Swedish government but declined to comment on the specifics of the case.
A full extradition hearing is expected in early February.
Assange and his lawyers have voiced fears that US prosecutors might be preparing to indict him for espionage over WikiLeaks' publication of the documents.
The New York Times reported that federal prosecutors were looking for evidence that Assange had conspired with a former US Army intelligence analyst suspected of leaking classified documents in order to bring charges against him.
Internet activists have tried to sabotage the websites of organizations they believe have obstructed WikiLeaks, including Visa, MasterCard and the Swedish prosecutor's office.


Clic here to read the story from its source.