ZCZC
BFF-24
ECUADOR-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY-ASSANGE
Ecuador court denies bail to accused hacker linked to Assange
QUITO, May 30, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – A Swedish national linked to WikiLeaks
founder Julian Assange and accused of computer hacking was denied bail by a
court in Ecuador on Wednesday.
Ola Bini was arrested while trying to leave Ecuador for Japan on April 11 –
– the day Quito withdrew its offer of asylum to Assange, who had taken refuge
in its London embassy since 2012.
The Ecuadorian government has accused Bini, 36, of plotting to attack
computer systems in the country.
Bini had refused to cooperate with investigators and the prosecution was
therefore unable to identify the possible victims or damage caused by the
alleged hacking, Judge Yadira Proano said in denying his bail application.
Defense lawyer Jose Charry said Bini’s rights had been infringed and the
prosecutor “did not do his job” by failing to identify or explain the nature
of the charges.
Assange was taken into British custody and sentenced to 50 weeks in prison
for violating the conditions of his bail in 2012, when he sought asylum at
the embassy in London.
He was later charged under US anti-espionage laws for the 2010 publication
of thousands of military and diplomatic documents by WikiLeaks.
The Australian also faces a European arrest warrant against him for an
alleged rape committed in Sweden the same year.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1200 hrs
Bottom of Form