Either thanks for joining us here on r. T. International. Prosecutors in sweden say that theyre dropping a nearly decade long rape case against wiki leaks cofounder Julian Assange is admitting the evidence we couldnt over time is the power for his likely extradition to the United States where he faces charges of espionage earlier i discussed the case with arties donald court. You know this whole saga started out did it with that with the rape allegations against us and youve been through the whole mill since then but now were back to those initial charges thats right neal exactly it was in 2010 that the swedish government filed in International Arrest warrant against songs for 2 charges one of molestation and another of rape but assad has always denied these charges hes even cooperated with the International Investigation from abroad and it was the threat of extradition to the United States if you were to have been arrested in sweden that forced him to take political asylum within the Ecuadorian Embassy in london now it turns out that this case that started it all doesnt even have enough socalled corroborative evidence for. The evidentiary basis is such that he corroborating evidence is not sufficient to in a way that is prescribed by the Supreme Court deemed that the description of the alleged criminal act can be proven. Earlier today the swedish prosecutor explained her reasoning for dropping the charges she said that the witnesses involved were were credible but over the years the case itself had weakened and in the q. And a that followed she also said that the heavy media influence on the witnesses was another important consideration that they took into consideration 1st inspection suppose of joining the soldier might think this is good news but things are rarely that simple do you think it is good news well at 1st glance it certainly seems so but i mean the original fear was that if a songe was arrested in sweden he would be extradited to the United States but the fact of the matter is that the situation has changed since then and lets not forget hes been sitting in a u. K. High security prison since april sancia has been i mean the government is set to decide his fate in 2020 and the United States has already filed an official request for his extradition to london so wiki leaks has already said this actually only means that sweden is no. Longer going to be competing with the United States for the extradition rights over a song now as for what awaits a songe in the United States if he is extradited that while it is probably nothing fair i think a son should be assassinated actually. Contract maybe use a draw or something but this guy is a traitor a treasonous and he has broken every law the United States the guy ought to be and im not for the Death Penalty so if im not for the Death Penalty want to do it illegally shoot the son of a i think the man as a terrorist could act tough and say if we catch you were going to hang you while whatever wiki leaks walks like a Hostile Intelligence Service and talks like a Hostile Intelligence Service ignorance or misplaced idealism is no longer an acceptable excuse for lionizing these demons and why has the us been so set on getting its hands on the songs well see for yourself. I mean. What are you kidding. Me. Ok lets bring in douglas make now whos an International Criminal defense lawyer who specializes in International Extradition proceeding so its great to have you all will get to the extradition which im going to talk about in just a moment but 1st things 1st because it is the latest news in the swedish investigation thanks to being dropped into. A sons is that definitely 1st of all the end of this well could possible charges still reappear. Well im not a swedish lawyer so i chanted vies as to what. The prosecution is is available. In sweden it seems that sweden has had a more than sufficient time to make a decision as to whether to proceed against mr songs as far as extradition is concerned ive not heard my story it just seems to me i just want to say have you heard of cases like this before where you took in the best part of a decade to put together a case and then its its just dropped evidence said to have weakened is that unusual no its not unusual the burden is on the prosecutor in sweden to prove both to prove their case and the swedish prosecutor certainly have the right so to speak to have number turned to sweden to stand trial but theres no sense in doing that if the prosecutors dont believe that they can that they can get a conviction i might mention to your client may that in the extradition treaty between the United States since where you can and theres a provision that says that if the u. S. Seeks to have an individual extradited from sweden to the u. S. Prior to the trial Going Forward in sweden against the then the u. S. Can make that request and so had mr shaw and been extradited to sweden the u. S. Could still account league. That to get a whole to take custody of mr a song by requesting sweden for temporarily news ing the billboards in the extradition treaty pick temporarily sand mistress saw inch to the u. S. U. S. Going to pretty much. If he were convicted then. He would have to serve his time in the u. S. Then after serving his time in the u. S. Here with then be returned to sweden to stand trial in sweden so mr assads had all kinds of avenues of which he had to can cast but as it appears now from what youre sad sweden has decided not to pursue extradition against mr assigned and so i think its character to assume that the swedish matter has gone away the biggest challenge for mr a staunch is going to be able to try to defeat the u. S. Extradition of him to u. S. Simcoe the sexist and having i believe in and fed to a what will happen in that. Well hell be. First of all the the court will make sure that he has the same person who the us to seek in behalf of have placed an extradition proceedings and return to the us and then there will be given a day by which a full blown extradition proceeding will will check likes. I was an Expert Witness and be nat west extradition hearing in london where the us was seeking to have 3 british bankers extradited to the uk to the us and so it id. Rather unusual that and Magistrate Court and u. K. There isnt a Court Reporter taking down all of the testimony so that mr exxons in this particular case would need to hire his own Court Reporter in effect to take down all of that that that the testimony by all the parties such that if the worst Case Scenario mr assad schwartzel lose that he would have the appellate process of vailable to him so he would need to have that record of the proceedings before the magistrate judge if he were going to contest the the extradition decision i think something the people of home will be curious about will this be decided purely the Legal Process because its clear the us a politically motivated to get the songs over that cant politics playing politics. Well i think its absolutely fair all of those covering the. Election edition proceeding it was not designed to be. Politics absolutely positively should not come into why this should be treated as you know me. Perceiving where the u. S. Are seeking to have someone extradited from u. K. To you our story you tell you sitting there warren extradited us back to you carol but i think its cruel ish for a one to assume that politics will not come into play of this particular matter. Douglas wish you could keep on speaking and i will speak again in the future on this case Douglas Mcnabb is my guest International Criminal defense lawyer specializing in International Acts edition proceedings thank you my pleasure. My pump provoked outrage by announcing a reversal of a decades old stance