[jpz]

He is in jail for the offence of jumping bail. That Sweden dropped the charges doesn’t dismiss that offence.

The UK spent 10s of millions on policing costs monitoring abscondment.

It is entirely right that he is serving a sentence as for reasons of deterrence.

[sp332]

He is not currently serving the sentence for jumping bail. Right now he is just being held waiting for a hearing.

[rbobby]

Assange doesn't qualify for bail (he is a flight risk/certainty) so he stays in custody until the hearings are done.

Made his bed and now has to lie in it.

[yk]

Having him 23 h a day in solitary confinement and not allowing him to call his mom seems a bit harsh, if they are concerned that he's a flight risk.

[JoeSmithson]

There is no evidence that Assange is being held in solitary confinement, in fact it has been explicitly denied by his UN supporter[0].

> "...although Assange was not being held in solitary confinement at HMP Belmarsh..."

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/julian-assan...

[rbobby]

I would think he's in protective custody because he would be in extreme danger in general population. He's a celebrity and would likely be viewed as rapist and traitor (the facts don't matter, what matters is what the other criminals would think).

A good question is whether he needs to be held in a maximum security facility. He's a bail flight risk, but is he an escape risk? I would think he's at most a moderate escape risk (has some capabilities and has shown his contempt for the legal system previously) and would be fine in something less than maximum security (so long as protective custody could be maintained).

I do know Assange has a competent legal team that would fight his being held in maximum security if Assange wanted them too. I wonder why he hasn't instructed them to do so.

[multjoy]

Remand prisoners don’t progress through the security categories. You’re Cat C with some extra privileges, and that’s your lot.

HMPS are solely responsible for the conditions in which somebody is held, the legal team can do nothing for him.

[glogla]

> The UK spent 10s of millions on policing costs monitoring abscondment.

They didn't have to. The fact they chose to throw ridiculous amount of money away besieging some guy because US dislikes him, is on them, not on Assange.

[kspacewalk2]

If you don't police a bail violation and send the offender to jail, then bail is really just a pinky-swear release. Come to court if you want, type of deal.

[armitron]

How many other bail violations have you seen the UK spend millions of pounds for? As a UK citizen, the government stance in the Assange case disgusts me.

It's obvious what's going on here, nevermind the "see nothing hear nothing" attitude that's on display.

[foldr]

>How many other bail violations have you seen the UK spend millions of pounds for?

How many others were as high profile? The law has to be seen to be enforced.

[jczhang]

23 hr solidary confinement with sedation is torture, not a sentence.