Legendary journalist John Pilger has been to see Assange in Belmarsh Prison in London and his report is not encouraging.
Journalist John Pilger visited imprisoned WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Tuesday and has raised an alarm about Assange’s “deteriorated” health.
Pilger said in a Tweet on Wednesday that Assange is “isolated” and treated “worse than a murderer.”
“I now fear for him,” Pilger wrote.
Do not forget Julian #Assange. Or you will lose him.
I saw him in Belmarsh prison and his health has deteriorated. Treated worse than a murderer, he is isolated, medicated and denied the tools to fight the bogus charges of a US extradition. I now fear for him. Do not forget him.— John Pilger (@johnpilger) August 7, 2019
Assange is suffering from an undisclosed ailment and has been confined to the hospital ward at the maximum security prison for several weeks. He was arrested on April 11 by British police who were called by the Ecuadorian government into its London embassy in apparent violation of international asylum law. Assange had been granted political asylum by Ecuador in 2012. He had been suffering health problems in the embassy but British authorities refused to allow him to leave the embassy for treatment and return without being arrested.
Almost immediately after his eventual arrest the United States unveiled an indictment against him for alleged intrusion into a government computer although the indictment itself describes normal procedures of investigative journalism: encouraging a source to provide more information and working to protect the source’s identity.
On May 23, Assange was charged under the U.S. Espionage Act for possession and dissemination of classified information given to him by WikiLeak‘s source, Chelsea Manning, a former U.S. army intelligence analyst. It was the first time the Espionage Act was used against a journalist for publishing classified information.
Manning, meanwhile, is imprisoned in Alexandria, VA for refusing to testify to a grand jury on Assange’s case. Since Assange has already been twice indicted, it is not clear if a new indictment against him is being prepared. On Wednesday, the judge in Manning’s case denied her a hearing and said $1,000-a-day fines against her did not amount to “punishment.”
Assange is now fighting an extradition request from the United States as he serves a 50-week sentence in Belmarsh for having skipped bail in an unrelated Swedish investigation into sexual assault allegations, which had been dropped twice before by Swedish authorities, but was revived after his arrest. Assange had sought asylum in the Ecuador embassy because he feared extradition to the United States, fears that have been borne out by events.
He faces 175 years in prison in the U.S.
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PLEASE FREE JULIAN ASSANGE AT ONCE, MR. BORIS JOHNSON! AND THEN TRUMP SHOULD PARDON HIM!
THE CORRUPT JUSTICE SYSTEM IS AN ABSOLUTE JOKE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE!
AND THAT SEEMS TO BE WORLDWIDE. LOOK AT SWEDEN!
If Julian gets extradited to the United States, he will most likely end up like Epstein or help Trump administration out with all the corruption within Congress and the Senate past and current, and then he will end up like Epstein most likely. I understand why they think Julian is a bit dangerous, being able to possibly get access to different launch codes to nukes scares me. I truly fill bad for him. But, if he wasn’t so narcissistic he would and could be a definite asset to humanity.
Elaborate, please.
Assange has done this country a great service by exposing the things he has about our government and politicians. Same as John Snowden. If I was not old enough to remember the Vietnam War I may not feel that way. I have always known Washington was corrupt. They release far more “classified information ” than these gentlemen. Washington is rotten to the core. If you don’t believe it ask Jeff Epstein.
“There is no official explanation as to why Julian’s health has continued to deteriorate so alarmingly in Belmarsh. Nobody genuinely believes him to be a violent danger, so there is absolutely no call for him to be imprisoned in the facility which houses the hardcore terrorist cases.
“Assange is fighting major legal cases in the UK, Sweden and the United States, yet is permitted visitors for only two hours per fortnight, inclusive of time spent with his three sets of lawyers. All of his visitors have been alarmed by his state of physical health and many have been alarmed by his apparent disorientation and confusion.”
Assange Must Not Also Die in Jail — Craig Murray — Aug. 13, 2019
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2019/08/assange-must-not-also-die-in-jail/
There would be hope for this country if people cared as much about Julian Assange as the 2nd Amendment.
Nobody’s talked about Trump being included by the Dems in that lawsuit. Someone should suggest to him that he become active in the Free Assange movement. I personally think he’d seriously consider it. I’m not in shape to take this on, but I’d love to support it.
Dear CN, I have a suggestion to help Julian Assange. A delegation from CN with VIPS and other influential supporters, should meet with the Justice Democrats, do a presentation, perhaps include a short video chronology and hand out some written materials outlining and supporting their talk. Then this CN/VIPS, et al., delegation should urge the Justice Democrats to lobby other members to pardon Julian Assange. As this is an important bi-partisan issue, the delegation search Republican and Independent party members who support Julian Assange to lobby their members to urge Trump to pardon JA. What goes unreported is that Alex Jones garnered 10,000 signatures on a White House petition to pardon Julian Assange. The day after the goal was reached, Infowars was deplatformed. If Tulsi Gabbard, JFK, FDR can meet with their enemies in the interest of peace, we need broad support from unlikely corners. In summeary, the Justice Democrats would be an strategic place to launch this campaign to free Julian Assange, and unleash their team to build momentum.
Free Julian Assange. He’s done nothing wrong. Nothing!
An Australian citizen in a maximum security UK prison, interrogated by US CIA and FBI pre his US extradition hearing in February next year. The Australian government must facilitate Julian Assange’s return to Australia. His revelation of war crimes is not a crime.
Well said Natalie. I am an American conservative and libertarian. I would support Julian Assange and John Snowden being freed to go back to what they do best. Exposing corruption in governments.
“There should be transparency of governments and there should be privacy for individuals.”
— Julian Assange, May 29, 2015
“You are being lied to about Julian Assange. He has exposed more war crimes, crimes against humanity, corruption, and lies than perhaps anyone in history. That is why our government is so eager to lock him away forever.”
— Lee Camp, April 23, 2019
“If wars can be started by lies, peace can be started by truth.”
— Julian Assange, October 8, 2011
“Can’t we just drone this guy?”
— Hillary Clinton, November 23, 2010
August 11, 2019
40 Rebuttals to CNN’s Bias on Assange
By Fidel Narváez, former Consul of Ecuador in the UK
https://theduran.com/40-rebuttals-to-cnns-bias-on-assange/
This is the problem, isn’t it? When you have corrupt governments in charge of making and administering the law, then abiding by the law may not help. You may have to break the law. Modern activists tend to be indoctrinated never to use violence, but that may be the only way. Has anyone risked their life or freedom in an effort to help Assange? Were there any attempts while he was in the embassy to rush it in a crowd formation?
I now find it very hard to be anything other than a misanthropist. I am made with building blocks the universe generated 14 billions years ago that assembled on this blue spheroid to produce this shameful species gargling with “rule of law” here and “right of the mightiest” there. I tried to believe there is something good that deserves my project to backup earthly living creatures on a human-made planet orbiting on the other side of the sun. John Pilger may be such a force of goodness, or Edward O. Wilson with his project to give back half of Earth to wilderness and natural processes. So are Assange, Snowden and countless whistleblowers and scientists that brought us out of the dark ages and the vain certainties of religions. But i fear the greed and the criminal hunger for power of too many world leaders, especially the chinese, russian and american warmongers can defeat the good will of the masses. You cannot exterminate whole populations for centuries and then proclaim in good conscience it was to establish the “rule of law”. People have been fighting endless wars for millenia over the same territories AGAIN AND AGAIN, when it would have been so much more productive to build new ones with Mars, Venus and satellites from Jupiter. Build treasures in the sky. Now it is getting too late as we wasted precious time. It is unlikely we will build another Earth or another inhabited solar system let alone populate another galaxy. Mankind will just fizzle out from the egotism of the rich and powerful. Even if there were many with good hearts, their aspirations were crushed by the likes of Trump, Putin or Xi. No there will not be a backup of Earth and i am so disappointed the expectations of my youth went unrealized. And that half of humanity will die without ever having had good drinking water or electricity. Such a shameful species…
You left out a few names there on your list of aspiration crushers: Clinton(s), Bush(s), Obama… it’s a long and devastating list
Uh, Rule of Law is not the culprit. It is the violation of Rule of Law that is in practice worldwide and dangerous. In your ramblings you conveniently failed to mention the evil on all sides, namely Clintons, Bush, Obama and many, if not most world leaders. Very US-centric ranting. The US may be the leader, but the others are willing participants.
Don’t be so down! Space is fake!
Thank god Edward Snowden managed to escape.
We have reached the point where it is simply too dangerous to speak the truth or criticize aspects of corporations and especially Israel, Britain and the USA.
Not yet. He has to lose his case in the UK courts first before he may avail himself of the European legal process. If you wish to donate I’d advise you to do it now because to win his case in the UK courts requires lots of money; litigation isn’t cheap. With right-wing Prime Minister Boris Johnson in power, there is no telling what he is willing to do. This is not to imply that Theresa May’s government was any less aggressive.
Has there been a legal challenge for Assange through the European Court of Justice, or European Court on Human Rights??
World Court?
Excuse my lack of knowledge.
I would be happy to donate for his legal team to go further.
While the Int’l Court of Justice held that his being detained is unlawful under various rights conventions, you might consider plodding thru Judge Koetl’s recent (7/30/19) dismissal, with prejudice, of the DNC suit v. not only Assange and Wikileaks, but v. the whole congeries of alleged malefactors who ‘conspired’ etc. to win the election for Trump. The link is in par. 1.
https://defend.wikileaks.org/2019/08/03/dnc-lawsuit-dismissed/
I can translate any of this legalese for anyone who is mystified! – L. Vincent Anderson
Vincent,
So, if Koetl has dismissed the DNC case, won’t that affect the Trump Government’s case, as a precedent? Apologies if this has already been answered. I have not yet read every comment.
RE Sheila’s Q – In my opinion, the dismissal of the DNC civil case spells doom for the USG’s criminal case, as the relevant underlying facts and legal inferences are equally relevant. About midway through Patrick Lawrence’s recent (8/2/19) CN art. on the relevance of the emails:
It now emerges that the evidence problem is worse than even the most committed critics of the Russiagate narrative had thought: [Its mendacity] came to light this spring, during the pre-trial discovery phase of the case against Roger Stone, the onetime Trump aide charged with obstructing justice and misleading Congress. When Stone’s attorneys requested Crowdstrike’s final report on the DNC email theft, which they said was relevant to his defense, prosecutors returned with the stunning revelation that Crowdstrike, the DNC’s cyber-security firm, never submitted a final report. “The government does not possess the information the defendant seeks,” the Justice Department responded via a court filing.
The judge ALSO forbade Mueller from referring to “evidence” the USG did not have. Applied equally to the criminal case, Assange has the same defense: it is not a crime to publish stolen emails (etc.) if one did not participate in the theft, given the overriding public interest in the DNC manipulations to get Bernie squashed and Hillary elected. What we DO have is Judge Koetl’s review, that conclusively demonstrates that the DNC had no such evidence – and would certainly have submitted it, if only to avoid his dismissal of their case.
