Julian Assange has laid out his view on why Barack Obama’s seizure of property belonging to the Embassy of the Russian Federation to the United States violates international law.
The Wikileaks founder’s Tweets are reproduced in-full below.
1/ Expelling "diplomats" is perfectly lawful. But seizing diplomatic property is a clear and dangerous breach of the Vienna Convention.
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
2/ I know all about this as I had to study whether the UK could legally seize Ecuador's embassy. No–even if every diplomat is expelled.
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
3/ The Vienna Convention governs all diplomatically certified buildings. Inviolability is explicit. https://t.co/k6CepS4HbF pic.twitter.com/fEZGUaJsnA
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
4/ Obama's seizure of two Russian embassy properties is seen by the global diplomatic community as beyond the pale. Why? Not because…
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
5/ of any great love of Russia. But because it places all embassies everywhere at risk by setting a new norm.
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
6/ That is why even countries that opposed the US supported its rights in relation to the 1979 occupation of its embassy in Tehran.
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
7/ Obama's action in seizing the two Russian embassy properties is much worse than the seizure of the US embassy in Iran. Why? Because…
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
8/ Iran had just had a revolution and was in chaos. Protestors and not the Iranian government occupied the embassy (at least formally).
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
9/ By contrast the US seizure of Russia's property was proclaimed to be an act of state, a flagrant and destabilizing breach of Vienna.
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
10/ The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations is not just some obscure international law. It is the foundation of all diplomatic law.
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
11/ It is the most widely obeyed and respected international law there is. It governs every diplomat, embassy and consulate.
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
12/ So Obama's flagrant breach of it strikes at the heart the entire diplomatic system. Normally it is only seen when armed mobs take over..
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
13/ and a militia occupies an embassy. As both the US and Russia are signatories to the Optional Protocol on Disputes any time Russia…
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
14/ wants to it can take the case to the International Court of Justice and win within months. https://t.co/lUCvwd5AdD
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
15/ If the US doesn't obey the ICJ ruling on it will alienate the global diplomatic community and the ICJ. It will then be open season…
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
16/ on US diplomats and diplomatic properties around the world and states will look to take other ICJ cases against the US since its…
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
17/ standing at the ICJ will have diminished increasing the chance of victory for the plaintiff.
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
18/ THE ABOVE is likely why we are seeing talk about the US giving the Russian properties back. The Trump admin doesn't want to look…
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
19/ weak or frightened or as if it can be pushed around by the ICJ or the global diplomatic community, so it pretends that its a quid…
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
20/ pro-quo for Russia playing nice in Syria. (END)
— Julian Assange (@JulianAssange) July 14, 2017
Julian Assange is absolutely correct in his interpretation of the Vienna Convention. Barack Obama’s extra-legal seizure of Russian properties is yet another example of how his government had total disregard for even the most basic protocols of international law.
However, while Assange outlined the possible legal action Russia could take against the United States, there was a crucial omission that he only hinted at.
Assange stated that he has studied the issue of embassy property out of self-interest. The reason that Assange has not been molested by British authorities is because he is legally on Ecuadorian soil so long as he remains in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London which he has done since 2012.
However, in the United States illegal seizing property of the Russian Embassy, a dangerous precedent is set for countries violating the rights of sovereign embassies throughout the world. As Assange pointed out, the danger set by Obama is far more poignant in 2017 than was the Iranian takeover of the US embassy in 1979 in the midst of a revolution.
Russia and the US are not at war and were not at were when Obama ordered the seizures of Russian property. Likewise, there is no state of war between Britain and Ecuador, but if Obama could seize Russian territory over a clearly political agenda, could Britain do the same in respect of Ecuador?
Legally of course Britain cannot do so, but if a precedent for breaking such laws has been set by the United States, there is no telling whether or not a close NATO ally of the US could do something similar. Will those who commit war crimes together, violate the Vienna Convention together?
This is why, even if the dispute is resolved and the US hands back the stolen Russian property, it would set a legally important precedent for Russia to take the US to the International Court of Justice and at least demand compensation for being locked out of their own legal property.
For now, Russia is likely not going to follow Assange’s advice as for the time being Russia seeks to prioritise a diplomatic solution to the crisis Obama caused. Russia delayed even raising the threat of diplomatic retaliation (which is legal) until Vladimir Putin met Donald Trump face to face, something which was clearly a good will gesture. Nevertheless, Russian patience is wearing thin.
READ MORE: Did Russia learn The Art of the Deal? The curious timing of Russia’s diplomatic retaliation
Given that this is the reality, one can only imagine what Julian Assange must be feeling in respect of his own patience.
The post Obama’s seizure of Russian Embassy property could put Julian Assange in danger appeared first on The Duran.