The UK High Court held this week that WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange’s appeal will be reconsidered. The Court believes that the US assurances that Assange would be given First Amendment Rights and not discriminated against because of his nationality were not sufficient, so that he cannot lawfully go to the US to face the 18 allegations related to the Espionage Act of 1917 for WikiLeaks’ publishing diplomatic cables and other documents. Calls to the United States to drop the charges and end the prosecution are coming in from all over the globe. It is becoming evident that all journalists need to stand for their rights to publish the truth. It’s not just Assange’s battle, it’s the battle for the ability of journalists to do investigative journalism without fear of being arrested and targeted with lawfare.
Investigative Journalist Stefania Maurizi’s Work with FOIA Requests
When asked about her investigative work into the Royal Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and their treatment of Julian Assange, Investigative Journalist Stefania Maurizi answered, “I have worked on this investigation for the past 9 years. I am using FOI litigations in the UK Tribunal to the US Courts, Swedish Courts, Australian Courts, to get the full documentation, and these documents provide indisputable evidence of interference by the Crown Prosecution Service on the Swedish Case, and the result was to keep Julian trapped in London with this label of rapist, and he lost his freedom he has still to regain. Now we have a cross-party group of Members of Parliament requesting an inquiry, by the Select Justice Committee, which is the justice committee of the UK Parliament, opening an investigation to shed light on what really happened. It’s not just the Swedish Case. The Crown Prosecution Service is the key authority in this extradition case.” -Stefania Maurizi, Author of Secret Power: WikiLeaks and its Enemies. https://twitter.com/FreeAssangeNews/status/1792974351353942146
World Leaders Calling for the Release of Julian Assange
In February, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined 85 of his colleagues in Parliament supporting a motion calling on the U.S. government to end the legal case against Assange “so that Mr. Assange can return home to his family in Australia.” This request from Australia might be enough to convince Biden that it is time to close the books on the Assange episode once and for all.” https://reason.com/2024/05/23/end-the-assange-indictment-charade/
Wang Wenbin, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson for China this week had this to say, “People care about the fate of Julian Assange, because his case tells the world what US-style ‘press freedom’ actually means—rewarding those who disclose what other countries have done and punishing those who expose the US wrongdoings. Frankly speaking, for the US, freedom of press—just like ‘democracy’ and ‘human rights’—is just another tool to go after dissidents and perpetuate US supremacy. This is what the Assange case has taught us.”
“I’ve been outraged with press freedom advocates around the world. What is happening cannot happen. Assange is imprisoned because he denounced US espionage to the world.I don’t see any demonstrations by the press in defense of press freedom” -Lula Da Silva, President Brazil
“We strongly condemn the detention of Julian Assange and the violation of freedom of speech. Our solidarity is with this brother who is persecuted by the US government for bringing to light its human rights violations, murders of civilians and diplomatic espionage.” President Evo Morales Aym of Bolivia
In March 2024, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the President of Mexico called for the immediate release of Julian Assange saying that he is hopeful that this will be achieved, because it would be an act of justice of the highest level. A good demonstration to the world that freedom of expression, demonstration, and freedom of the press are respected. Then in April 2024 said, “We are respectful to them, they should be respectful to us. We don’t go ask them, why are you harassing a presidential candidate in the courts? Why do you allocate billions for war? Why don’t you release Assange who is unjustly imprisoned?” https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/mexican-president-slams-us-for-human-rights-report/3200368
UN Calls for The Release of Julian Assange
Dr. Alice Jill Edwards, the Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment “I welcome the High Court’s decision to allow the case to proceed to a full appeal. This is a terribly complex case, but at the heart of it are issues around human rights and values we hold as a society and the protections afforded to those who disclose potential war crimes,” said Alice Jill Edwards, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture…The impact of this long-running legal saga has taken a heavy toll on Mr. Assange’s health. I hope that relevant governments, including Mr. Assange’s own country Australia, can come to an agreement, rather than proceed further with lengthy legal battles,” she said. https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/05/welcome-reprieve-uk-high-court-allows-assanges-appeal-against-extradition
The Court held that the US assurances were not sufficient, which now means that Assange’s appeal will be reconsidered, and that he cannot – for now – be lawfully transferred to face 18 charges in the US, nearly all of them under the Espionage Act of 1917. These charges relate to the allegedly unlawful releases of diplomatic cables and other documents via WikiLeaks.
Human Rights, Journalism and Professional Organizations Calling for the Release of Julian Assange.
- Amnesty International
- Reporters Without Borders
- International Bar Association
- Pen International
- Human Rights Watch
- Article 19
- The National Union of Journalists
- ACLU
- OSCE Media Freedom
- Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
- Freedom of the Press Foundation
- Free Press
- The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom
- IADL
- Committee to Protect Journalists
- Doctors for Assange Initiative
- Progressive Democrats of American
- National Union of Journalists
- Courage Foundation
- Lawyers for Assange
- National Lawyers Guild
These organizations have now banned together to form a Coalition of Civil Society Organizations to urge the US Department of Justice to drop all charges against WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange: “This entire legal process could and should be swiftly ended if the Justice Department were to drop the charges, which we firmly believe undermine freedom of the press both domestically and internationally.” https://cpj.org/2024/05/cpj-partners-urge-the-us-doj-to-drop-charges-against-assange/
ACLU: “The Government needs to drop the charges against Assange”
Freedom of the Press Foundation: “The Biden admin must drop the charges against Assange immediately”
Amnesty: Assange prosecution is “politically motivated and unjustified”
Rebecca Vincent, Reporters Without Borders: “I was able to visit Julian Assange in Belmarsh prison today – my 6th visit since August. Despite the good news this week in the legal case, seeing him in these grim conditions is always heavy. He shouldn’t be behind bars in the UK, the US, or anywhere. It’s time to #FreeAssange!”
Australia’s Journalists Union Media Release
Australia’s Journalists Union sent out this Press Release stating, “The decision by the UK High Court to allow Julian Assange to appeal against his extradition to the US is a welcome step forward but President Biden should take action to free Assange now.”
Honorary Citizenships Given to Julian Assange
Support for the freedom of Julian Assange has been steadily growing all over the world.
The Council of Paris voted YES to granting Julian Assange honorary citizenship this week. 16 Rallies were held in France this week calling for the freedom of Julian Assange. https://x.com/EluesPCFParis/status/1792968893050335353
Paris joins the growing list of Italian cities that have granted Julian Assange honorary citizenship: Rome, Imola, Bologna, Procida, Bari and Strambinello, Naples, Chiusi, Lucera, Pescara, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Barletta, Campobasso, Grottammare and Stains a city of Seine-Saint-Denis.
Julian Assange’s Brother Gabriel Shipton in the United States Now: Here he is at the Libertarian National Convention.
Events Coming Up:
Great Legal Minds Concur: Assange Should Be Free
Pingback: Pressure Mounts on the US to Release Julian Assange - Newspapper
May your articles, your excellent information about the injustice done to Julian contribute to get Julian out of Belmarsh prison and united with his Family.
It’s so important to our rights to express ourselves freely, to chat on social media and even for blog writers because if Assange is convicted, it will change.
Your articles are very much appreciated.
I know that you are hesitant about asking for help to pay the cost. Just know that not everyone has the skills or time to do what you are doing.
So we are happy to be of help in other ways.
Thank you for your integrity.
Thank you. I am honored. God bless you.