The judge’s name is Koeltl. We might at least try to get the spelling correct.
As for “plodding through,” this use of language does not assist serious study of what’s involved.
This website takes you to key language in the Judge’s July 30 decision:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/52024.htm
“If WikiLeaks could be held liable for publishing documents concerning the DNC’s political financial and voter-engagement strategies simply because the DNC labels them ‘secret’ and trade secrets, then so could any newspaper or other media outlet. But that would impermissibly elevate a purely private privacy interest to override the First Amendment interest in the publication of matters of the highest public concern. The DNC’s published internal communications allowed the American electorate to look behind the curtain of one of the two major political parties in the United States during a presidential election. This type of information is plainly of the type entitled to the strongest protection that the First Amendment offers.”
In case this may be helpful additionally, I would like to repeat this note from deeper in this thread.
(My notes here have been revised):
Particularly key is this issue stated by Sam F:
“The issue of using the case to conceal unlawful and unconstitutional acts of the government.”
Consideration needs to take a step beyond automatic rejection of leaks period—that there can NEVER be a case for any leak based on “classified” and “national security.”
The motives of the leakers in this case must be seen as above simple unprincipled rebellion and/or malice and/or paranoid delusion.
That is, what has been revealed must be detailed clearly to establish the leakers’ motives as informing on a moral principle against evil practices by the government;
AND to establish the connection between what has been revealed and government malfeasance that led to the leaks.
Airing and arguing the case must reverse the current situation–criminal persecuting truth-teller.
The problem appears to be a delusion in government circles (specifically US and UK), manifested via self-righteousness and patriotic canards, that government should be allowed to over-ride ANY critical viewpoint that threatens its policies.
Supportive of Julien Assange
This is a letter I have sent to the DOJ, my congressman, and my senators.
Anyone that wishes to use parts or the entire letter is welcome to do so:
“Dear Sir or Madam:
I am a 74 year old citizen of the United States.
I am no longer proud of being a citizen of this country.
The United States’ persecution of Julian Assange is scandalous.
It is immoral.
And it is a violation of and a threat to the First Amendment.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
What part of this does my government not understand?
Stop persecuting Julian Assange and concentrate instead on prosecuting the war criminals that are running and ruining this country.
Respectfully,
XXX”
This is a letter I’ve sent to Julian at HMP Belmarsh:
“Dear Julian:
I won’t waste time praying for you because it’s obvious that the gods don’t exist. However, attached is a copy of a letter I’ve sent to my senators, congressman, and the Department of Justice.
Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz wrote (about the cells in her convent).
—The soul is locked in no prison, Nor confined by iron gates, The only bonds that restrain it, Are those it itself creates.
I would say “mind” instead of “soul”. But Juana was a very smart sister.
There are many of us.
We are doing what we can.
Stay strong, good brother.
Thank you for all you have done.
XXX”
I cannot help but agree with what you have said about the worsening state of the USA. Over the last few decades as I have observed, the country has lagged behind economically; like Trump said, getting to look third world. The saddest part has been Americans always spoke up and stood up for what is right; much like how you are doing. But it is no longer so, and most do not know what is really going on.
Twenty years on, America will be a very different one. The effects will be seen more clearly, and more deeply felt.
Thank you, Sheng Wong.
I agree with you and doubt my missives will have any useful effect.
But you know the expression:
“It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”
If you or anyone else would like to send letters, this may help:
1. Correspondence to the Department, including the Attorney General, may be sent to:
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
2. Office of Congressman (Name)
House of Representatives,
Washington D.C, 20515
3. Office of Senator (Name)
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
thank you
Thank you for the copy of this well crafted letter! I am copying it and forwarding it to the government officials too as well as writing to Julian. Peace be with you!
This is a letter that I’ve sent to the DOJ, my congressman, and my senators.
Any fellow CN is welcome to use some of it or all of it:
“Dear Sir or Madam:
I am a 74 year old citizen of the United States.
I am no longer proud of being a citizen of this country.
The United States’ persecution of Julian Assange is scandalous.
It is immoral.
And it is a violation of and a threat to the First Amendment.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
What part of this does my government not understand?
Stop persecuting Julian Assange and concentrate instead on prosecuting the war criminals that are running and ruining this country.
Respectfully,
—
I also have sent this letter to Julian at HMP Belmarsh:
Dear Julian:
I won’t waste time praying for you because it’s obvious that the gods don’t exist.
However, attached is a copy of a letter I’ve sent to my senators, congressman, and the Department of Justice.
Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz wrote (about her cell in the convent).
—The soul is locked in no prison, Nor confined by iron gates, The only bonds that restrain it, Are those it itself creates.
I would say “mind” instead of “soul”. But Juana was a very smart sister.
There are many of us.
We are doing what we can.
Stay strong, good brother.
Thank you for all you have done.
XXX
Leave Julian Alone
I AM JULIAN ASSANGE ???
Media silent on dismissal of DNC suit against Julian Assange
A federal court ruling last Tuesday dismissing a Democratic National Committee (DNC) civil suit against Julian Assange “with prejudice” was a devastating indictment of the U.S. ruling elite’s campaign to destroy the WikiLeaks founder. It exposed as a fraud the entire “Russiagate” conspiracy theory peddled by the Democratic Party, the corporate media and the intelligence agencies for the past three years.
The decision, by Judge John Koeltl of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, rejected the smears that Assange “colluded” with Russia. It upheld his status as a journalist and publisher and dismissed claims that WikiLeaks’ 2016 publication of leaked emails from the DNC was “illegal.”
Despite the significance of the ruling, and its clear newsworthiness, it has been subjected to an almost complete blackout by the entire media in the U.S. and internationally.
The universal silence on the court decision-extending from The New York Times (which buried a six-paragraph report on the ruling on page 25) and The Washington Post, to “alternative” outlets such as the Intercept, the television evening news programs and the publications of the pseudo-left-can be described only as a coordinated political conspiracy.
Its aim is to suppress any discussion of the court’s exposure of the slanders used to malign and isolate Assange, and to justify the unprecedented international pursuit of him over WikiLeaks’ exposure of U.S. war crimes, surveillance operations and diplomatic conspiracies.
The New York Times, The Washington Post and other corporate outlets have relentlessly smeared Assange as a “Russian agent” and depicted him as the linchpin of a conspiracy hatched in Moscow to deprive Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton of the presidency in the 2016 US elections.
Now that their claims have been subjected to judicial review and exposed as a tissue of lies and fabrications, they have adopted a policy of radio silence. There is no question that if the court ruling had been in favour of the DNC, it would have been greeted with banner headlines and wall-to-wall coverage.
The response exposes these publications as state propagandists and active participants in the campaign by the Democratic Party, the Trump administration and the entire ruling elite to condemn Assange for the rest of his life to an American prison for the “crime” of publishing the truth.
This very interesting news item, which I haven’t seen anywhere else, showed up on the greanvillepost.com Internet site a week ago Friday — and I thank Larry Galearis for pointing it out. For obvious reasons this had to wait for my Saturday column — and another link to it is here.
Mark, apparently Australia is the world’s most successful multi-cultural and diverse society. That means that lots of people here aren’t like you. That’s good. But you have lost your monopoly on what it means to be “an Australian”. Things have changed. You might not be very Australian these days. Is it Australian to call people you’ve never met a “smartasre” ? I hope not. Mikael
This is nothing short but an abortion of justice. It reflects the the utter corruption of the authorities against a man who exposed injustice, human rights abuses, and criminality at the highest level. What a farce and a true reflection of the beast . We now know that we are ruled by ruthless criminals under the guise of religion, dececy and respectability.
All of the Elite must think they’ve totally won..
Yes they are euphoric in their triumphalism. They feel like they have won a total and complete victory. I wouldn’t be so sanguine if I were them.
Ecuadorian government was poisoning him? It seems plausible with maybe some help? I know stress can shorten life.
I love how much compassion are fearless leaders show I mean seriously they use to pack a lunch and bring it to public hangings right? Now I suppose watching it on the telly gets them off just as well.
Assange faces death by Skripal-type lethal hypodermic injection from UK/US intelligence operatives. If Assange was Black, he would have been gunned down like a dog in the street. The Dark State rules. His only escape would be by French Revolution type storming of the Bastile.
The Australian Government must bring Julian Assange back to Australia immediately on humanitarian grounds
Julian Assange has been nominated for the Nobel Peace prize every year for the last 10 years
Politics must not inference with the urgent need to bring Julian back home to Australia where he can receive urgently needed health care
Yes Suzie. But it’s extremely hard to get Australian politicians to do the right thing. Try emailing, writing, telephoning your federal “representative” (mine doesn’t even pretend to represent me). Contacting the PM and senior minsters is not difficult. The more noise we make the better, but don’t hold your breath. Democracy and justice are not well understood in Australia. Even a change of government won’t change the sad truth. You could always get in touch with Anthony Albanese too. Some Labor people still have morals and actually believe in a free press. Mikael
The silence on Julian Assange in Australia just shows our government and opposition up to be part of the criminal conspiracy that Julian exposed. Haven’t found the ALP any more interested or informed about Assange than the Libs. Some Greens have made tiny tiny noises. The Socialist Workers Alliance has organised a few demos, but the appeal has been limited. We on https://candobetter.net/JulianAssange continue to do our best.
We should be so proud of Julian in Australia. My country is not what it was.
The article contains at least one inaccuracy. “… the United States unveiled an indictment against him for alleged intrusion into a government computer …” No. The indictment was for alleged CONSPIRACY to intrude. No one claimed Assange succeeded with his hacking plans. There is a big difference. Since I am seeking truth, I saw no reason to continue reading the article.
Karl, good luck funding alternative articles with less than one (minor) inaccuracy. You seem to have a very low tolerance level. There’s inaccuracy everywhere. Maybe watch TV instead? Just saying … and smiling.
Karl, for that level of detail on the government’s conspiracy theories, with their 18 federal charges, etc., you would need to review the documents on:
Resources – Defend WikiLeaks
https://defend.wikileaks.org/resources/
In those indictments, they try to describe whistleblowing of government crimes — which they don’t mention — and normal procedures of investigative journalism as being the crimes themselves.
This of course creates a damning precedent for US extradition of whistleblowers and journalists around the world.
For example, when those indictments mention the Executive Order 13526 on Classified National Security Information, they don’t include this fundamental point:
“. . . executive order 13526, prohibiting classification of embarrassing or criminal information”.
— Ray McGovern, former chair of National Intelligence Estimates
So as the saying goes “when exposing a crime is treated as committing a crime, you know you are being ruled by criminals”.
You can see, in the comments section of this article, a couple of related posts below on the essential implications of that executive order and the unlawful actions of the government in this whistleblowing and investigative journalism case.
Basically, they are unlawfully charging them with not obeying the unlawful classification of unlawful government actions.
All hail the power of the state! We bow before thee, hail, hail the all powerful state!
