But as soon as you generalize the situation, the objection is much less relevant.
Assange is obviously not trying to evade justice, or "on the run". He reported to the Swedish authorities when he was first accused and wanted for questioning and then only left Sweden after they allowed him to. When he was in house arrest in the UK, he was reporting to the police every week and was being totally cooperative with the authorities. He has also repeatedly suggested that the questioning be done over Skype or by having the prosecutor visit him in the UK, which is standard practice for crimes of similar graveness in Sweden. Only after he was supposed to be extradited did he become a "fugitive" and hid in the embassy.
Furthermore, the women that could be the victims don't even want him to be persecuted, although the situation here is not clear-cut, as they could just say that to escape some retributive online justice, and since rape and similar crimes are considered crimes against the state and are persecuted by the state regardless of whether the victim wants that or not.
In a generalized rape or another similar crime, you would probably have a crime that is more obvious and has more proof, a victim that wants justice, and a criminal that is actively avoiding justice from the very beginning. You have none of that here.
Also, I don't know if that applies to all crimes or just to rape, but I find it rather funny that he cannot by persecuted "in absentia".
Assange is obviously not trying to evade justice, or "on the run". He reported to the Swedish authorities when he was first accused and wanted for questioning and then only left Sweden after they allowed him to. When he was in house arrest in the UK, he was reporting to the police every week and was being totally cooperative with the authorities. He has also repeatedly suggested that the questioning be done over Skype or by having the prosecutor visit him in the UK, which is standard practice for crimes of similar graveness in Sweden. Only after he was supposed to be extradited did he become a "fugitive" and hid in the embassy.
Furthermore, the women that could be the victims don't even want him to be persecuted, although the situation here is not clear-cut, as they could just say that to escape some retributive online justice, and since rape and similar crimes are considered crimes against the state and are persecuted by the state regardless of whether the victim wants that or not.
In a generalized rape or another similar crime, you would probably have a crime that is more obvious and has more proof, a victim that wants justice, and a criminal that is actively avoiding justice from the very beginning. You have none of that here.
Also, I don't know if that applies to all crimes or just to rape, but I find it rather funny that he cannot by persecuted "in absentia".