ASSANGE EXTRADITION: ’60 Minutes’ Gives Assange Fair Shake

The Australian version of the CBS News program ’60 Minutes’ presented a segment on Julian Assange Sunday night that was missing the usual mainstream media smears and distortions about his case.

Consortium News

Australia’s 60 Minutes newsmagazine Sunday night aired an extensive interview with Stella Morris, Julian Assange’s partner, and featured the two boys the couple have had together.  While the promos for the segment during the week indicated it would focus on salacious questions such as, “How does one get pregnant in an embassy?” and “Did Pamela Anderson give your relationship cover?,” the 24-minute spot ditched the usual smears against the imprisoned WikiLeaks publisher and instead humanized him to a large national audience. 

The segment made clear Assange was never charged with rape in Sweden, was only wanted for questioning, and that that inquiry has been closed. It reports that the CIA surveilled Assange 24/7 in the embassy, including on privileged conversations with his lawyers; that the CIA plotted to kidnap Assange, poison him and steal one of his boy’s diapers for DNA to prove it was his child. The interview with Australian MP Andrew Wilkie makes clear why the U.S. espionage charges against Assange are really an assault on journalism.

The program ends with an appeal from Morris to Australian prime minister Scott Morrison to apply pressure on the British government to release Assange from high-security Belmarsh prison where he is isolated 23-hours a day on remand waiting a decision on a U.S. extradition request.

An article Monday in Australia’s Murdoch papers about the 60 Minutes’ report was largely factual, except that it repeated the canard that Assange faced rape “charges” in Sweden. 

WikiLeaks, Christine Assange, Julian’s mother, and Assange supporters have tweeted recognition that this was a mainstream treatment of the Assange case like few others. 

32 comments for “ASSANGE EXTRADITION: ’60 Minutes’ Gives Assange Fair Shake

  1. June 25, 2020 at 15:21

    What a remarkable programme. At last a ‘mainstream’ media report somewhat sympathetic to Julian Assange. Imagine if this was shown on the BBC. Well I can imagine a lot of things, but this one will stay just that I think; Imaginary.

  2. dean 1000
    June 24, 2020 at 17:36

    At last Assange gets some decent media coverage. A big thanks to 60 Minutes Australia.

    The corporate media did a good job covering the death of George Floyd and the following protests. Every time I turned on the national news they were covering the protests.

    If the media in the US and elsewhere would do the same for Assange he could soon be free.

    • June 25, 2020 at 15:24

      Yes, a very good point. Where is the rest of the so called ‘mainstream’ media on this?

  3. Kim Louth
    June 24, 2020 at 15:57

    While I understand it is rare these days for any msm program to honestly portray Julian Assange and his plight, it still galls me that this is the best they can do. Where is the outrage for the abominable persecution that this world-class hero has suffered and is still suffering for making public U.S. war crimes? All journalists, Australia ~ actually all of us – should be relentless in pursuing his release.

  4. Diki Discreet
    June 24, 2020 at 01:24

    Hopefully a greater understanding about Julian and his family occurs in our country. In Australia, too many people still have a distorted view towards the sexual allegations. Although, the case has been dropped, the smear remains. Mud sticks.. As do the people hurling the mud. They will stick together through all their lies. If you are going to shine a Light on Imperialism, which is still practiced in Australia, Britain and USA, you are going to be attacked. I did not see one mention of any minister in the 60 minutes piece other than ScoMO at the end. Why weren’t statements by Payne, Porter and Morrison used to show other people in our country more of the hypocrisy involved in this bull shit trial? My question to the 9 network is why did you wait 10 years to present what a lot of other alternate media sites have been saying for so long? I think I know the answer though.
    If the network wants to raise it’s level of integrity they should launch serious investigations into the deaths of Seth Rich and Epstein as well.

  5. Anthony Butler
    June 23, 2020 at 12:09

    Let Assange go. You have made him suffer enough
    If only there were more men and women like who had the courage of their convictions.
    Free the Man from psycho shenanigans.

  6. martin
    June 23, 2020 at 03:27

    hXXps://www.republik.ch/2020/01/31/nils-melzer-about-wikileaks-founder-julian-assange

    This link gives you the full interview in English with Prof. Nils Melzer (The UN special rapporteur (in Geneva Switerland) on TORTURE among other things). Assange has been subject of corrupt justice systems in Sweden, start August 2010, then onto UK’s and USA’s corrupt justice.
    This interview is of particular importance, because Nils Melzer is fluent in Swedish, therefore he has been able to take part of the now published, constructed = FALSIFIED POLICE REPORT on Assange’s “rape case”, signed by police inspector Mats Gehlin in Stockholm. The criminal actions by the Swedish prosecutor Marianne Ny, the by the Swedish government hired lawyer Claes Borgstroem (he died in Covid-19 a month ago!) and later the corrupt Swedish law firm Massi Fritz . These and many more are responsible for 10 years of Assange’s hell.
    If Assange contracts the dreaded virus in the Belmarsh high security prison in the UK he is likely to die, this is in my view equal to murder. (He was never allowed to receive proper hospital treatment for his lung condition.)

    • June 25, 2020 at 21:40

      Thank you for those details. When the people obtain control of their government, those suspects doing the dirty work should be arraigned and required to explain themselves.

  7. June 23, 2020 at 01:37

    Very pleased that some people at 60 Minutes Australia have enough ethics and moral fiber to actually do some real reporting. Julian is our digital age Paul Revere warning the people of the impending dangers. He has won many awards for his excellent journalism. A United Nations legal body has found he should never have been be detained and he should be compensated for his injury. He has been tortured and those responsible should be prosecuted. Hope this program gets shown in the US and that Julian is freed soon. He is the people’s hero.