Scapegoated….what happens to him affects us all…it is the ultimate price for his belief in truth and freedom
Yes, he is being scapegoated. That is the perfect word for it, Fiona. This vile, inhumane action of scapegoating, happens in family units on up to nation states. It is a despicable, cruel action on the part of sociopathic personalities. Truth tellers are often scapegoated and ostracized, both at the micro and macro levels. This is a case where so-called “democratic states have ganged up on” to use the UN special rapporteur’s words, on an innocent individual trying to report on the truth. These psychopathic, sick nations must stop their persecution of this innocent, scapegoated hero, Julien Assange. We must stop them. Write your congressman, your president (such as he is) and let them know how you feel. Write Julien and also Chelsea Manning and let them know you are behind them 100%.
Disappointed to read very biased artical
Peter, reviewing the article I can find only facts. Could you please point out anything that isn’t a fact?
Peter, I read the article again and didn’t find any slanted, spun or biased content. It appeared to be 100% factual to me. What was biased in your opinion? Thanks, Mikael
New fears for Assange, will ultimately reflect on our future freedoms.
Who watches the watchers and who categorises the average human being?
Another good man horribly mistreated for not having the same views as the state, and for helping The People find out just how terrible their various governments are.
Exactly
Are you insane. He is a hero along with Chelsie. I admire their courage. US government is a farce. They believe they are God.
Mark, I imagine your preferred publishers and journalists are part of the Murdoch empire or similar Deep State collaborators.
Free Assange for he is not guilty of the alleged crimes. Investigative journalism is absolutely necessary in our era of deceitful leaders. We the people of this planet Earth demand his immediate release.
Who are,they, do they have real names, or are they Anons that hide behind pseudonyms of Military, Inteligence and Government Authorities?
If they are authority then who and what give,(gave) them the authority?
Did the ones of both houses of Congress that US populace voted for grant the Anons such powers?
If so, did those in Congress have the authority to do so,; as in Constitutional Powers?
While it may seem that freedom to choose your sexual, or lack thereof, identity seems worthy of Congressional debate but is that issue more important than Freedom of Speech?
Secrecy, why worry about secrecy when a few Anons can declare war anytime and on anyone they want, and all they say is pay for it.
“It is perfectly possible for man to be out of prison and yet not free- To be under no physical constraint and yet to be a psychological captive, compelled to think, feel, and act as the representatives of the national state, or of some private interest within the nation wants him to act….. ………
To him the walls of his prison are invisible and he believes himself to be free.
[ALDOUS HUXLEY]
It is said that after many years of imprisonment the prisoner becomes institutionalized; so much so that once outside those prison walls they cannot function, lack of ability of free will.
Could it be the populace of US has so long been under the sway of anonymous administrators, that we have all become Institutionalized”?
As an ending thought, 70% of US Intelligence Services are privatized, Americans spying upon Americans.
Wow fuckface, I’d love to see your thoughts on your favourite news source.
Wow!! I was just going to reply “Fuck You” to Mark…..but, I love the “fuckface”!! Thanks for making me laugh….at this fuckface!
And Daniel Ellsberg should recieve the Medal of Honor.
The incarceration of Assange and Manning is evidence that governments have moved the destruction of mankind into hyper drive. Any politician that is unable to recognize Julian and Chelsea and Snowden as heroes should be removed from office.
It’s the DNC, most of Congress and the military, who want Assange persecuted.
It’s the DNC, most of Congress and the US military, who want Assange persecuted.
It’s the DNC and the US military who want Assange persecuted.
It’s all done by “authorities” who are completely ILLEGITIMATE!
…And what a schill has Australia become, with no significant outcry or help for Assange; one of the lapdogs of the Deep State.
yes shame shame shame so gutless do not want to upset the US
Lapdog indeed. I’ve emailed my local (Australian) MP, the Prime Minister and relevant Shadow Minister, and I didn’t even get a standard acknowledgement of my contact. The Australian Government and Opposition are collaborators. Disgraceful.
Just read this in a report on some Australian protests for Julian (published on the World Socialist Web Site):
‘Despite briefings by Jennifer Robinson, one of Assange’s lawyers, in Canberra last week, no political party or parliamentarian, including from the Greens, has issued a statement defending Assange or demanding that the US end its pursuit of him.’
We need complete transparency, we need to stand up to suppression of information and media control by any government, we need democracy from the people upwards.
No if or buts and no waste.
It is really doubtful that anyone on CN will forget Julian Assange. If he is in poor health government is obliged to provide the needed care or set him free so he can get the needed care on his own. Judges have ordered prisons to allow needed specialists to visit prisons. The vast majority of people released from prison are in good health so we know prisons can provide adequate health care if they want to. Assange may be getting adequate care for all we know. The worry is that Dr. Frankenstein and his assistants put stuff in his veins or food that weaken his resolve, or worse.
If I understood chapter 20 of Magna Carta, the bail skipping allegation required a jury trial because skipping bail involves a fine. Is the country where the ‘Divine Right of Kings’ was demolished with logic and wit now regressing to the dark ages?
Julian Assange knew that his great success in exposing criminality and wrong doing in government put a target on his back. He knew that Edward Snowden had to run for his life. He knew that a CIA snatch team could grab him at any moment and turn him into a vegetable if he survived the ordeal. Was Mr. Assange supposed to stand on the corner whistling ‘God Save the Queen’ until the snatch team happened along? He did what any sane person would do. He ran for his life to the Ecuadorian Embassy. Soon to be railroaded to Belmarsh Prison. Did he decline bail in fear of being snatched? The man is being tortured before conviction. The reason that the so-called espionage act does not require the government to prove criminal intent is because it can’t prove criminality given the exemplary conduct of Assange (and Manning) in exposing war crimes and other wrong doing.
The undisclosed ailment should be disclosed unless Assange or the family request privacy.
I think many years stuck in one room without sunshine and adequate exercise would demoralise anyone and constitutes a form of psychological torture, not knowing what the future holds. It would do the head in of even the strongest person. There’s no medical term to describe slow asphyxiation of a soul. People do not know that he was watched all the time with no privacy and his computer confiscated since the change over in the Ecuador regime. And no visitors.
Dead fucking right Deano! The fact that true war crimes were exposed makes it a fully legit journalistic job.
I feel an enormous amount of respect and compassion for Julian. I am praying for his release from suffering at the hands of those who fear the truths coming out. He is being used to deter others from whistleblowing
They want him dead.
What can people do about this shameful incarceration? When filth like trump consume the whole world with his mindless destructivity and constant law breaking. I urgently seek others to work to find a legal end to Assauge’s wrongful imprisonment.
The DNC is after him probably more than trump
The DNC and the military.
A barbaric waste of human life in both Assange and Manning’s cases. If the US were really who they say they are, standing for truth and freedom, they would not be acting like animals. Someone should investigate the judge Trenga too, who is causing Manning so much misery. Scratch the surface on this character and I’m sure you will find something most distasteful that is required to be covered up. They are not clean themselves! #FreeManning #FreeAssange
God bless Julian Assange. The old paper “press” sees him as a threat and will not help him. He did what they do with no punishment.
No, he did far better than they.
What about the EU’s human rights laws? Why hasn’t Amnesty International investigated Julian Assange’s case, and campaigned for his release? Doesn’t the UK legal system condemn the torturing of political prisoners?
Very good question.
Where IS Amnesty?
August 8, 20191:45 PM ET
Story by Dave Davies
‘Conspiracyland’ Debunks Theories About Murder Of DNC Staffer Seth Rich
“Journalist Michael Isikoff hosts a new podcast exploring the motivation and methods of those who promoted wild conspiracy theories about Rich, who was killed in a suspected failed robbery in 2016.
Find The ‘Conspiracyland’ Podcast Here
Here comes Michael Isikoff on Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Listen to his lies about Russia hacking the DNC. He’s selling the book he wrote with David Corn based on BS. Corn is CIA, maybe Isikoff is too.
Ed Butowsky has filed a defamation suit against NPR and NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik for their reporting on an earlier lawsuit that claimed Butowsky was involved in a retracted Fox News story about the Seth Rich conspiracy theory. Yesterday a federal judge rejected NPR’s motion to dismiss the suit, saying Butkowsky’s complaint is not defective. NPR says it stands by their reporting and will defend the case vigorously.”
https://www.npr.org/2019/08/08/749392506/conspiracyland-debunks-theories-about-murder-of-dnc-staffer-seth-rich?fbclid=IwAR0SUBDMCfeo3bn787ff5gfgygYY5UYLXGosNKSLU-5WyGePfhgdwXRQFuc
Another murder victim on the Clinton’s hit list
Absolutely right Barbara.
And the Democratic Party is complicit.
Assange should be freed immediately. He does not deserve this continuous cruelty for being a good journalist !
In 2011 I was among 144 journalists from 39 countries to sign a statement of support for Wikileaks and Julian Assange. I stand by that support. What is happening to Assange and Chelsea Manning is a disgrace to journalism. free speech and American integrity!
The truth, the US Constitution are under attack by our OWN corrupted US elitist psychopathic leadership.
I’ve seen the video “collateral murder” that exposed US complicity and war crimes! US hypocrisy when permanent war is US foreign policy!!
Fucking insanity runs the US war machine!!
There is, at least one thing, that US activists can do on behalf of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning. In Assange’s case, it cities where there are British consulates there could and should be protests on his behalf. (If there have been, the reports have been well buried).
In Manning’s case, there should be a national campaign addressed to members of Congress and the wannabe Democrat presidential candidates and through letters to the editor in major newspapers to, if nothing else, to inform the public of the criminal actions being taken against her.
What can be worse than being fed with brain altering chemicals. They have long term effects not only on the mind, but also to the vital organs. Often, the effect of these ‘pharma candies’ can be like a series of one direction trap doors. Go in, and one doesn’t come out. Hence John Pilger’s warning about us not forgetting Julian. I agree, and if we do forget Julian, we are all answerable. God help us all.
They want him dead, period! ..and if that happens their worst nightmares will begin, as all the retained data Wikileaks has under lock and key would be released. The empire is crumbling…the faster the better!
“I do not think that the measure of a civilization
is how tall its buildings of concrete are,
but rather how well its people have learned to relate
to their environment and fellow man.”
chippewa medicine man – sun bear
“Under international and Australian law, the government has a clear responsibility to exercise its diplomatic powers and legal discretion to aid a detained Australian citizen abroad.”
“The government has the ability to make diplomatic representations to the British government to drop trumped-up bail charges against Assange that will result in his immediate arrest if he leaves the embassy building. If Britain refuses, the government has the power to initiate legal proceedings to compel the British government to allow for Assange’s safe passage out of the country.”
“There are recent precedents. Liberal-National governments intervened in 2007 to have David Hicks returned to Australia from the US military prison in Guantanamo Bay, and in 2015 to secure the release of journalist Peter Greste from imprisonment in Egypt. In both cases, they took action only following a groundswell of public demands.
