The case of Julian Assange continues to remain in the spotlight. The freedom of the free and free speech are at stake; this is the reason why this case is vital.
UN expert addresses the need to free Julian Assange
According to the latest reports, a UN expert today expressed concern that the possible extradition and imminent prosecution in the United States of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could have serious implications for freedom of expression.
“Gathering, reporting and disseminating information, including national security information when it is in the public interest, is a legitimate exercise of journalism and should not be treated as a crime,” said Irene Khan, the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression.
The Australian editor, publisher, and activist is currently awaiting the decision of the High Court in the United Kingdom regarding his appeal against extradition to the United States.
He is facing 17 charges under the 1917 Espionage Act for publishing classified information on the WikiLeaks platform. If found guilty, he could face a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison.
“I am concerned about the use of the Espionage Act in this case, as this statute provides no protection for the publication of information in the public interest,” Khan said.
Julian Assange would be the first publisher to be charged under the Espionage Act if extradited.
“It would set a dangerous precedent that could have a chilling effect on investigative journalism in the United States and possibly elsewhere in the world,” the Special Rapporteur said.
“International human rights law provides strong protections for whistle-blowers, journalistic sources and reporting in the public interest,” Khan said. “I call on the United States and the United Kingdom, which profess to uphold the right to freedom of expression, to uphold these international standards in the case of Julian Assange.”
The expert urged UK authorities to refrain from extraditing Assange and called for the US Government to drop the charges.
It looks like not all politicians and blind and deaf to the crucial case of Julian Assange. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has just offered his support via X.
Supporting Julian Assange
“Please SIGN THIS PETITION for the immediate pardon and release of Julian Assange, the publisher and activist who founded WikiLeaks and is now in jail facing life imprisonment and extradition. He’s a heroic whistleblower who stood up for democracy and against the surveillance state. It’s time we stood up for Julian Assange the way he stood up for us,” he posted on X.
You can also sign the petition that he shared:
Please SIGN THIS PETITION for the immediate pardon and release of Julian Assange, the publisher and activist who founded WikiLeaks and is now in jail facing life imprisonment and extradition. He’s a heroic whistleblower who stood up for democracy and against the surveillance… pic.twitter.com/mCl7RkrmD7
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) February 19, 2024
Kennedy also stated:
“The CIA and the Biden administration claim that Julian Assange conspired with Chelsea Manning to “hack” and therefore steal top-secret information. Their entire case is hinged on this. But this has NEVER been proven and Chelsea Manning has repeatedly claimed this is false and that she NEVER had to ‘hack’ anything. Manning says that she had full, readily available access to the information she passed along to WikiLeaks.”
