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| the_persecution_and_prosecution_of_assange_and_wikileaks--faq [2021/04/05 14:49] – [What about the extradition hearing in the UK and the next steps in the procedure?] miumiu | the_persecution_and_prosecution_of_assange_and_wikileaks--faq [2021/08/10 09:33] (current) – [The Persecution and Prosecution of Assange and WikiLeaks FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (F.A.Q)] editor42 |
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| ===== THE POLITICAL PERSECUTION OF ASSANGE AND WIKILEAKS - WAR ON JOURNALISM ===== | ===== THE POLITICAL PERSECUTION OF ASSANGE AND WIKILEAKS - WAR ON JOURNALISM ===== |
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| ==== Why is he still in a super-max jail today?==== | ==== Why is he still held in a super-max prison today?==== |
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| {{ :london_belmarsh_prison_aerial_view.jpg?nolink&450|}}Good question! A multi-award winning publisher, nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, sits in a super-max prison nicknamed "the UK Guantanamo" with mass-murderers, terrorist-suspects and other violent criminals, while the authors of the war crimes he denounced keep enjoying their freedom and impunity... | {{ :london_belmarsh_prison_aerial_view.jpg?nolink&450|}}Good question! A [[https://challengepower.info/assange_s_awards_and_recognition|multi-award winning publisher]], nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, sits in a super-max prison nicknamed "the UK Guantanamo" with mass-murderers, terrorist-suspects and other violent criminals, while the authors of the war crimes he denounced keep enjoying their freedom and impunity... |
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| When Assange was detained in the "medical" wing of the prison -which many witnesses describe as having worse conditions of isolation than the rest of the prison- the prisoners of Belmarsh themselves petitioned -three times- to the prison direction to end this unfair treatment. | When Assange was detained in the "medical" wing of the prison -which many witnesses describe as having worse conditions of isolation than the rest of the prison- the prisoners of Belmarsh themselves petitioned -three times- to the prison direction to end this unfair treatment. |
| ...but when read in details, it appears truly concerning : | ...but when read in details, it appears truly concerning : |
| * the only reason for him to not be extradited is a combination of his poor health and how terrible the US prison system is; | * the only reason for him to not be extradited is a combination of his poor health and how terrible the US prison system is; |
| * the rest of the decision negates the journalistic and political nature of WikiLeaks' work. Major releases of documents related to war crimes are judged as neither being of general interest, nor political. | |
| | * the rest of the decision negates the journalistic and political nature of WikiLeaks' work; major releases of documents relating to war crimes are deemed by a court judge as **not** of general interest, neither are they considered political in nature. |
| * the rest of the decision also negates the diligent efforts made to redact out of the released materials any sensitive information that could put anybody at risk. | * the rest of the decision also negates the diligent efforts made to redact out of the released materials any sensitive information that could put anybody at risk. |
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| At the time of writing, it is certain that: | At the time of writing, it is certain that: |
| * The US will appeal the first instance decision of Jan. 4th; | |
| * The US Accusation submitted their "grounds for appeal" (they will likely question Assange's mental health diagnosis and challenge parts of the decision declaring the US prison system too harsh for him to be sent there); | The Prosecution (USA) |
| * The Defense team filed in their "respondent's notice", in response to the grounds of the US accusation; | |
| * The Defense team should file in their "cross-appeal notice" (deadline postponed to April 6th), requesting that the appeal ALSO concern the rest of the decision, thus attempting to cancel parts of the decision denying the journalistic and political nature of WikiLeaks and Assange's work. | * (A) The US will appeal the first instance decision of Jan. 4th; |
| | * (B) The US Accusation submitted their "grounds for appeal". They will likely question Assange's mental health diagnosis and challenge parts of the decision declaring the US prison system too harsh for him to be sent there); |
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| | The Defence (Assange) |
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| | * (C) The Defence team filed in their "respondent's notice", in response to the grounds of the US accusation (B); |