“Earlier this month, the Coalition government took diplomatic action to secure the release of Hakeem al-Araibi from Thai custody and his return to Australia, where he is a permanent resident, with a guarantee against extradition to his native Bahrain where he faces political persecution.”
“Coalition ministers, including Payne, who intervened only after a public campaign by the Australian and international football community, made sanctimonious statements about the responsibility of governments to protect their citizens and permanent residents.
“The government is well aware of its legal obligations. The DFAT officials brazenly rejected two rulings by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, upholding Assange’s status as a political refugee and deeming him to be arbitrarily detained.”
“In response to a question, Larson, who is DFAT’s chief legal officer, declared: “The Australian government doesn’t share the view of that UN committee. We don’t believe that Mr Assange is being arbitrarily detained.” Neither Larson nor Payne sought to justify the dismissal of the authoritative UN ruling.”
“This stance is of a piece with the criminality of successive Australian governments, Labor and Coalition alike, which have backed the persecution of Assange while also defying international asylum law by incarcerating refugees on remote Pacific islands.”
“The Australian government’s refusal to even acknowledge the US charges against Assange makes clear it is collaborating in the US-led vendetta against him. This is a continuation of the actions of Labor and Coalition governments alike since 2010. They have done nothing to defend Assange, but have instead aided the operation against the WikiLeaks founder.”
source: By Oscar Grenfell, March 1, 2019
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/03/01/assa-m01.html
“Despite Julian being a multi-award-winning journalist, much loved and respected for courageously exposing serious, high-level crimes and corruption in the public interest, he is right now alone, sick, in pain—silenced in solitary confinement, cut off from all contact and being tortured in the heart of London”
“Here are the facts,” she went on. “Julian has been detained nearly eight years without charge. That’s right. Without charge.
“In 2016, after an in-depth investigation, the United Nations ruled that Julian’s legal and human rights have been violated on multiple occasions,” she said. “He’d been illegally detained since 2010. And they ordered his immediate release, safe passage and compensation. The U.K. government refused to abide by the U.N.’s decision. The U.S. government has made Julian’s arrest a priority. They want to get around a U.S. journalist’s protection under the First Amendment by charging him with espionage. They will stop at nothing to do it.”
when U.S. Vice President Mike Pence recently visited Ecuador a deal was done to hand Julian over to the U.S. He stated that because of the political costs of expelling Julian from their embassy was too high, the plan was to break him down mentally. A new, impossible, inhumane protocol was implemented at the embassy to torture him to such a point that he would break and be forced to leave.”
Assange was once feted and courted by some of the largest media organizations in the world, including The New York Times and The Guardian, for the information he possessed. But once his trove of material documenting U.S. war crimes, much of it provided by Chelsea Manning, was published by these media outlets he was pushed aside and demonized.
The U.S. WikiLeaks grand jury, producing the extradition warrant, was held in secret by four prosecutors but no defense and no judge. The U.K.-U.S. extradition treaty allows for the U.K. to extradite Julian to the U.S. without a proper basic case. Once in the U.S., the National Defense Authorization Act allows for indefinite detention without trial. Julian could very well be held in Guantanamo Bay and tortured, sentenced to 45 years in a maximum-security prison, or face the death penalty. My son is in critical danger because of a brutal, political persecution by the bullies in power whose crimes and corruption he had courageously exposed when he was editor in chief of WikiLeaks.” (Christine Assange)
“What is happening to Assange should terrify the press. And yet his plight is met with indifference and sneering contempt.”
source:
Chris Hedges
Published on
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
by
Truthdig
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2018/11/13/crucifying-julian-assange
Please note that this is my second attempt to post a comment on this subject as my first post did not go through – probably my error.
What disturbs me most about John Pilger’s assessment of Julian Assange’s health condition is the lack of clarity as to what exactly is causing his continued deterioration. The article written above also refers to an “undisclosed ailment”. What’s next? Do we suddenly get a flash news item that Julian “took a turn for the worse”. Do his lawyers or more importantly, does his family know what’s going on? Does Pamela Anderson? Now I am quite certain that a man of John Pilger’s courage and integrity would never mislead the public. It may be that Mr. Pilger had to sign a non-disclosure agreement just to have access to Assange and said all he was allowed to say. It may have something to do with some iteration of our own HIPAA laws here in the States which closely guard one’s health records. Whatever the reason, not knowing is causing all kinds of speculation, most of which is leaning towards something sinister. After all, John Pilger himself expressed the fear that we might “lose him”. With Julian Assange’s permission, Belmarsh Prison should release an immediate and accurate report of Assange’s health condition and it should be presented by a doctor who has examined him and is authorized to speak and answer questions from the press and the public. Better yet, I’d like to hear from independent doctors not assigned to Belmarsh Prison, or would that somehow pose a threat to Britain’s national security and cause the sky to fall? Mr. Pilger also stated that Assange is being medicated. Well what does that mean? Is he being given something to help calm him as a result of being tortured and confined for many years, or is it more along the lines of a Nurse Ratchet style of medicating a patient into a state of incoherence and losing bodily functions. Is he being given psychological help and counseling? And who or what gives Britain the right to hold Julian Assange in a maximum security prison in the first place. Assange has not been found guilty of anything in jolly Old England except for the unremarkable, non-violent offense of skipping bail. He doesn’t belong with murderers, violent gangs or terrorists. He should be having jovial conversation in a normal jail with guys who don’t pay their parking tickets, cheated on their tax returns or refused to pick up after their dogs, certainly nothing more serious than that. In fact, a simple fine should have settled the whole matter. But of course we know why Assange is being held practically incommunicado from the outside world – it is to silence one of the greatest Messengers of our time, and yes, they do want to shoot this messenger many times over, as a warning to the rest of us citizens to tow the line or else. But there may be a faint glimmer of hope for Julian and it is getting a little brighter every day. That hope is Tulsi Gabbard and Jeremy Corbyn.
Tulsi Gabbard, who is running for President in the 2020 US election has stated unequivocally that she would drop all charges against Julian Assange and pardon Edward Snowden. Jeremy Corbyn, who may become the UK’s next Prime Minister, said he would not extradite Assange to the United States because he feels the charges are unjust. If Tulsi wins, Assange, Snowden and Manning are free. If Jeremy wins, Assange will be free in England and likely provided with safe passage to a country offering asylum. Either candidate would do enormous good for their own countries and the world at large, but saving Julian Assange just might save us all. And should they both win, the rats will scurry down their deep dark holes because their Reign of Imperial Terror will be over.
Comments disappear for a few hours or overnight while in moderation. Better to check later than post again.
Hi anon4d2,
Thank you for the tip off. This is only the second time I have commented on the Consortium News forum, the first time being about a month and a half ago, also in reference to Julian Assange, and my comment was posted immediately. Thanks again.
Michael, in my experience CN is now operating somewhat erratically, possibly due to some mode of protection as with against swarms of inappropriate messages. A drop can take literally many hours if not an entire day before it appears. Sometimes on the other hand the comments appear quickly. Your drop is there but not yet released. Why the long time on this is not clear. Also at times the “your comment is waiting moderation appears” which clarifies, but most of the time these days it doesn’t.
Hello hetro,
My thanks to you and anon4d2 for the information. As I mentioned to anon4d2, the first time I posted on this forum my comment did appear right away. So this time when my comment did not appear I thought it might have something to do with the spam filter “Akismet” picking up something I wrote as inappropriate or outright spam. Also, when I read my second post, I said to myself, geez this a wordy bastard, so I will try and keep my comments shorter. Glad you liked the reference to Nurse Ratchet, but when John Pilger said Julian was being medicated, his statement seemed to infer that Assange was being subdued with drugs rather than being helped.
Yes, this is the impression I get also. It’s suspicious because his condition in the embassy may have been rundown but not in a state of illness. He looked all right early May in the video released. But then something happened. I would like more details from John as the previous tendency on his conditioned tended to be somewhat alarmist. Nurse Ratshed by the way I think would be tops in style for a position at CNN.
Well said, and thank you for the information.
I agree with you totally except for the solution coming from Tulsi Gabar and Jeremy Corbyn. We are members of the french support committee of Julian Assang Wikijustice, we are also part of the Yellow Vest movement. We wonder and we are very worried that we did not have any single picture of Julian Assange since April 11, nobody got a letter return, and we write many letters. For us this luck of information about Julians Assange health is a sign that somthing very wrong is going on: where is the prouve that he is still in Belmarsh?And not in one of the many secret prisons in Europe???? Why we never had any single picture or even drawing of the court audience of the 14 June? Who are EXACTLY the lawyer of Julian Assange? Who is responsible for the strategy? Why this people never answer to our mails? Where is the Courage Foundation? Why they never answer? Why on Wikileaks site appears such compagny as the Leighbureaultd agency which is openly working with the worst ennemies of Julian Assange? For us, the only one solution are public pressures, demonstration and mass movement to put pressure on our gouvernement the release Julian Assange. And the constitution of an international committe for this struggles, and not only wait until the lawyer will loos his life.
https://wikileaks.org/Enquiries-and-Contact.html
Review:
Video of Julian appeared from early May approximately one month after his incarceration at Cell #37 Belmarsh Prison. We then had alarming reports, including from the UN Rapporteur, that Julian was very ill and could barely talk. (All this is reviewable if you do a search; I don’t have references at hand right now.)
Next, we learned of a letter Julian had written after the previous dire forecasts to one of his supporters. It’s in longhand. This was directly followed by more video of supporters and Julian’s father who had just been visiting Julian in the hospital. All this occurred about one month ago. Julian’s father was very impressive and much like Julian, very courteous, good-humored, clear. He said Julian had “stabilized”. (He had just been visiting him.)
We have no evidence indicating he’s been poisoned or subjected to mind-altering drugs. It may be true or not true. It is important to note that in the first video of Julian at Belmarsh in early May (a few weeks after April 9) he looked typical Julian. It turned out that of the 24 hour period in his cell, he was allowed four hours per day to mingle with other residents, who have been reported liking him. These are my personal recollections on this matter.
Hello Monika,
Julian Assange is not in a black site. He is presently in Belmarsh Prison, and we know that for sure because John Pilger just visited him there and reported his observations. As hetro stated in the reply to your questions, a video surfaced provided by Ruptly which purportedly shows Assange having conversation with several other inmates at Belmarsh. You can access the video from this website if you go to page 5 of the archives and scroll to “Video Emerges of Assange in Belmarsh: Watch the Webcast” dated June 7, 2019.
Assange’s attorneys are presently Jennifer Robinson and Mark Stephens of the law firm Finers, Stephens & Innocent. He is also represented by Barry Pollack in Washington, DC of the law firm Miller & Chavalier who fight against his extradition to the US. The great Balthazar Garzon represents Assange in Ecuador . Two other attorneys that have represented Julian have died: Michael Ratner (May 2016, aged 72) a renowned civil and human rights attorney, and John Jones (April 2016, aged 48) another world class civil rights attorney who supposedly committed suicide when he was hit by a train at a London station.
