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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has failed in a bid to win asylum in France.
Assange wrote a letter to French President Francois Hollande published in Le Monde on Friday, appealing to France's history as a beacon for the repressed. He noted that WikiLeaks recently revealed that the U.S. National Security Agency spied on Hollande and his two predecessors and leading French companies.
Hollande quickly said "no." In a statement, his office noted that Assange is under a European arrest warrant and his life is not in imminent danger.
The exchange came after prominent French voices, including soccer legend Eric Cantona and economist Thomas Piketty, appealed for France to grant haven to Assange and NSA leaker Edward Snowden.
French Justice Minister Christine Taubira suggested in a televised interview last week that she would be open to the idea.
But Hollande's statement Friday made it clear that won't happen. "A deep examination found that given the judicial elements and the material situation of Mr. Assange, France cannot follow through on his request," he said.
Read more here. (CBC World)
Assange wrote a letter to French President Francois Hollande published in Le Monde on Friday, appealing to France's history as a beacon for the repressed. He noted that WikiLeaks recently revealed that the U.S. National Security Agency spied on Hollande and his two predecessors and leading French companies.
Hollande quickly said "no." In a statement, his office noted that Assange is under a European arrest warrant and his life is not in imminent danger.
The exchange came after prominent French voices, including soccer legend Eric Cantona and economist Thomas Piketty, appealed for France to grant haven to Assange and NSA leaker Edward Snowden.
French Justice Minister Christine Taubira suggested in a televised interview last week that she would be open to the idea.
But Hollande's statement Friday made it clear that won't happen. "A deep examination found that given the judicial elements and the material situation of Mr. Assange, France cannot follow through on his request," he said.
Read more here. (CBC World)
