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Assange charged in the US with 17 counts of Espionage, for doing journalism
Last April the US submitted a request to the UK to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is charged with 17 Espionage Act offenses, and 1 count of conspiracy to commit computer crime (for allegedly attempting to protect a source’s anonymity). He risks a possible 175 years prison sentence.
The full extradition hearing is set to begin in London on 24th February 2020, for one week, then to resume for three weeks on May 18th 2020.
Context
Wikileaks founder and journalist Julian Assange is held at Belmarsh high-security prison in London, since April 2019 when Ecuador terminated the political asylum granted to him in 2012 under Correa's presidency, rendered him to the UK authorities and the USA officially requested to the UK his extradition for trial. Indeed after years of investigation by a secret grand jury in the USA, paralleled by multiparty political persecution which severely damaged his body and mind, Julian Assange is now charged in the USA with 17 Espionage Act offenses, and 1 count of conspiracy to commit computer crime for allegedly attempting to protect a source’s anonymity - totaling a possible 175 years prison sentence.
The charges all relate to Wikileaks journalistic activities of publishing authentic information in the interest of the public, many times in collaboration with other news outlets. Specifically in this case, the charges relate to the publishing by Wikileaks of documents transmitted by ex-army whistleblower Chelsea Manning, revealing US war crimes in Irak and Afghanistan.
Hence the charges basically equate journalism and truthtelling to treason, when in fact the duty of journalists, whistleblowers, activists, citizens, is to the people, not to the power.
This first use ever of the 1917 Espionage Act against a publisher makes Julian Assange the unwilling sacrificial frontperson of an unprecedented attack on the free press, and on democracy. It comes in the context of a larger crackdown on freedom, human rights, and globalized abuse of the living planet.
To let this extradition and prosecution happen would inaugurate an era darker than we know.
The indictment
Analysis of the indictment
WikiLeaks' response to the indictment
Media analysis of the indictment, as compiled by WikiLeaks defence fund run by Courage foundation
An attack on the press
Whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg reacts to the indictment saying espionage charges against Assange are the most significant attack on the press since the Pentagon Papers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJuCNrRXxC4&feature=youtu.be
See also In Defense of Julian Assange
About Extradition
The UK-US extradition treaty
Extradition treaty between the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America
History
The practice of extradition from antiquity to modern France and the United States
https://lawdigitalcommons.bc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1575&context=iclr