For whatever the reason, it has been ominously quiet both here in the US and in the UK when it comes to massive and sustained demonstrations supporting Julian Assange. In fact, there was quite a bit more protest in Ecuador when Moreno gave permission for the London Police to enter the Ecuadorian Embassy and forcefully remove Assange than there was in London itself! If only the Extinction Rebellion crowd had gathered as massively for Julian Assange as they did for the environment, it might have been the start of some meaningful protest, bringing much needed awareness to more people. Didn’t happen. I think some “critical mass” has to be reached before people in large enough numbers take to the streets; something on a personal level that directly affects everyday life – such as raising the fuel prices in France – that, on top of the austerity measures already imposed by Macron was the last slap in the face that people were willing to bear. Result: The Yellow Vests! Unfortunately, outrage over the treatment of Julian Assange and the realization that his persecution threatens all our freedoms, is something that has not taken hold en masse in the US or the UK. Therefore, at this time, I feel the upcoming elections may be the best chance Assange, Snowden, Manning and the rest of us have. Hopefully, things won’t reach the point where we have to storm our own Bastilles!
Peace, Justice and Liberty for all – Michael.
I agree, Michael.
We are not getting enough information about Assange’s health.
It goes without saying that mainstream media is a huge fail, but even so…
We need an independent assessment of Assange’s health.
What is he being medicated for?
Can Assange be allowed to speak to the public about his health?
The silence is numbing.
Hi Johanna,
You are right – the silence is numbing, and that is precisely the effect that maximum security prisons are designed to have on inmates, by severely limiting contact with the outside world. Even worse are super-max prisons that use solitary confinement, designed to completely break a person’s will and spirit by not allowing any human contact whatsoever, a very real danger facing Julian if extradited to the US. Even when Rafael Correa was in power and was friendly with Julian Assange, the UK government would not allow safe passage from the embassy and back for him to see the doctors and specialists he needed, such as an MRI for a chronic shoulder problem or badly needed dentistry. Clearly, the UK was in direct violation of International Law but could have cared less. Instead of “smoking” him out, they planned to “suffer” him out, but Assange did not yield. Then comes ratbag Lenin Moreno to make matters exponentially worse.
My Yellow Vest friend Monika (see above) is right – sometimes you just have to take the fight right to “their” doorstep. I would like to suggest that as many people as possible gather in front of Belmarsh Prison and demand to see Julian Assange. Plan it and organize it with members of the Extinction Rebellion group, who should be just as concerned with their freedom and rights going extinct as with life on the planet going extinct. Perhaps the Yellow Vests would also attend. After all, they would all be protesting against the same forces that have little regard for our planet, have no regard for working people and would like to bury Assange. The UK government must be sent a message from the people, but right now, what is even more important, is that Julian Assange hear the people in a loud chorus supporting him. No, “they” will not produce Julian Assange on demand, but hearing the people’s voices supporting him might just help Assange rally back to health. We owe him at least that much – to raise our voices as one on his behalf. Time to break that numbing silence as ONE VOICE RISING.
Thank you. I agree. But HIPPA is a terrible law, and if you dig into, it actually does the reverse.
julien is not competent, he is a citizen of a citizenship, he believes in rights given by somebody else……..a citizen is a taxpayer. He never showed signs of sovereignty…he is treated as a monkey or citizen or property of state… He is a surety for the national debt, and he is a piece of paper: the birth certificate. He should have known better about sovereignty
Julian Assange is our #FreeSpeech #FreePress HERO. Without his released info many of us might have voted for HRC leading to World War III.
My favorite website has, yet again, inspired me to post more “Free Julian Assange, Jail the War Criminals!” flyers around my neighborhood. The flyers feature a wonderful portrait of Julian and can be downloaded here: https://steemit.com/wikileaks/@lighteye/free-assange
(Courtesy of Lee Camp and Redacted Tonight) We cannot be silent. Do what you can for Julian!
Can we write to Assange? If so, the address to use? Also, who in the UK could have influence in this instance. The collaboration between the UK and US authorities, including Obama, must be undone.
Deborah Andrew wrote: “Can we write to Assange?”
Yes:
Write to Julian Assange
https://writejulian.com
From a June interview with an inmate, by Cassandra Fairbanks:
“The photos feature Assange prior to his illness and being moved to the prison’s hospital wing last month. . . .
“The photos of Assange himself reveal considerable weight loss since I last visited him in the Ecuadorian embassy in March.
“After viewing photos of Assange prior to entering the prison, the inmate remarked ‘it’s true. Belmarsh has sucked the life out of him.’
“Speaking generally about how Assange is viewed by the other inmates, the prisoner said that he is well liked among the prison population. ‘Everyone’s got a million questions for him — like ‘is the illuminati real?’ He’s probably heard that question a million times,’ the inmate said, along with laughing emojis. . . .
“The prisoner stated that Assange is still currently in the hospital wing of the prison. He also said that Assange very much appreciates all the letters he is receiving from supporters and that there was one day when nobody in the roughly 300 person unit received mail — except for him.
“‘All of the post was for Assange,’ he said. ‘About 500 letters and it was all for him. It made him smile.’”
Here is some answers asked by many commenters (history of case, donation page, info on attys., etc.) provided in a link at Elizabeth Lee Vos’ twitter. “One of the most common questions we receive during the weekly Unity4J vigils goes something like: “how can I help? I feel powerless” or “what can I do?”
https://steemit.com/wikileaks/@elizbethleavos/actions-for-assange-ideas-and-examples-of-how-to-help
I get what other people are saying when they point out there is nothing illegal about what Assange did. That is true. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t matter what is legal in his case. This has been proven many times over, most recently by Melzer’s report that Assange is a torture victim. This report was utterly trashed with laughable statements by the US such as “we take the law seriously, we don’t torture, etc “. His whole case demonstrates the utter lawlessness of multiple states, including the UK and the US.
I wonder if amassing as many people as possible outside the prison would be helpful. I know that most people don’t have the plane or other transportation fare if they don’t live very close by. But if this could be organized locally, maybe that would help?
I also wonder if as many people as possible who have the skills to do this could create a youtube video on Assange’s behalf. Just a plain spoken, short video or even holding up a sign that reads: Release Assange Now. If a lot of people did this on youtube or any social media maybe that is a way to go as well? It would be flooding the airways with truth instead of lies. (I don’t underestimate the push-back this move will receive by social media outlets.)
Would it be possible to start a GoFundMe account for Julian and Chelsea, the proceeds of which would be periodically split between them to help with the staggering costs for their legal representation and now the $1000 fine recently imposed by the court. I mean would it be allowed or would the powers that be say that it is illegal and shut it down. Apparently we have lost our right to have opinions and support causes that we feel are the result of injustice. Yes, Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning, and BDS. And yet the criminals are free and their crimes against humanity go unpunished: the illegal war in Iraq; over one million Iraqi’s murdered, and this would be just the beginning of a very long list.
This is probably a good idea, but if you look into the series of events regarding the French boxer(Dettinger?)who so effectively dealt with some police thugs during a Yellow Vest protest a few months back, that funding site -Lichee (probably mis-spelled here) – was frozen by the government in about 24 hours, the funds never distributed or returned to the donators. Some French citizens who donated have received email from “the authorities” asking why they donated.
I am in no way arguing that it shouldn’t be done, but it most likely that setting up or donating to a legal defense fund for Assange or Manning would move you up whatever list(s) you are already on and possibly deliver no aid to the intended recipients.
Ha, like the username!
Those wanting to support Manning, go here:
https://couragefound.org/appeal-fund/
Those wanting to support Assange, go here:
https://defend.wikileaks.org/donate/
As per your suggestion, a GoFundMe might be vulnerable to political and/or corporate pressure – these two organisations have battled long and hard to keep donation channels open.
Max security prison ? I know of quite a few UK/US politicians that should be there in his place . What a bunch of hoodlums .We live in an upside down world.
I am heartened by the support for Julian Assange and condemnation of the American Empire expressed by other commenters. Sometimes I feel very much the outlier.
Is there any central or main organizing source for legal and other help for Julian Assange? I do not see emails asking for help, whether financial or republishing help, for his case. Are there lawyers involved who need financial support? Are there publications involved that need publicity, reposting, etc? Assange and Channing are being turned into martyrs: where and when is there a worldwide day of protest, a march on government agencies perpetuating this crime? A real trial would probably reveal too much of the truths that Wikileaks published: we should be removing support from MSM and other publications that are not actively supporting Assange: they are hiding behind a First Amendment wall that is full of holes. They can’t hide forever. Meanwhile, where is the focused effort to address Assange’s and Channing’s torture? Let us not forget: look how long it has taken, and how many deaths, for people to question the official 9/11 story. Assange and Channing don’t have that long to wait for justice.
Carolyn wrote: “Is there any central or main organizing source for legal and other help for Julian Assange?”
You can check out @DefendAssange, the well-known Twitter account run by the legal campaign to free Julian Assange.
Also @wikileaks, @AssangeMrs, @couragefound, @Unity4J, etc. And journalists like @johnpilger, @caitoz, @Consortiumnews…
Their websites as well.
CIA, MI6, Mossad … My, my, It was not that long ago the world feared Nazism and Communism.
What have we now?
MK Ultra.
“Assange is suffering from an undisclosed ailment and has been confined to the hospital ward at the maximum security prison for several weeks. is suffering from an undisclosed ailment and has been confined to the hospital ward at the maximum security prison for several weeks.”
Strike ailment and substitute ‘inducement’.
One of the notable features of John Woo’s original torture memo was the frequent use of medication on captives. This technique has no doubt been perfected in the torture camps of Gitmo, Abu Ghraib, and Bagram It seems likely that Assange will become the victim of MK Ultra which is a program created by the CIA to develop “truth” serums, induce amesia, and gain mind control over the victim. They are currently using some of this stuff in the immigrant detainment centers in the U.S. Even if he gets out he will no longer be the same and that is a very scary thought.
Spot on
Australia must demand his release to return home
Australians might remember David Hicks who was banged up in Guantánamo with the Australian government, aided by the ABC, vilifying him and prepared to leave him there to rot. It was only when public pressure, led by David’s tenacious courageous father and US Army lawyer, reached the point where the cowardly Prime Minister (Howard) couldn’t ignore it and a deal was cooked up with the US to get David home. It seems to me that this is Julian’s only hope because, so far, high-profile people (Pilger, Roger Waters, Nils Melzer etc.) have got precisely nowhere.
If I had the power to take on the AngloAmerican sadistic psychopaths I’d take Assange by any means necessary and lo behold anyone that got in the way.
As for the Swedes, they are the worst kind of coward.
At the end of the day, Assange’s deplorable persecutors will receive God’s just punishment for their ugly misdeeds ! Julian is an outstanding and admirable human being, and will continue to be in my daily prayers always.
If I had the power to take on the AngloAmerican sadistic psychopaths I’d take Assange by any means necessary and lo behold anyone that got in the way.
