S01E01 - The Empire Strikes Back

This page is dedicated to the first part of the hearing. Read about the second part of the hearing here.

Document the hearing here !!

See also actions_and_exhibitions, an evolving non-exhaustive list of the many actions that are happening, will happen against the US extradition, in defence of freedom of the press, WikiLeaks and Julian Assange. Protests, vigils, exhibitions..

Woolwich Crown Court, which is adjacent to HMP Belmarsh (How to get there)

For case overview, FAQs, recommended readings, essential background, see also USA vs Julian Assange extradition hearing by Defend WikiLeaks

Press conference (19 February 2020) at London’s Foreign Press Association with Assange lawyer Jennifer Robinson, Kristinn Hrafnsson (editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks), and Australian Members of Parliament George Chirstensen and Andrew Wilkie

Kristinn Hrafnsson address to the Australian Press Association (7 December 2019)

Trump wants to 'make an example' of WikiLeaks' Julian Assange, court told - CNN - 2020/02/24

Assange’s Defense Details CIA-Backed Espionage Operation, Trump’s Politicization Of Justice Department - Shadow Proof - 2020/02/24

WikiLeaks demands answers as Twitter account LOCKED ahead of Assange extradition hearing https://www.rt.com/news/481049-wikileaks-locked-twitter-extradition-assange/

Here is the full text of the Defence team's opening statement in court:

ja_defence_opening.pdf

Here is the "skeleton" (a rough overview) of arguments the prosecution wants to make in court.

• Remarkable summary by the Courage Foundation: https://defend.wikileaks.org/2020/02/24/usa-v-julian-assange-extradition-day-1/
• Essential analysis by Craig Murray: https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2020/02/your-man-in-the-public-gallery-assange-hearing-day-1/
• Patrick Henningsen (21st Century Wire) tweets from inside the court

• Attending Assange trial day 1, Tim Dawson, National Union of Journalists https://www.nuj.org.uk/news/attending-the-assange-trial-day-one/

• Another brilliant report and analysis by Craig Murray
• Patrick Henningsen (21st Century Wire) tweets from inside the court

• Unordered List ItemAttending Assange trial day 2, Tim Dawson, National Union of Journalists https://www.nuj.org.uk/news/attending-the-assange-trial-day-two/

• Yet another implacably brilliant report by Craig Murray
• Patrick Henningsen (21st Century Wire)tweets from inside the court

• Assange court report day 3 Morning, Bridges for Media Freedom https://assangecourt.report/day-3-morning-en/

• L.A. Times - 2020/02/27 Assange denied request to sit next to his lawyers as first phase of extradition hearing ends -
• Patrick Henningsen of 21st Century Wire tweets from inside the court

End of the hearing session around 15h00 (no hearing on Friday 28th).

No hearing. Next session: May 18th (for up to 3 weeks). Postponed to September 2020 due to lockdown.

(Until then some technical, “case management” hearings in March and April)

• Julian Assange is the defendant, journalism is under trial - S. Maurizzi (Fatto Quotidiano) - 2020/03/02

• Traduction par Le Grand Soir du compte rendu du 1er jour d'audience par Craig Murray