Speaking at the event, Labor Party MP Richard Burgon stated that the case regarding Assange’s extradition serves as a warning to all journalists and said, “If you know about war crimes, do not disclose, do not write about them, do not report on them, because if you do, what will happen to Julian Assange is yours.” It can happen to you too.’ is a threat.” he said.
For this reason, Burgon underlined the importance of solidarity and called for Assange’s release.
“THIS IS A REPUTATION PROBLEM”
Wikileaks Editor-in-Chief Kristinn Hrafnsson stated that there is enough evidence for Home Secretary Patel to say “no” to extradition, adding, “Priti Patel can discuss this issue in the cabinet with Boris Johnson (Prime Minister), a former journalist.” she said.
Hrafnsson, who said that the British Foreign Office is trying to show the whole world the UK as the pioneer of freedom of the press, stated that such a message was meaningless while Assange was in prison, and said, “This is a reputation issue. So let’s unite in the demand for Priti Patel to do the right thing. Stop this extradition. , do it now. Don’t extradite Assange.” he said.
UKRAINE CASE
Stella Moris, Assange’s wife, who attended the event with her two young children, said the UK was contradicting itself.
Noting that the British government is now rightfully calling on people who have evidence of war crimes in Ukraine to testify, but Assange, who exposed war crimes, is kept in prison, he cited a massacre that WikiLeaks disclosed and stated to have been committed by US forces in Iraq.
Stating that 11 people were shot in the head and killed in an Iraqi village, Moris said, “This was an unpunished war crime committed by the US military personnel in Iraq. led him to terminate his immunity agreement with him.” said.
Stating that these people are just a few of the thousands killed in the war, Moris said, “No one has been punished. The only person exposed to the consequences of these disclosures was the person who did the right thing (Assange) by making it public. Because the victims of the war do not get justice. The only justice they can hope for. “By putting Julian in jail, they’re trying to bury the records of their crimes and silence everyone.” used the phrase.
CAN BE JUDGED WITH 175 YEARS
It is stated that Australian-born Assange, who has been detained in the UK since April 2019, could face 175 years in prison if extradited to the USA.
Washington wants to prosecute Assange for espionage, who is accused of publishing thousands of secret documents regarding the “war crimes” actions of the American army in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Assange supporters say the case is a serious attack on press freedom.
ASSANGE’S CASE PROCESS
WikiLeaks, founded by Assange, released many classified documents in 2010, among which evidence the crimes committed by the USA in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Assange, whom the USA accused of espionage and wanted his extradition, sought refuge in Ecuador’s London Embassy in June 2012, while his extradition to Sweden was on the agenda for the lawsuits filed against him on charges of rape and sexual harassment.
Assange was detained from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London on April 11, 2019, and arrested for “violating the conditions of release on bail” and placed in Belmarsh Prison in London.
The court sentenced Assange to 50 weeks in prison for this crime. It was decided that Assange, who had served his 50-week sentence, would remain in detention within the framework of his extradition request.
After the hearings, on January 4, 2021, the US extradition request was rejected on the grounds that Assange was at high risk of suicide and would be subject to special administrative measures in a US prison, particularly as he was “at real risk” because the intelligence community was hostile to him. The United States objected to the decision.
To win the appeal, the United States had pledged that the WikiLeaks founder would not be held in maximum security prisons and could serve his sentence in his home country of Australia.
The defense team, on the other hand, emphasized the safety of life, citing the news that the CIA planned to kidnap and kill Assange while he was hiding in Ecuador’s London Embassy.
On December 10, 2021, the Supreme Court found the guarantees to be sufficient and overturned the lower court’s decision and ruled that Assange could be extradited to the United States.
Thereupon, Assange’s defense team applied to the Supreme Court for permission to move the case to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court, with its decision on March 14, rejected Assange’s objection to the decision that he could be extradited to the United States.
On 20 April, with the Westminster Magistrates’ Court ruling on extradition, the matter went before the Minister of Interior Priti Patel for the final decision. (AA)