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On Thursday afternoon, Swedish time, a preliminary hearing was held in the capital Quito, where a judge would evaluate the evidence and decide whether there were grounds to bring the accusation against Bini to trial.
After four hours, the hearing concluded, which will resume on December 16.
When TT contacts Bini’s attorney, Carlos Soria, by phone, he describes the court hearing as successful:
– We have presented very good evidence that will help prove that Ola Bini is innocent. The judges will now familiarize themselves with the material until December 16.
Carlos Soria believes that Ola Bini’s chances in the case are good, but at the same time he says that the worst case scenario would be if the judge decides to take Bini to trial.
– If that is the case, we will argue that he is innocent in court, says Carlos Soria.
“No irregularities”
Dag Gustafsson, father of Ola Bini, writes in an email that the defense during the hearing denounced “the various abuses and illegalities that the police and other authorities subjected to Ola from the arrest of April 11, 2019 onwards. It is also done reference to supporting documentation. The prosecutor alleges that there were no irregularities in Ola’s case without everything being done correctly. “
The judge adjourned the hearing with “the justification that she needs time to familiarize herself with the documentation to which Ola’s defense refers and that she also has another hearing scheduled for the afternoon,” according to Dag Gustafsson’s email.
“Low expectations”
Carlos Soria affirms that several of the Swede’s rights have been violated during the process and that he believes that the detention is arbitrary.
– We hope that Ola Bini is canceled. It does not matter if it is done invalidating the entire process or because there is no evidence, because in reality there is no such thing, says Carlos Soria to the Spanish news agency Efe.
But expectations for the audience are low, he admits, because the legal process, according to him, has been politically motivated from the beginning.
Meet Julian Assange
Ola Bini is an acquaintance of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and was arrested in Quito in April last year, just hours after Ecuador removed Assange’s asylum at the country’s embassy in London.
He was arrested at the Quito airport while on his way to Japan to participate in a martial arts training camp. He was then detained until June 20, 2019. Since then, Ola Bini has been prohibited from leaving Ecuador and has to appear before the prosecutor every week.
Bini is suspected of having gained access to computer and telecommunications systems without permission, a crime that may result in prison.
According to Suzanne Gilbert, spokesperson for the group Free Ola Bini, it is not clear what is suspected.
– Previously, the authorities declared that he had hacked an Ecuadorian telecommunications company, but those accusations have been refuted. So what Ola Bini is suspected of doing is, and always has been, very unclear, he says.
Get help from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Expressen has spoken with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which states that the Swedish embassy in Colombia has contact with Ola Bini and is following up on her case.
– In our contacts with the Ecuadorian authorities, we emphasize the importance of respecting the principles of the rule of law and we have also asked for clarification on the ongoing legal process, says Alexander Peyre Dutrey of the communication unit of the Foreign Ministry to the newspaper.
Susanna Persson Öste / TT
Beatrice Nordensson / TT
Åsa Johansson / TT
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