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the_assange_precedent [2020/02/16 17:47] – feistyspinach | the_assange_precedent [2020/02/16 20:48] – feistyspinach |
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====== The "Assange Precedent" ====== | ====== The "Assange Precedent" ====== |
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If the US succeeds in prosecuting the publisher and editor of WikiLeaks,for revealing information the US says is“secret”, it will open the flood gates to an extremely dangerous precedent. Not only will the US government immediately seize on the precedent to initiate further prosecutions, states the world over will follow suit and claim that their secrecy laws must apply globally too. Assange’s co-publishers at Der Spiegel, Le Monde, New York Times, Espresso and The Guardian, among others, will also risk immediate prosecution in (and extradition to) the US. The prosecution of Assange will have a profound chilling effect on the press and national security reporting. Publishers should not be prosecuted,in the US or elsewhere,for the “crime” of publishing truthful information. | If the US succeeds in prosecuting the publisher and editor of WikiLeaks, for revealing information the US says is “secret”, it will open the flood gates to an extremely dangerous precedent. Not only will the US government immediately seize on the precedent to initiate further prosecutions, states the world over will follow suit and claim that their secrecy laws must apply globally too. Assange’s co-publishers at Der Spiegel, Le Monde, New York Times, Espresso and The Guardian, among others, will also risk immediate prosecution in (and extradition to) the US. The prosecution of Assange will have a profound chilling effect on the press and national security reporting. Publishers should not be prosecuted,in the US or elsewhere,for the “crime” of publishing truthful information. |
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The extradition and prosecution of Julian Assange would post an invitation to other states to follow suit, severely threatening the ability of journalists, publishers and human rights organizations to safely reveal information about serious international issues. If the Trump Administration can prosecute an Australian journalist in Europe for publishing material on theUS, why can’t Russia prosecute an American journalist in Washington revealing secrets about Moscow? Why can’t Saudi Arabia prosecute a Turkish journalist forrevealing secrets about the Khashoggi murder? | The extradition and prosecution of Julian Assange would post an invitation to other states to follow suit, severely threatening the ability of journalists, publishers and human rights organizations to safely reveal information about serious international issues. If the Trump Administration can prosecute an Australian journalist in Europe for publishing material on theUS, why can’t Russia prosecute an American journalist in Washington revealing secrets about Moscow? Why can’t Saudi Arabia prosecute a Turkish journalist forrevealing secrets about the Khashoggi murder? |
=== Why Brazil's Charges Against Glenn Greenwald Are an ‘Absolute Red Alert’=== | === Why Brazil's Charges Against Glenn Greenwald Are an ‘Absolute Red Alert’=== |
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It's a sign that democratically elected governments are growing more comfortable cracking down on journalists for publishing information originally obtained illegally, even if it’s in the public interest. | "Similar to Greenwald’s charges in Brazil, the DOJ indictment against Assange centers on the way he allegedly solicited Manning for leaks and tried to protect her identity. Media organizations warned that the prosecution would set a dangerous precedent." |
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https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/v74vey/why-brazils-charges-against-glen-greenwald-are-an-absolute-red-alert | https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/v74vey/why-brazils-charges-against-glen-greenwald-are-an-absolute-red-alert |
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| === Assange’s Extradition Case: Critical Moment for the Anti-War Movement === |
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| The US government’s extradition and prosecution of Julian Assange is a critical moment for press freedom, but also for the anti-war movement. This aggressive government’s assault on journalists poses grave danger to peace, for without a press that is free and independent, truth that has the power to stop wars is defenseless. |
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| https://www.commondreams.org/views/2020/02/16/assanges-extradition-case-critical-moment-anti-war-movement |
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