Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/637179
ByGregoryKatzand Jamey Keaten The Associated Press LONDON It started more than five years ago as what appeared to be a fairly sim- ple sex crime case: two women in Sweden came forward to accuse Julian Assange of sexual miscon- duct. Now the case has mu- tated into a complicated international drama in- volving Britain, Sweden, the United States, Ecua- dor, a host of human rights lawyers and the United Nations. But when the dust set- tles from an unexpected U.N. work- ing group's f i n d i n g F r i d a y that As- sange has been un- law f u lly detained, the pain- ful stale- mate is expected to con- tinue, and Assange — though claiming full vindication — will most likely remain cooped up in the Ecuadorean Em- bassy in London. The panel said his stay at the embassy — which he entered voluntarily in 2012 — constitutes arbitrary de- tention and that he should be set free and compen- sated for lost time. Lawyer and legal blog- ger Carl Gardner said the finding "beggars belief" and pointed out it isn't le- gally binding. "Nobody will have to do anything," as a result of this finding, he said. The sex crime allega- tions came at the height of Assange's fame as the founder of WikiLeaks, an organization that had made a name for itself by releasing hundreds of thousands of pages of clas- sified government docu- ments. He had challenged, and embarrassed, U.S. offi- cials with his disclosures, and feared a secret indict- ment in U.S. courts that could lead to prosecution there. One woman said As- sange intentionally dam- aged a condom and pinned her down while having sex. A second woman said As- sange had sex with her without a condom while she was asleep. In Sweden, having sex with an uncon- scious, drunk or sleeping person can lead to a rape conviction punishable by up to six years in prison. A Swedish investiga- tion into the crimes was launched, then dropped for lack of evidence, and then started again as pros- ecutors sought to question Assange about possible molestation and rape. The computer hacker — facing no criminal charges — left Sweden for Britain, andthelegalpalaverbegun. Once he left, it became much more complicated for Swedish prosecutors to determine if the evidence against him was convinc- ing enough to merit a criminal charge. When prosecutors de- cided they needed to ques- tionhimaboutthewomen's allegations, they sought an international arrest war- rant for him that was is- sued in November, 2010. By then, Assange was in London, where he was seen by many as a hero in a "David versus Goliath" struggle pitting scrappy WikiLeaks against the mighty U.S. government. He was the toast of the town — at least among a group of wealthy friends from the film and media worlds who enjoyed the discomfort he brought to the high and mighty. The arrest warrant would not go away, how- ever, and Assange surren- dered to police in London and was detained until his bail was granted. WIKILEAKS As sa ng e se x ca se s in ks i n international quagmire Assange By Jenny Barchfield and Jamey Keaten The Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO In a sign of mounting global concern over the Zika virus, health officials on Friday warned pregnant women to think twice about the lips they kiss and called on men to use condoms with pregnant partners if they have visited countries where the virus is present. U.N. officials also called on many Catholic-majority countries in Latin Amer- ica to loosen their abortion laws to allow women to ter- minate pregnancies if they fear the fetus may be at risk for a rare birth defect that causes brain damage and an abnormally small head, which may be linked to the virus. The flurry of recommen- dations began in Brazil, where a top health official warned pregnant women to be cautious with their kisses. Paulo Gadelha, president of the Fiocruz research in- stitute, said at a news con- ference that scientists have found live virus in saliva and urine samples, and the possibility it could be spread by the two body flu- ids requires further study. He said that calls for spe- cial precaution to be taken with pregnant women, and suggested they avoid kiss- ing people other than a reg- ular partner or sharing cut- lery, glasses and plates with people who have symptoms of the virus. "This is not a generalized public health measure, for the love of God," he added, stressing both the serious- ness of the discovery and re- ality that it was too soon to say how it could impact the epidemic. Friday's announcement coincided with the start of Carnival, a five-day-long bacchanalia that sees mil- lions of people take part in non-stop, alcohol-fueled parties where kissing as many people as possible is a top pastime. Gadelha un- derscored that the discov- ery needn't alter Carnival plans for anyone but preg- nant women. Gadelha also stressed that the Aedes aegpyti mosquito, which spreads dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever as well as Zika, remains the virus' main vector and said the fight against the mosquito should be a top priority. The Fiocruz team stud- ied samples taken from two patients who showed symp- toms of Zika and also tested positive for the illness. Tests on cell cultures showed the viruses in the samples were capable of damaging the cells, meaning that they were active. Myrna Bonaldo, who headed the Fiocruz team behind the discovery, said she was particularly sur- prised the virus was found in urine because Zika is generally thought not to thrive in acidic mediums. "Each discovery is a sur- prise and a new find for us," she said. "For us scientists, it's extremely challenging to understand Zika virus." Meanwhile, in Geneva, spokeswoman Cecile Pouilly said the U.N. High Commis- sioner for Human Rights was asking governments in Zika-affected countries in Latin America and the Ca- ribbean to repeal any poli- cies that restrict access to sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion. "How can they ... not of- fer (women) ... the possibil- ity to stop their pregnancies if they wish?" she said. Pouilly gave the exam- ple of El Salvador, where about a quarter of women had experienced physical or sexual violence in the past year. "So that also shows that many of these pregnancies are out of their control and countries obviously have to take that into account," she said. Pouilly said that safe abortion services should be provided to the full extent of the law. "The key point is that women should have the choice and (make) informed decisions," she said. Meanwhile, U.S. health officials said men who have visited an area with Zika should use condoms if they have sex with a pregnant woman — for the entire du- ration of the pregnancy. The guidance issued Fri- day also says men might consider abstaining or us- ing condoms even if they have sex with a woman who isn't pregnant. Zika virus disease is mainly spread by mosqui- toes. But U.S. health offi- cials detected a case of sex- ual transmission of the dis- ease in Texas this week and in Brazil, officials said they had confirmed the virus was contracted via blood transfusions. For most peo- ple who catch the virus, it causes mild or no symp- toms. ZIKA VIRUS In Brazil, pregnant women urged to be cautious with kiss FELIPEDANA—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS Young revelers joke with each other as they lay on the shade during the "Burial of the Mosquito" carnival block parade in Olinda, Pernambuco state, Brazil, on Friday. | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2016 10 A