I who’s the judge in this case?
Search the CN site for that. A female judge in the secret federal courts of Virginia near the CIA and Pentagon.
Hardly matters: there are no federal judges who are not corrupt operatives of oligarchy.
They could be giving him the Jack Ruby Therapy (JRT) treatment. Reasons are the same. He’s a high visibility political prisoner. They wouldn’t want to risk a trial. Too many giant skeletons would certainly start popping out of embarrassing closets in plain view.
I got this piece about Assange which might be of interest for you:
Isn’t it time diplomatic pressure was brought to bear on the British Government to send him back to Australia?
That’s like asking, in the Aesop’s fable, “but who will bell the cat?” What country would even consider applying diplomatic pressure?
Does anyone know what to make of this recent court ruling? I’m no attorney nor do I play one on TV, but in my uneducated opinion the legal precedents are good.
https://osociety.org/2019/08/05/judges-ruling-throws-huge-spanner-into-us-extradition-proceedings-against-assange/
What most disturbs me about this latest report concerning Julian Assange’s health coming from John Pilger, is the lack of detail as to what exactly is causing Julian’s health to deteriorate. Was Mr. Pilger required to sign a non-disclosure agreement in order to visit with Assange? I cannot imagine for a moment that a person of John Pilger’s courage and integrity would not reveal the truth about Assange’s health unless he was under some legal constraint such as our HIPAA laws here in the United States, but then couldn’t Assange himself override that law and give permission to release his health records? I guess my real concern is whether or not Assange is getting the best medical/psychological care possible or is he only to be looked after by “authorized” Belmarsh Prison doctors? Is Julian to be kept medicated ala Nurse Ratchet style or is he getting real help? Let’s not forget that Assange was, and still is, a political prisoner who had to endure a long period of torture and confinement in the Ecuadorian Embassy, most especially when Moreno came to power, and that Nils Melzer, the UN Rapporteur on torture has documented that fact with personal visits to Assange accompanied by doctors, and that Assange was already a very sick and weakened man when he entered Belmarsh Prison. Of course the worst thing his jailers are doing to him is keeping him isolated and cut off from communicating with the outside world, which of course has been their aim all along – to silence one of the greatest Messengers of our time, the one who exposes the corrupt and powerful and strikes fear in their hearts – and yes, they do indeed want to shoot him, many times over, as a warning to the rest of us. But there is a faint glimmer of hope, growing brighter every day, and her name is Tulsi Gabbard and his name is Jeremy Corbyn.
If Tulsi wins the 2020 US election she stated that she will drop all charges against Julian Assange and pardon Edward Snowden. If Jeremy Corbyn wins a likely general election in the coming months and becomes Prime Minister of the UK, he stated in Parliament that he would free Julian Assange and not extradite him to the United States! Beside the enormous good that either of these candidates will bring to their respective countries and the world at large, Julian will be free. If Tulsi alone is elected, we win the trifecta of freedom for Assange, Snowden and Manning. Should they both win – the rats will be scurrying down their dark holes as their Imperial reign of terror will be over.
Thanks for that One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest allusion and Nurse Ratshed!
I really hope that Mr Assange’s lawyers can construct his defense without his full input (surely his co-workers at Wikileaks can assist in this).
The governments involved are all utterly shameless, immoral, unethical and criminal. And you can be sure that were a journalist/publisher being held in a like maximum security prison under the same conditions, facing the same likely outcome in Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela and any other country on the pious western nations’ blacklist, we would not be hearing the last of it from those western nations’ governments and the western MSM. It would be all shock, horror and what can you expect from such and such a “regime.” And this would be even more the case were that journalist/publisher to have released documents, video footage revealing their “regime’s military” war crimes.
How can the revelation of war crimes committed by individual or groups of western militaries be a matter of “national security”? They are serious criminal acts and the perpetrators should be punished (including those who gave the orders, created the scenarios, set up up the situations). But apparently *western* militaries are untouchable (and here I include the IDF) when it comes to crimes against civilian populations; meanwhile other militaries or their leaders – those of lesser countries – are hauled before international courts. (And the Australian and British governments have hardly been behind the door in ensuring that *their* militaries cannot be punished for being, revealed as war criminals.)
If your *national security* depends upon, is based on, committing illegal, criminal acts then this country needs to rethink and reconstruct its whole military, secret agency construct. Eradicate the existing ones and rebuild within international laws. Such a nation needs to seriously question its morals, its ethics, its fundamental socio-cultural dynamics.
As for the Australian government supporting Assange – yes they should have done that from the get-go. But given their lickspittle position vis a vis the US (and to a lesser extent the UK), I wouldn’t trust them further than I could throw them were they to take “custody” of Mr Assange.
I believe Julian Assange was within his rights as an investigative journalist. The U.S. should bring him back, without charge, get him healthy, protect him in exchange for what Chelsea Manning gave him. I believe Julian could break this case of Hillary’s emails and more, before this man dies of ill treatment. HE IS THE KEY!
Couldn’t someone clean up all the typos and poor grammar in this piece?
“WikiLeak‘s”
Can’t even get the name of Wikileaks right.
Who wrote this? Why is there no author listed?
I’m not complaining about the article, just the lack of attribution.
When telling the truth and reporting crimes becomes a criminal offense, then we are governed by criminals
The western establishment is the enemy of its own subject peoples and all humanity.
The Empire would like us to believe that questioning the behavior of the US government is unpatriotic and treasonous. Nothing could be further from the truth. Criticizing one’s government is the duty of all citizens wishing to correct it, and make it better.
Jill wrote: “I don’t know what avenues are available to Assange.”
cjonsson1 wrote: “There has to be some kind of legal way to get Assange, Snowden, and Manning released.”
Yes, there is:
“. . . executive order 13526, prohibiting classification of embarrassing or criminal information”.
— Ray McGovern, former chair of National Intelligence Estimates
https://consortiumnews.com/2019/07/08/ray-mcgovern-ex-fbi-cia-officials-draw-withering-fire-on-russiagate/
That is to say, the “classified” documents they are accused of disclosing were unlawfully classified in the first place.
Sam F wrote: “The issues of using the case to conceal unlawful and unconstitutional acts of the federal government.”
Exactly. They are in effect charged with not obeying the unlawful classification of unlawful government acts.
With whistleblowers who act in defense of the law, constitution, and human rights, the usual process is as follows:
1. Unlawfully, the government commits crimes.
2. Then, unlawfully, the government classifies its crimes.
3. Then, unlawfully, the government boycotts the official whistleblower process and protection, forcing honest citizens to leak government crimes to journalists.
4. And then, unlawfully, the government charges whistleblowers — and now investigative journalists as well — with not obeying the unlawful classification of unlawful government crimes.
Rinse and repeat.
Yes, the issue stated here by Sam F is critical to understanding how government is hiding behind a pretext that ANY act of the federal government is protected from whistle-blowers under legislation for “classified” and “national security.” But it is too simple to think, oh, well, then, it’s a security matter: Assange and Manning are traitors. This is the prevailing brainwash of the day that some addled commenters here at CN fall for time and again. The question is WHY, on what principles, did these two act as they did?
Essentially this behavior-claim “national security” and “classified” includes the danger that a blanket excuse can cover criminal behavior, much as a corrupt sheriff behind a badge waving his night stick. Anyone challenging these conditions can be considered under the Espionage Act. But what if what is being covered up is criminal behavior, the worst outcome of which could include a coup putting power into a small special interests group.
Why have we stopped asking when HRC et al in the DNC will be held accountable for twisting the nomination away from Sanders in 2016? Wikileaks disclosed this heinous corruption with the consequent reward a collusion theory hoax, now increasingly clear, engaged in by government cooperation from numerous quarters, and supposedly being investigated by Barr et al.
We need to keep on with these developments and set them out clearly.
Related to this discussion, I would like to repeat Judge Koeltl’s decision from July 30, 2019:
“If WikiLeaks could be held liable for publishing documents concerning the DNC’s political financial and voter-engagement strategies simply because the DNC labels them ‘secret’ and trade secrets, then so could any newspaper or other media outlet. But that would impermissibly elevate a purely private privacy interest to override the First Amendment interest in the publication of matters of the highest public concern. The DNC’s published internal communications allowed the American electorate to look behind the curtain of one of the two major political parties in the United States during a presidential election. This type of information is plainly of the type entitled to the strongest protection that the First Amendment offers.”
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/52024.htm
Highlighting the following language from this ruling:
“ . . . that would impermissibly elevate a purely private privacy interest to override the First Amendment interest in the publication of matters of the highest public concern.”
The “that” refers to holding Wikileaks or any publisher liable for publishing documents that can be labeled “’secret’ and trade secrets” (classified etc.) which “override[s] the First Amendment interest in the publication of matters of the highest public concern . . .”
This includes as “interest” possible crimes and deviation from the Constitution.
This is what every one feared, the British government acting like any Third World country, Assange is being treated like he has been already convicted!
Has Britain really sunk that low?
The British government isn’t acting like a Third World country here. It is acting like, and under the direction of, the greatest terrorist nation in the world– the USA.
Keep fighting for Julian Assange!
I think many people want to help Julian, but are of course excluded from the legal machinations. The establishment, as represented by the British & american intelligence community are the true enemy of the people, it is these groups who underpin mainstream media and the interests of the psychopaths at the core of power. We can help Julian best by publishing our own accounts, and keeping his name in the public’s mind. They are determined to destroy this man, because he exposed what is happening, for real in the back rooms of power. Alternative media must grow more, people need to grasp the opportunity of the World Wide Web as being the people’s publishing house. Keep publishing, keep striving for freedom.
FREE JULIAN
FREE JULIAN
HE HAS NOT COMMITED ANY CRIMES .HE WAS DOING HIS JOB
HITLARY CLINTON IS DOING ANYTHING TO SILENCE HIM SHE ORCHESTRATED THIS ENTIRE THING
HE IS A REPORTER
A JOURNALIST AND THE BEST
IT HIS JOB TO REPORT THINGS TO THE PUBLIC . HES NO SPY IR NOTHING OF THE SORT.
HE DID NOT STEAL ANYTHING
THE INFO WAS GIVEN TO HIM.
YOUR HOLDING THIS MAN ON FAKE AND FALSE CHARGES!!!BESIDES THAT NAN FROM ECUADOR IS HER BEST FRIEND .
LET JULIAN GO
FREE JULIAN
My heart is broken for Julian. This is so terribly sad.
What can we do to save him?
Thank you Julian for your sacrifice thus far as it is truly great.
Go to the Belmarsh prison asking for proof of this life, that he got our letter, ask to visit him… All possible if you are living in Great Britain!
I agee. Admiration an respect, not pity for Julian Assange. ??
As a very ordinary person who all through my very ordinary life has held the view that the law will protect us all. Now faced with this immoral and inhuman treatment that the people in the highest positions are dealing out to innocent people who are exposing what has happened in a illegal so called war makes me terrified that power can be so misused. I call on all the ordinary people of this world to protest peacefully against this dreadful injustice.