| | * (D) The Defence team should file in their "cross-appeal notice" (deadline postponed to April 6th), most likely requesting that the appeal ALSO concern the rest of the decision, thus attempting to cancel parts of the decision denying the journalistic and political nature of WikiLeaks and Assange's work. |
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| Next steps will be: | Next steps will be: |
| * the US accusation submitting their "respondent's notice" to the "cross-appeal notice" (sic) filed in by the defense; | * (E) the US accusation submitting their "respondent's notice" to the "cross-appeal notice" (sic) filed in by the defence (D); |
| * a decision by one judge in the Court of Appeal to allow this appeal; | * (F) A Court of Appeal judge will decide whether or not to allow this appeal (E); |
| * appeal hearing (that could be in the same hearing as the decision to allow the appeal) and decision; | * (G) Subject to authorisation, the appeal hearing (regarding E) will take place - possibly at the same hearing where the authorisation decision (F) itself will be given. |
| | * (H) The decision; |
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| Depending on the result of the appeal, there may or may not be an appeal-of-the-appeal before the supreme court. | Depending on the result of the appeal (H), there may or may not be an appeal-of-the-appeal (I...?) before the Supreme Court. |
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| ==== Will Assange's situation change now that Biden is the president of the US? ==== | ==== Will Assange's situation change now that Biden is the president of the US? ==== |
| {{ :the_actors:usgov:300x300-1200px-seal_of_the_central_intelligence_agency.svg.png?nolink&150|}} | {{ :the_actors:usgov:300x300-1200px-seal_of_the_central_intelligence_agency.svg.png?nolink&150|}} |
| The Biden administration [[https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/12/us/politics/julian-assange-extradition.html|announced that they would continue Trump's prosecution and extradition attempt of Assange]]. | Biden's Department of Justice [[https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/12/us/politics/julian-assange-extradition.html|announced that they would continue Trump's prosecution and extradition attempt of Assange]]. |
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| This is in spite of the Obama administration's previous conclusions that [charges against Assange should be dropped as they would create a dangerous precedent for press freedom], and consistent with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF8WRFw5sHQ|Biden's 2010 declaration about Assange being a "high-tech terrorist"]] (sic). | This is in spite of the Obama administration's previous conclusions that [charges against Assange should be dropped as they would create a dangerous precedent for press freedom], and consistent with Biden's 2010 declaration about Assange being a "high-tech terrorist" (sic): |
| | {{ https://challengepower.info/_media/videos/assange_a_high_tech_terrorist_biden.mp4 }}. |
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| What is clear at this stage is that: | What is clear at this stage is that: |
| * [[superseding_indictment_-_24-06-2020|the US indictment against Assange]] refers to other people associated with WikiLeaks, so they may also be sued for "espionage" in the US in the future, and we may be faced with attempts of extradition as well; | * [[superseding_indictment_-_24-06-2020|the US indictment against Assange]] refers to other people associated with WikiLeaks, so they may also be charged with "espionage" in the US in the future, and we may be faced with attempts of extradition as well; |
| * the whole [[superseding_indictment_-_24-06-2020|indictment]] (accusation) against Assange rests on the legal construction of a "conspiracy" ; the only "legal" way to have a non-US citizen charged under the US charges of espionage, intended to apply to US citizens only. Consequently other people in contact/working with Assange could potentially be part of a maximalist interpretation of such "conspiracy". Another evidence, if one is needed, that the whole case is indeed political? | * the whole [[superseding_indictment_-_24-06-2020|indictment]] (accusation) against Assange rests on the legal construction of a "conspiracy" ; the only "legal" way to have a non-US citizen charged under the US charges of espionage, intended to apply to US citizens only. Consequently other people in contact/working with Assange could potentially be part of a maximalist interpretation of such "conspiracy". Another evidence, if one is needed, that the whole case is indeed political? |
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| {{ :street_art:afk_lady-justice-3.jpg?800 |"Lady Justice" by Norwegian street-artist AFK}} | {{ :street_art:afk_lady-justice-3.jpg?800 |"Lady Justice" by Norwegian street-artist AFK}} |