Bail for Assange, but no freedom from jail

Despite a central London court granting bail to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (39) after an 80-minute hearing on Tuesday, he wasn’t released. Reason: lawyers acting for a Swedish prosecutor, who’ve charged him with having sex without condoms, immediately appealed against the ruling. The date of the fresh hearing is awaited.

Assange made an appearance in a dark blue jacket and an open white shirt. He looked ashen-faced, his hair short and greying.

“The court has found that Assange is a flight risk; and it’s submitted that nothing has changed,” the prosecution counsel argued. “In bail applications under the extradition act, the strength of evidence ought not to be a primary focus.”

But defence lawyer Geoffrey Robertson pleaded that 10 distinguished people had offered bail. Finally, two sureties totalling £200,000 were registered. Assange’s supporters in court included Bianca Jagger, Tariq Ali, Henry Porter, Fatima Bhutto and Jemima Khan.

Robertson said he had no objection to electronic tagging of his client, or even part-time curfew. Bail was granted under these conditions . “We doubt whether the actual categories of rape would be rape under English law,” said Robertson.

Assange has become public enemy number one in the United States after WikiLeaks exposed US army logs from Afghanistan and Iraq and is currently drip feeding classified US embassy cables to media. Assange is alleged to have sexually assaulted two women in Stockholm in August. Swedish authorities, though, are yet to formally charge him with any offence. Assange denies the assaults and is fighting against his extradition to Sweden.

Boisterous demonstrators heeded calls from ‘Justice for Assange Campaign’ to protest. One of them held up a placard saying ‘Sex crimes, my arse!’ Another declared: ‘Exposing war crimes is no crime’.

In a statement, Assange blasted Visa, MasterCard and PayPal for blocking donations to his website. He claimed the firms were “instruments of US foreign policy” . But Assange vowed his convictions were unfaltering. “I remain true to the ideals I’ve expressed . This circumstance (of being held in custody) will not shake them,” he said.

Assange’s mother Christine was present at the hearing . “As a mother I’m asking the world to stand up for my brave son,” she said,TOI reports.