The UK High Court has granted Julian Assange permission to appeal his extradition order, specifically on the grounds that the United States has failed to properly assure the British courts that Assange would get adequate freedom of expression protections if he were extradited.
The appeal permission is narrow but provides the first real chance for the substantive issue of whether the First Amendment would protect Assange can be aired in court. The parties have been given until May 24 to submit a proposed outline for how such an appeal hearing would be argued.
Free press organizations around the world welcomed the High Court’s decision, stressing once more the prosecution’s disastrous implications for press freedom and calling on the U.S. government to finally end it.
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Revealing war crimes is not a crime.
WikiLeaks editor and publisher Julian Assange is facing a 175 year sentence for publishing truthful information in the public interest.
Julian Assange is being sought by the current US administration for publishing US government documents which exposed war crimes and human rights abuses. The politically motivated charges represent an unprecedented attack on press freedom and the public’s right to know – seeking to criminalise basic journalistic activity.
If convicted Julian Assange faces a sentence of 175 years, likely to be spent in isolation which would drive him to commit suicide.
UK District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled it would be oppressive to extradite him to the United States of America and refused to extradite him, yet the case eventually moved to the UK Supreme Court where it overruled the decision and Assange’s extradition request moved forward to the UK Home Sectretary.
Priti Patel has now signed the request to extradite Assange.
Assange’s legal team are fighting the extradition and have now filed an appeal to the High Court. The High Court now must approve the grounds of the appeal.
If the UK extradites Assange it would violate Article 4 of the US-UK extradition treaty which bars extradition for political offences.
Extraditing Julian Assange to the United States would kill him.
The UN working group on arbitrary detention issued a statement saying that “the right of Mr. Assange to personal liberty should be restored”.
Massimo Moratti of Amnesty International stated: “Were Julian Assange to be extradited or subjected to any other transfer to the USA, Britain would be in breach of its obligations under international law.”
Human Rights Watch published an article saying, “The only thing standing between an Assange prosecution and a major threat to global media freedom is Britain. It is urgent that it defend the principles at risk.”
The NUJ has stated that the “US charges against Assange pose a huge threat, one that could criminalise the critical work of investigative journalists & their ability to protect their sources”.
Noam Chomsky
Academic, activist
“Julian Assange shouldn’t be the subject of a grand jury hearing, he should be given a medal. He’s contributing to democracy.”
Agnes Callamard
Secretary General of Amnesty International
“Assange must NEVER be extradited to the USA. It’s a serious threat to him personally and freedoms we usually honor, such as press freedom, freedom of expression and FOI.”
Dunja Mijatović
Commissioner for Human Rights, Council of Europe
“Julian Assange’s potential extradition has human rights implications that reach far beyond his individual case.”
Nils Melzer
UN Special Rapporteur on Torture; Human Rights Chair, Geneva Academy
“The case is a huge scandal and represents the failure of Western rule of law. If Julian Assange is convicted, it will be a death sentence for freedom of the press.”
Leading academics, lawyers, journalists, press freedom/human rights groups, and politicians oppose the persecution of Julian Assange.
Julian Assange’s partner has visited him in prison for the first time in almost six months after Covid lockdown, and said he looked much thinner than last time she saw him. Continue reading →
Julian Assange’s hidden family revealed:
top secrets inside the Embassy
60 Minutes Australia watch video ↓
Julian Assange’s Fiancée Sits Down With Revolver
to Reveal Deep State’s Plot to Erase Our First Amendment
Read the interview with the Revolver here.
Stella Assange – partner of Julian Assange and the mother of his two sons
She is fighting against his extradition to the United States.
“My partner, the journalist and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, is fighting extradition to the United States and faces 175 years in prison. I and many others are joined in that fight – against extradition and his continuing imprisonment. We are appealing for your help.” —Stella Assange
Journalistic Awards and WikiLeaks achievements
WikiLeaks and Julian Assange have published extensively on many major subject matters, from countries all around the world. Here are just some of Julian Assange’s awards and WikiLeaks major revelations published:
Important Dates, Actions & Events
UPCOMING HEARINGS/DATES
PAST HEARINGS & COURT DATES
20 May 2024 – Royal Courts of Justice
20-21 February 2024 – Royal Courts of Justice
17 May – Defence submits arguments to Priti Patel
31 May – Final day for Priti Patel to make her decision by.
20 April – Westminster Magistrate’s Court, AM
27-28 October – US Appeal Hearing – Royal Courts of Justice
11 August – Preliminary US Appeal – 9am Royal Courts of Justice
5 January – Bail application – 10am Westminster Magistrates’ Court
4 January 2021 – Extradition Hearing Verdict – Central Criminal Court Old Bailey;
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PRESS RELEASES
- Statement from The Free Assange Campaign
- Assange Case In Depth
- Manifesto for the Defense of Julian Assange
- re:publica24 – In Conversation with Stella Assange
- Julian Assange granted permission to appeal
IN THE NEWS
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