Assange seeks asylum in Ecuador

[opebo]

I'm no diplomatic expert and like opebo, I'm a lazy, so I'll ask - Isn't a diplomatic vehicle and a diplomatic plane the property of the foreign gummit?  I'm guessing no or he'd be in Quito by now.....but enlighten me.

Yeah, they probably wouldn't enter Ecuador's car or plane (though I'm guessing Ecuador only used ordinary commercial flights), I think the issue is that even if he were transported without notice to the airport, he would still have to pass through some form of immigration control.  Diplomats do as well - they have their own line for rushed service, but they still have to go though it.  I imagine there are cases - maybe american diplomats, highly ranked members of governments, and I would even guess some of the super-rich, whose immigrations processing is taken care of on their own private plane, but a delegation from immigration, dealing with minions. 

But the fact remains, everyone (other than maybe a head-of-state) who goes into and out of a country still has to have a passport, show it, and get stamped in or out.  I don't think he could get out, leaving aside the idea of Ecuador deliberately violating British immigration law by smuggling him out in a bag, which I don't think they would do.  Quite frankly I think it is far more likely that Britain will break with diplomatic protocol by simply removing  him from the Embassy than that Ecuador will try to get him on a plane.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Quite frankly I think it is far more likely that Britain will break with diplomatic protocol by simply removing  him from the Embassy than that Ecuador will try to get him on a plane.

Agreed

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Hey Al, it turns out that article you linked twice is wrong (according to this Guardian article)!  It is in fact up to the Swedish government to extradite or not extradite, and it could in fact make promises or 'guarantees' about same.  And another source debunking your article.

I think it's more that one particular claim might be, but whatever.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The issue with getting into a car is more the 'getting into' part than anything else; he's wanted for breaching bail conditions so he would most likely be arrested as soon as he walked out of the embassy.

Anyway, at present things seem to have reverted back to 'let him stay in there as long as they'll have him'. The elections in Ecuador are early next year, I think.

[Bacon King]

Couldn't Assange just be taken from the embassy to a vehicle, carried inside a largeish crate, if it is properly marked as a diplomatic bag? Even if the British knew he was inside, they'd still be prohibited from opening it, no?

[Silent Hunter]

Couldn't Assange just be taken from the embassy to a vehicle, carried inside a largeish crate, if it is properly marked as a diplomatic bag? Even if the British knew he was inside, they'd still be prohibited from opening it, no?

Diplomatic bags aren't allowed to be used to transport people. They'd be able to stop it if they suspected he was in it and refuse to allow it to go on a plane.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

While they would have no right to inspect or detain a diplomatic bag, the UK would be within its rights to hermetically vacuum seal it.

[Silent Hunter]

It is interesting how the FCO position on the inviolability of diplomatic bags has changed, isn't it?

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The next paragraph of that article points out that does not include arms. Or legs. Or entire living Australians.

[Bacon King]

New idea: Vienna Convention specifies that diplomatic couriers are immune from all arrests and detainments, that they can be appointed on an ad hoc basis, and doesn't give any nationality requirements.

Could Assange be able to just walk from the Embassy to the airport, and fly to Ecuador with no problems, if he was properly accredited as an ad-hoc diplomatic courier and was given some random papers to carry with him in a satchel marked as a diplomatic bag?

Also, on another note, would Ecuador even want to smuggle him out like this? I've considered the fact that they might just be using Assange as a bargaining chip, to be released into British custody whenever they agree to consessions of some sort (though I have no idea what those would be).

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

For those who think that the diplomatic courier solution is an option, it isn't at least for now.

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Assange would have to acquire Ecuadorian citizenship before he could be accredited as diplomatic staff.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

How exactly is Assange a terrorist and how has he endangered anyone's life?

Assange may be a rapist, and whether he is or isn't he obviously is an ego-filled attention whore. But a terrorist? LOL.

[morgieb]

How exactly is Assange a terrorist and how has he endangered anyone's life?

Assange may be a rapist, and whether he is or isn't he obviously is an ego-filled attention whore. But a terrorist? LOL.

By reading right-wing propaganda.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Diplomatic couriers are not usually members of staff accredited to a mission (e.g., the Queens's Messangers) - so I would think it quite questionable whether Article 8 applies.

Article 5 allows for a state to insist upon members of the staff be accredited to a particular mission primarily so that the Republic of Hatfield need not share the same agricultural agent from Fredonia as their enemy the Kingdom of McCoy.  No one usually cares who the couriers are since they never stay in country long.  However, it would be exceedingly odd that you could reject all other diplomatic personnel, but not the couriers.  So while Articles 5 and 8 would rarely get used against diplomatic couriers I see no reason why they should not be and eery reason why they should.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Coincidentally, came across this in the news just now.

India diplomatic bag found in French Alps after 46 years

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19433294

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I can't think of any reason for Sweden to drop the case, let alone drop it so soon.

[opebo]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19433294

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I can't think of any reason for Sweden to drop the case, let alone drop it so soon.

Well, it certainly is the opposite delusion of the one of which he is normally accused.