Well said, William. We the people must rise up and speak truth to power. Julian Assange should not be in Prison. But a number of USA, the U.K. and other criminals who are persecuting Assange should be.
Please will anyone visiting Julian assure him tbat there are many who support him.
Our pathetic (Australian) government will not raise a finger to help.
Free Julian….NOW!!!!
Enough is enough!!!
…”the judge in Manning’s case denied her a hearing and said $1000- a- day fines against her did not amount to ‘punishment'”. I almost choked on my spaghetti! What is wrong with these people? She already lost her home. I have to say these antifa and other protestors need to know history and focus their ire on the unfair economy, lack of free and within reason university, healthcare, employment opportunities, and so forth. Plagiarist Joe saw to it that students and people cannot even file for Chapter 11. Julian Assange has gotten shit for treatment and so has Chelsea Manning and the civil- war- wanting- fuckers do not get how this affects them. President Trump was elected fairly and legally and Wikileaks had nothing to do with the outcome these whining people wanted.
Where are the Australian Government in all of this? They simply have to issue Julian with diplomatic immunity and bring him home to Australia. But no! They are lap dogs of USA – to hell with the moral imperatives, when trade, defence and political unions are involved. Every concerned citizen needs to pen a “My Will” letter to their local MP requesting the repatriation of Assange.
My view exactly. Hoping he
comes throuh it OK.
One flew over cuckoo’s nest , not just
Spot on. The Australian Govt’s -both Liberal & Labour are tools of the Terrorist nation known as the USA.
Australia has a crap history of looking after its own Citizens overseas. A pox on them all.
Tim, they tried that.
Donald Trump PRAISED Wikileaks five (5) times in 2016 when campaigning to get elected president of the USA.
Julian Assanged greatly aided Trump releasing Hillary Clinton’s emails.
Trump’s SHABBY treatment of Assange speaks volumes.
Who cares. Thats what happens when you hack the government. Let him set there.
Connie Rossetti… He did not hack any Government he only published it. He’s a Journalist who published war crimes.
Except he hasn’t hacked the government. Wikileaks relies on leaks not hacks. Hence the name, it’s a bit of a clue. It’s called Wikileaks, not Wikihacks.
“Who cares. Thats what happens when you hack the government. Let him set there.”
Tell us , when did Assange hack the government ? Be specific.
Do a bit of research and learn the facts – you sound like an idiot.
So much empathy. Why are you even on this site, or reading any form of news for that matter, if you you’re proud of your lack of care for people who try to further the common good?
Assange did not “hack the government.” And to answer your question, we all should care. Julian Assange is a journalist who exposed The atrocities of the United States military and government. He is a courageous hero. His prosecution is nothing less than an obstruction of justice and a denial of freedom of speech. Please pay attention and learn the truth.
So sad to see the incredible ignorance demonstrated by this comment. Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion, and in my opinion you would’ve been a good German in Nazi Germany. Assange’s heroism and bravery are second to none. When you criticize this man in the way you have for risking his life to tell the truth and expose war crimes etc. you demonstrate the worst form of cowardice. It’s so easy to tow the party line, So easy to kick a man when he’s down, maybe one day you will have the fortitude to stand up for a man who told truth to power And risked his life all of us.
Connie, he didn’t hack anything – you’re an ill-informed, ignorant, fool!
What sort of cold hearted person are you? No Heart or ability to form a fair & dispassionate opinion.
Julian Assange is a Hero – he alerted the World to war crimes committed by the USA -the real World Terrorist.
Who do you work for I’d like to know ?
Please give us some more of your wisdom. I suspect that our current “government” is “of, by, and for” people just like you. I believe if the Capitol and the White House fell into a Black Hole, the rest of the country and the world would be better off.
#freeAssange!
#freeManning!
Both are Heros!!
“Thats what happens when you hack the government.” says Connie
So what happens when the government murders innocent civilians and covers it up? You should be grateful for whistle blowers and the investigative journalists that work hard day and night to uncover the things he did.
Connie does not care. Forget her!
Well, you have obviously been dumbed down bu the corrupt government and media.
Heartless doesn’t begin to describe your comment, Connie R. Why don’t you just “set” there and think about your shameful comment?
It is not heartless. It is plain stupid.
Connie, about caring:
we must care because we support his/ such works.
We support such works so that the targets of truth-telling are made aware that their irrational fears.
We must care because we are a people of rules ~ rules which applicable to each and all, rules created to protect truth-tellers.
That’s not what is supposed to ever happen in America under our Constitution. Go study. Where are you from?
Unfortunately, that is the comment that I got from a number of highly educated classmates of mine when I posed the question at our class site as to whether any of the journos in the class (some of them prominent nationally) would say a word in defense of Julian Assange.
This was about a year a ago. Most of them said what Connie said.
I was horrified. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
I decided, among other things, that I will never attend another class reunion with these high-powered but dangerously ignorant people. I believe their views on Assange were secondary infections from their primary Trump hatred and Hillary sour grapes.
Well, being highly educated does not mean “highly intelligent”. I have had a similar experience. I am amazed at the number of people who have no concept of integrity.
Try and learn proper English before posting here. People are educated on this site.
What does “set there” mean?
And what is “Thats”?
Try and or try to??
Is that a Skipperke in your logo?
Connie, methinks your job at the CIA is safe today. But what hateful stupidity can you pretend to believe in tomorrow or next week?
#FreeAssange
I believe Julian is tough, and has toughened himself over these past years of isolation at the embassy. I would like more details from John, or whoever, if possible. You say he’s being treated worse than a murderer, but he’s in a hospital situation. What does that mean? We can help him by thinking through his case and becoming informed.
In upholding the principles for which Assange stands, I warn against presentations of him as broken, repentant, or as a miserably failed loser. Nothing can more aid him and his cause than a repeated picture of resilient defiance.
Put another way, I believe that admiration and RESPECT will promote him, NOT pity.
I think nothing can aid Assange and his cause more than telling the truth. He’s entitled to a degree of privacy about his medical and mental condition, but outside of that, his supporters (in glaring contrast to his prosecutors/persecutors) should try to report the truth, as Pilger no doubt is doing here.
John is reporting a very justifiable OPINION of fears for Julian’s health. He is not presenting an objective medical prognosis.
The “truth” can be reported in various ways – I can report that I am 65 years old, or I can report that I may be quite close to death.
But that’s part of what separates these individuals from the ones they’re clashing with — honesty, even when it isn’t convenient. Not everyone wants to be a Lannister.
Please release Julien, and please have Mr. Trump take good care of him….as I don’t think he deserves this kind of treatments, especially when there are people killing people for no reason, like in the Clinton cases…..I’m sure Donald Trump could pardon him if he has to be pardoned..I still think he is punished too severely. And what he already went through should be enough of a punishment….free Julian…please.
Where are all the justice loving people’s protests for the heroes like Assange, Snowden, Manning? Where?? All we do is write comments and articles…and where is the action? Why aren’t we organizing??
Lots of people demonstrated outside the Ecuadorian embassy for 7 years. Nothing came of it.
There has to be some kind of legal way to get Assange, Snowden, and Manning released.
Where is the rule of law people keep talking about for them?
Lots of people demonstrated outside the Ecuadorian embassy for 7 years. Nothing came of it.
There has to be some kind of legal way to get Assange, Snowden, and Manning released.
Where is the rule of law people keep talking about for them? Clearly these 3 are treated inhumanely by our government.
=
I guess that is business as usual for the American empire. You are on you are own people.
America is not an empire. Britain was an empire, as was Spain. It is clearly evident that America is top dog, by virtue of the fact that it is so millitaryly powerful but politically and (eventually) economically bankrupt. However, we are not just witnessing an increasingly desparate America. Rather, we are witnessing an increasingly desperate Western aliance. The West is trying to hold on to its economic, political and military position against an increasingly rising East. Assange, who is Australian and therefore a citizen of the West, exposed the lengths to which Western governments are prepared to go in order to maintain their collective position in the world. In fact, so desperate are they that nearly every ideal of Western civility has been discarded, including the right to privacy and a fair trial.
Not an empire? Say what? Look closer.
Actually Richard Di Natale did make a statement on 12 April 2019, “Use the ‘special relationship’ to stop Assange extradition.” More here: https://candobetter.net/JulianAssange/supporters/diNatale. And the Socialist Equity Party has organised a few demos in Melbourne and, I think, Sydney. But it is all very very very weak. Australians mostly have no idea of what Assange has stood up for, if they even know about him. Our education system and public media are propaganda sources.
This is the problem, isn’t it? When you have corrupt governments in charge of making and administering the law, then abiding by the law may not help. You may have to break the law. Modern activists tend to be indoctrinated never to use violence, but that may be the only way. Has anyone risked their life or freedom in an effort to help Assange? Were there any attempts while he was in the embassy to rush it in a crowd formation?
Sherry, that is a very good question. The answer is that most of us now cower before the very power that our Bill of Rights describes and whose contents are just another “piece of paper” to wave in front of our kids in their classrooms as indoctrinating propaganda to teach how great America is. Every bit of that propaganda is pure pure bull shit, as our written history clearly describes.
I echo Sherry: “Where are all the justice loving people’s protests for the heroes like Assange, Snowden, Manning? Where?? All we do is write comments and articles…and where is the action? Why aren’t we organizing??”
Where are all the justice loving people’s protests for the heroes like Assange, Snowden, Manning? Where?? All we do is write comments and articles…and where is the action? Why aren’t we organizing??
Because anyone who organizes is shut down quickly. They’re disordered, criminal, or just a terrorist. Whatever word works to shove em away somewhere.
It’s too late for the rebellious spirit of the 60s and 70s, all we have now are symbolic protests that achieve nothing.
The treatment of Assange reflects poorly on the U.S., Britain and Sweden. The negative impact this could potentially have on journalism is horrifying. My heart breaks for Julian Assange. In today’s world, no good deed goes unpunished, this being a prime example.
Edward Snowden, Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning are all great heroes in my book. All three have provided a great service to humanity, at great personal sacrifice. They all should be getting Nobel prizes for what they’ve done, and statues in their images erected in high places around the world. I could kiss the ground they’ve walked on.
Yes. Ditto. :-(
Doro Reeves…thanks for posting a dood letter…I feel the same way..
I’d be interested in your thoughts (or anyone’s thoughts for that matter) on what, if anything, we could do that would stand half a chance of helping Julian. As an American, I feel we owe Mr. Assange a debt. While not all Americans feel the way that I do, I suspect there are enough of us to make a difference IF our efforts are appropriately focused and coordinated. Whatever actions are contemplated, they must be both legal and should acknowledge that there are many Americans currently sitting on the fence on this issue. Every one of these people are a potential ally and it would be self-defeating to alienate these people. Recently, a friend who had initially in the anti-Assange crowd and later more on the fence wrote say he believe Assange was being mistreated for things that the NTY (et al.) do all the time
Is any organization organizing any kind of central office or something to coordinate support for Julian?
