Assange could go to international court

23 Aug 2012, 8:10 pm   -   Source: AAP

The legal team for Julian Assange says it's likely to apply to the International Court of Justice to get the Wikileaks founder out of London.

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Julian Assange's legal team will likely apply to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to get the activist out of London to diplomatic asylum in Ecuador.

Former judge at Spain's top criminal court, and head of Mr Assange's legal team, Baltasar Garzon, says they are exploring a number of ways to guarantee his safety.

The ICJ is the world's top arbitration body for disputes between states.

Speaking through an interpreter on the sidelines of the International Council of Archives Congress in Brisbane, Mr Garzon said the United Kingdom is bound by international law to offer his client safe passage to asylum.

The UK could be ordered into negotiations with Ecuador if the ICJ finds in favour of an application.

The lawyer said they would request many provisional measures be taken by the UK, on humanitarian grounds, to guarantee Mr Assange's safety.

Mr Garzon would not elaborate on what they might be.

"Mr Assange does not refuse to being tried in Sweden," he said.

Ecuador has requested guarantees from Sweden, before and after it granted asylum, that Mr Assange not be handed over to the US in relation to Wikileaks' activities.

"When that guarantee comes there won't be any issues - that's very simple, we don't need any further explanation or elaboration."

The legal team has also requested that a Swedish prosecutor come to London to interview Mr Assange in Ecuador's embassy.

However, in Stockholm, Swedish prosecutors ruled out travelling to London to question Mr Assange over the alleged sex crimes even though the WikiLeaks founder's lawyer said he had key information relating to the matter.

"There is nothing new. We are still waiting for Mr Assange," Helena Ekstrand, spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office, told AFP on Thursday when asked about the comments of Mr Garzon.

Mr Garzon had told The Sydney Morning Herald that he has key information relating to the rape claims his client was facing and that it would be a "very good option" for the Swedes to travel to London to take a statement.

Swedish justice's position on the case is not new. The prosecution believes that Assange, who is facing rape and sexual assault allegations from two women from Stockholm, should go to Sweden to give his version of the facts.

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