on israeli settlements in the west bank he said that they did not necessarily violate International Law the settlements are on territory occupied by israel since the 6 day war and one of the most contentious issues in the conflict between israel and palestine. The u. S. Administration has lost its credibility to play any future role in the Peace Process we regard washingtons decision as another step aimed at collapsing the system of International Law regulating the middle east and thus further straining Israeli Palestinian ties settlements in occupied palestine are a blatant violation of International Law and Un Security Council resolutions theyre an illegal action that will kill 2 state solution jordans position in condemning them is unwavering we warn against dangerous consequences of the us change of position on settlements on middle east peace plan all settlement activity is illegal under International Law and it erodes the viability of the 2 state solution and the prospects for a lasting peace. For decades the u. S. Regarded the settlements is inconsistent with International Law still the view of much of the International Community citing the 4th Geneva Convention washington strange stance contradicts numerous un resolutions on International Human rights conventions and is the only the latest controversial move by the terms of ministration when it comes to israel the white house recognized israeli sovereignty of the Golan Heights that territory ceased from 767 formally annexed in 1901 washingtons also broken with International Consensus possibly recognizing jerusalem as the capital of israel but decisions widely condemned including by the United Nations but here surrounds the Embassy Relocation violent protests erupted Israeli Forces killed dozens of others to. Me as political commentator me or what the implications of the latest decision might be. This is of course a very. Discriminating way of conducting diplomacy and the United States has chosen to act unilaterally disregarding the United NationsSecurity Council even its allies and the western allies do not see eye to eye with washington on the stopping so obviously it will not be a precedent and the United States will probably be isolated obviously this is going to please the right wing in israel it is not going to change anything if at all it is going to give more strength to those extremists in the Palestinian Community who say that diplomacy is not the road for statehood and that they must act violently and therefore israelis should be against this policy announcement and not for it. Or my bumper just defied the decision saying it provides the space to find a political solution between the 2 sides however the us has issued a travel warning at the same time we asked people on the ground what they think. The usa zionist position is against ethics this is our homeland and our families so well resist as our religion says if you die fighting for your lands you are a martyr and well continue want to difficult part against any decision which can steal our right to decide and our freedom and our dignity it is only to cover up the israeli crimes and propaganda against anyone opposing the building of settlements. In our own or the decision of trying to consider the Israeli Zionist settlements on the police union lands illegal and legitimate is totally against International Law to take any occupied lands and give them to the Occupying Force today lost its role as a mediator in the Peace Process in the eyes of the palestinians by declaring in a direct way that the settlements are legal and legitimate and you know. Your sect 2 states announced the washington will impose sanctions on irans for doored Nuclear Facility there so repeated his support for the ongoing protests in the country tehran hit back by accusing the u. S. Of stirring up a rest the United States will terminate the sanctions were related to the Nuclear Facility at fordo iran people enjoy a Better Future when their government begins to respect. Basic human rights abandons its revolutionary. Posture and its destabilizing Foreign Policy in the region and behave simply like a normal nation but. It is strange the United States and its officials who have committed the greatest of crimes by imposing much pressure on the toughest sanctions on iran are communicating to the iranian people that they support these protests we dont expect anything else from mr disgracefully defense the maximum pressure regime and the position of sanctions on iran will then rest broke out after a surprise 50 percent hike in fuel prices announced on friday mass anger boiled over in at least a dozen cities buildings found lies than pictures of iran supreme leader. Brown said the revenues will be used to help those least well off it all comes with the country in the grip of the deep economic crisis aggravated by tough u. S. Sanctions the scale of more pain ripples. The trumpet ministration seems jubilant about the recent protests in iran as i said to the people of iran almost a year and a half ago the United States is with you now the protests are being driven by the Economic Situation g. D. P. Growth projections are down by 9. 5 Percent Inflation is it 40 percent and unemployment is at 16 percent and rising but it was a 15 percent increase in the price of fuel that sparked the recent turmoil. Now an economic squeeze like that is bound to get people upset but why is iran in such poor shape well donald trump has a lot to do. With it in 2015 the International Community agreed to lift a decades old sanctions in response to an agreement that was reached about irans Peaceful NuclearEnergy Program but then along came donald trump he decided to pull out of the Nuclear Agreement he says that iran broke the spirit of the deal however International Observers say that iran fully complied as of today i can state that iran is implementing its. Commitments after pulling out of the deal the trumpet administration began imposing sanctions on iran intended to wreck their economy accusing iran of quote destabilizing activities around the region the usa even threatened to impose sanctions on other countries that dared to buy iranian oil anyone doing business with iran will not be doing business with the United States im asking for world peace nothing less. Weare ready to impose sanctions on any activity subject to restrictions after the Iran Nuclear Deal in 2015 iran was exporting roughly 2500000. 00 barrels of oil per day now that number is down to roughly 200000 in a country where the economy is centered around state run oil exports thats a pretty big financial loss and it has been detrimental cuts in fuel subsidies and other benefits for the population had to be made so i dont know top arena fish use have sat down and made a decision for the country based on expert assessments and this decision must be executed which is what according to donald trump working to economically ruin iran makes him the best friend of the iranian people nothing says i love you like bleeding someone dry is cool nations to support irans people as they struggled to reclaim. Their religious and rights is. Today i want to deliver a message to the long suffering people of iran. The people of america stand with you will be arrayed in people return to the nations proud roots as a center of civilization culture and wealth where their people can be happy and prosperous once again the United States throughout the reigning in history has always been against democracy i mean the United States was the country together with britain that instigated the 1000 the rule against democratically elected mohamed right now its no different i mean the United States has imposed a very severe sanctions on iran which is perth a lot of or