Such as a telephone campaign?
Where is the “weak point” in terms of the forces that are killing Julian?
In the USA? Or in the UK?
Is there anything we can boycott?
Demos in front of the UK embassy?
Or, in front of Belmarsh Prison?
Is the ACLU taking a role of any kind? Obviously Assange’s human rights are being violated every day.
Is there an group in the UK that is analogous to the ACLU?
There are references to his legal defender and their organization in prior CN articles.
It would be good to have a website link if they have people to manage that.
You may want to search this site, or set up a group yourself.
Of course he’s medicated the man must eat to feed body cells and that’s how the poison gets in the new torture I can’t stand the way we treat truth and honesty in our world. The facts do not matter anymore only lies and laughter from the ugly ones who create them. The absurdity of this will play out sometime in the future and true, honest leaders who helps others will emerge with water, food and health for everyone in an environment of cleaning up after grotesque greed has busted it’s own elite bubble
Both Assange and Manning remain incarcerated why the real criminals run free – what kind of justice is that?
Just a note. The article makes it appear as if Sweden still accuses JA of sexual assault. My understanding is that that case has been permanently dropped. Am I wrong?
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/world/europe/wikileaks-julian-assange.html
The link given by CN does not reflect the later developments in a Swedish Court. NY Times – what do you expect?
The Swedish court decided in May this year that there is no basis for issuing a European Arrest Warrant, as there is no rape charge. Assange can be asked to attend an additional interview in his case in Sweden.
If this had happened in 2010, there would have been no case against him! But in 2010 the EAW was issued by the Swedish prosecutor only, not decided by a court. The latter would have been the correct procedure.
One more reason for the court decision can have been (this is my speculation) the unwillingness to have JA in the Swedish hands and bearing the responsibility of extraditing him or not to the US. Let the British do it. If he survives the prison time, that is.
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2019/06/a-swedish-court-injects-some-sense/
My speculation is that JA was transferred to the prison hospital in order to stop him from associating with other prisoners. Such free activity was seen in a Youtube video, secretly shot in the prison. It may well have been that the video triggered the unrest among the prison authorities – JA must be isolated!
The media for years kept saying Julian was only facing 5 years in the USA, yet hey presto once he was out they reveal actually it’s 175 years. So we have two citizen journalists in an isolation unit built for a child killer in a category A prison – JA and Tommy Robinson, who some media continue to say he could have derailed a trial despite the fact the judge who sentenced him stated nothing he did could have possibly done so. And our brave MSM (Guardian, Independent, et al) are silent.
Comparing the British racist agitator who has taken the name of “Tommy Robinson” with Julian Assange and crediting Robinson as a journalist is absurd on its face.
You don’t think that governments aren’t using similar ways of alienating the public from Assange and Robinson? Even if you don’t agree with Robinson? Do you think that anyone gets a fair run in the British justice system or the press?
I think it’s a sad and shameful time that America does not pride itself any longer on brave and truthful reporters, like Julian.He really should be rewarded for his work and not prosecuted. In this long journey how did we get to this place? Outright lying and crimmanil acts seem to be the new normal and truthful and open information is the new most dangerous offense. Free Julian now ! There is no higher religion than the truth for heaven’s sake! God bless
This is horrific news. As Klogan said, I am also worried about the medications. The letter Assange wrote giving up his hearing on bail was very disturbing to me. It had the sound of a “freely given confession” when he apologized for skipping bail. That letter sounded like it came as the result of someone being tortured to their breaking point. Now this.
I don’t know what avenues are available to Assange. Whatever they me be, I can only hope everyone is working to their greatest capacity to get him out of that prison. The US/UK have all kinds of new drugs concocted solely to mess with the human mind. Further, both nations have a long history of testing drugs on prisoners. Both the US and UK are nations which torture. That’s not conjecture, more info on that just came to light. This is a really bad situation.
I share John Pilger’s concern for Julian. He’s a Heroic Whistleblower and the US and UK are both engaging widespread torture of foreign and domestic political opponents. They are increasingly involving large sections of the population in such torture of dissidents in an attempt to keep themselves afloat as their Crimes become more public and the contradictions in the US Intelligence Community become more acute and unmanageable for the corrupt Monopoly Capitalist elites. The FASCISTS and COLONIALISTS in the US State regularly make use of the Mental Health System to torture their opponents (for instance see the case of DIA Whistleblower Ana Belén Montes who has been imprisoned in a Texas Mental Health Prison and horribly tortured for more than two decades because she legitimately and legally revealed Criminal War Planning against the Republic of Cuba) and I fear that they are very likely using CIA torture techniques similar to those developed in Guantanamo Bay on Julian in Belmarsh in the UK. It wouldn’t be the first time the UK has used Mental Health Institutions to torture. There is the prominent case of Paul Robeson in the 1960’s. As bad as the ways they are currently torturing him, he will be tortured even more severely in the USA unless we prevent his extradition. Even if we are successful at that it is not acceptable to have the leading Imperialist Nation monstrously torturing its Citizens and Foreign Nationals and attempting to broaden out its torture program to include large sections of the population. We NEED political change at the heart of the system and LEAKS like Julian’s, Chelsea’s, and Ana’s combined with Steel Politicians like Paul Robeson that the FBI feared become a Black Stalin are key to accomplishing that overdue change. We NEED to take it to the limit to develop and protect both and allow them to continue their work safely and effectively while being FULLY COMPENSATED for the horrible torture they have suffered or suffer.
I wrote to my otherwise-sympathetic Senator from Maine, who at last replied that he consider Assange guilty of publishing unredacted info damaging to US security. This appeared to come straight from the self-serving DOJ: there was no consideration of the issues of a free press.
The legal arguments against this prosecution should be assembled into a hard-hitting legal brief:
The issues of interference with a free press
The issues of damage to individual constitutional rights
The issues of false statements of US claims against Assange
Past cases handled differently
Apparent motives regarding the DNC emails
The issues of using the case to conceal unlawful and unconstitutional acts of the federal government.
The arguments should be strictly in terms of upholding the US Constitution, and legal argument.
Lots of quotations of the Founders and respected later thinkers, supreme court, presidents, etc.
That brief would be useful in defense, but especially useful in persuasion of politicians.
Such a work could reduce support for Assange prosecution among the Dems.
Frankly I think that we should seize all property of the Bushes for fraud, and give it to Manning and Assange.
I think particularly key to the case is this issue you have stated:
“The issue of using the case to conceal unlawful and unconstitutional acts of the government.”
Consideration needs to take a step beyond automatic rejection of exposure for ANY reason whatever.
Related is to place the motive of the leakers (including Assange) above simple unprincipled rebellion and/or malice and/or paranoid delusion.
That is, what has been revealed must be detailed clearly to establish the motives for leaking at informing on a moral principle against evil practices by the government; AND to establish the connection between what has been revealed and government malfeasance.
Airing and arguing the case must reverse the current situation–criminal persecuting the truth-teller.
At stake appears to be a delusion in government circles, filled with self-righteousness and patriotic canards, that government should over-ride any critical viewpoint that threatens its policies.
Yes, that delusion in government, that “we” officials are by definition the patriots regardless of misconduct, “defending” its Constitution regardless of violations thereof, is a charade of flag-waving to conceal a complete lack of concern for the Constitution or the People. That is quite universal in the DOJ and judiciary, who completely and deliberately violate their public duty, and celebrate that as professional skill. “Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.”
I like the way you think Sam! but first things first…Information coming out of Belmarch shouldn’t be that hard to come by, expensive maybe. And where are these information gathers (hackers) when we are in desperate need. I’m hoping and praying this whole situation is attached full bore!
That is heart-breaking news.
There ain’t no injustice like US justice.
I worry about the “medications” they are giving him.
Is it legal for the prison to conceal the condition Assange is being medicated for from friends and family?
If it’s psychoactive medication, they could probably claim they have to for “the good of the patient”. No end to the BS there.
1st Amendment:
Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of the press.
RIP
Sadly, the US Constitution and Bill of Rights have always been purely ornamental.
Whenever the chips were down, those fundamental laws (and all other laws and treaties) were ignored.
Hardly had the new republic started to function than the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 revealed that its leaders had no respect whatsoever for the spirit of the Constitution.
As soon as the Civil War began, Abraham Lincoln began to imprison political opponents without so much as a trial.
After Pearl Harbor, over 100,000 Japanese-Americans – 62% of whom were US citizens – were illegally interned for the rest of the war, and their property confiscated or given away.
For that matter, as Robert Stinnett has conclusively shown in his masterly “Day of Deceit”, all the events leading up to Pearl Harbor were highly illegal as well as kept a deathly secret.
Since 1945 matters have got so much worse that it would be impossible to document every serious breach of the Constitution by the US government.
Well said.
Absolutely.
Most Americans are very naive about their country’s actual history.
Pieces of parchment never protected anyone from people with bad intentions.
And, boy, does America have large numbers of people with bad intentions.
It couldn’t be any other way at the center of a brutal empire.
It seems the only way we can help Assange is with lawyers and money.
Top lawyers and lots of money!
If a group of these lawyers comes together to help Assange and creates a website where people can donate toward the cause then we might see some positive outcomes.
According to what I have read, the “law” is actually on Assange’s side.
How to find these sharp and brave lawyers and how to pay them millions of dollars is the question we need to ask ourselves.
All the demonstrations, petitions, letters to politicians etc. don’t mean diddly compared to sharp attorneys who know how to throw documents at the system and the most important documents to throw.
Sophistication, smarts, cunning, courage and lots of $$$. THAT is what will actually have the best chance of freeing Assange and giving him his life back.
I agree. This is the way to go.
Wikileaks already has lawyers. But htey don’t seem to be able to challenge the UK govt. on its detention and ill treatment of Assange.
Perhaps there are no laws on the books in the UK that would prevent the detention, torture, and withholding of needed medical treatment from Assange.
The idea that Assange is in a hospital and is going downhill there is very upsetting.
What are they doing to him?
We see from the Skripal case that the UK authorities have no problem sacrificing or eliminating inconvenient individuals in service to their political agenda.
At least people are still paying attention to Assange.
Hardly anyone is even asking anymore where the Skripals are, are they alive or dead? What has happened to them?
Yes I agree this would only be the effective way, plus a deluge of letters and phone calls from people like us. The Deep State has so far successfully prevented the public at large from effectively connecting the dots, and portraying Assange as a criminal. Any thorough investigation into the Russia Gate fantasy would cause too many important people to be prosecuted and the political system as we know it would unravel. That won’t be allowed to happen—ever. The Deep State controls the game now.
There is or was a link on Wikileaks where one could donate money to his ‘law fund’.
For donations to WikiLeaks Official Defence Fund (including Julian Assange’s defense):
Defend WikiLeaks
https://defend.wikileaks.org
Void where prohibited by law.