  8. ec21802141
    June 23, 2020 at 01:28

    If ever you thought that the the US had a “free press” or that the “news” the media gives to over 90% of Americans and is owned by 6 billionaires was not controlled, the treatment of Julien Assange in the American media should quickly demonstrate the control of the news Americans get through every controlled media.

    All Americans are taught from grade school that we have a “free press.” What a joke. It’s as much of a joke as the lie perpetuated daily in the American media and in the American “free press” that the US is a force for good throughout the world and brings freedom, liberty, human rights and democracy to a world crying out for American values.

  9. June 22, 2020 at 16:55

    I, and many other Australians were so relieved to see how fair the 60 minutes program on Julian and his family was was. We have become so used to the opposite, to hatchet jobs like the one that the ABC did when 4Corners went low with their program. Julian Assange. Hero or Villain. Maybe this program can be a game changer. It’s a very good idea, as people are saying here , that it be rebroadcast in the UK and the US. Julian has seemed so alone, so vulnerable, since that horrible image of a prematurely aged man being dragged from the Ecuadorian embassy. But now, Stella’s warm courage, her certainty that she has picked a good father with a future for her children, the gentle intellectual she calls him, not a man of violence, all of that energises the image of Julian in a very new and hopeful way. Just to hear him talking on the phone with his kids as they play the park, asking them what they are eating, all that is about life, family life at its best, and all that gives me hope that this will turn out well.

    • mark dierking
      June 22, 2020 at 21:39

      Thanks. I thought it wold be helpful for other CN readers to post the you tube link:
      hXXps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x43rg_ozbCI

  10. Anonymot
    June 22, 2020 at 16:50

    At its base the problem is that the CIA and some flaky politicians got their feeling hurt, mostly the Hillary hag. Since she still controls the DNC she has power. Since she has had full access to personal files of many people at the political & administrative top and she has spent her life climbing political ladders, she knows full well how to use real or concocted stories for political blackmail which has become a standard DC practice. She is a vengeful person and No One can get away with insulting her or revealing her intellectual shortages. Assange is the prime example

    Other than that there has been neither legal nor other reason to effectively force this man into isolation for all of these years.

    I don’t think much of Obama & Trump nor the responsible British and Swedes in this disgraceful matter. Julian Assange should absolutely be let free and fully compensated for the unjustified ruination of his life!

  11. June 22, 2020 at 16:44

    If Trump were sane, he’d pardon Assange in exchange for having him appear before a public Senate hearing on the last election disclosures. If the public could hear what the e-mails say about Obama, Clinton and the DNC Trump would win in 2020.

  12. rosemerry
    June 22, 2020 at 16:20

    The whole “justice” system of the UK (or whichever part of the UK) is a disgrace and to even consider sending Julian to the USA, which is so much worse, for manufactured crimes, has no decency. Now that his excessive incarceration for “jumping bail” is over, he is being kept just to allow a vicious US official hatred of truth to move him to the USA.

    To pretend that Assange is a dangerous criminal who cannot be released even now, when we have seen the unfair and contrived tactics used by the UK barrister who had conflicts of interest yet continued with the case, has no truth.

  13. Bob Herrschaft
    June 22, 2020 at 16:00

    The video helps define an egregious miscarriage of justice. Assange should be under a witness protection program instead of incarcerated for extradition to a kangaroo court.

    • Glenda Aul
      June 22, 2020 at 18:09

      Assange has committed NO CRIME. FREE HIM AND GIVE HIM WITNESS PROTECTION!
      SAVE ASSANGE. HE IS US!

  14. Ida G Millma
    June 22, 2020 at 15:31

    Yes, UK and US 60 Minutes should release this program about Assange. It’s impossible to be proud of one’s country when it does this to a human being – and especially for telling the truth without doing harm to any person. It’s that egg on the face that’s unforgivable. Shame.

    L&B&L

    • DH Fabian
      June 24, 2020 at 01:09

      Those in power in the US/UK have little tolerance for those who shine a light on the truth about those in power.

  15. June 22, 2020 at 14:44

    Perhaps the US 60 Minutes would have the guts to buy the program and broadcast it to the US? I don’t think the toady Brits would have the inclination, not to mention the guts.

  16. Piotr Berman
    June 22, 2020 at 14:05

    Australians need to consider their dignity. Why Canada treats a Chinese citizens that was kidnapped per orders from USA humanely (house arrest in a villa) and UK can treat an Australian citizen with utter contempt and lack of humanity?

  17. Buffalo_Ken
    June 22, 2020 at 12:49

    Have you ever been so angry that you throw punches into the air and hope maybe they hit a spirit far off that has gone astray? Have you ever been that angry. I don’t know where the anger comes from but I think it comes from something that only a peasant like myself can understand. I think the anger has power if it can be directed towards the cause. I think I am not alone in my anger. I’m indignant just like so many others.

    For Christ’s sake Australia – Free Julian Assange from the unfair and hateful prison, Belmarsh, that he now resides in because he told the truth. The man has been tormented by a worthless magistrate and many others around the world are suffering with him in solidarity. Add me to the list, who scream out loud: FREE THE MAN!

    • AnneR
      June 22, 2020 at 15:04

      So very true (although I’m not into throwing punches), BK. My concern is – Can the Australian Govt be *Trusted* not to hand Mr Assange over to the Muricans were he to be freed into their care??? The Morrison govt is a despicable lickspittle so far as I can tell from their bowing, scraping and kissing the feet of the Muricans, doing as they are bid re: China for sure.

      The Brit govt is NO better, perhaps worse. Not only regarding Assange dreadful though their capitulating to the Muricans was/is (almost a reprise of the collaboration between the two over Mr Robeson), but also in their (happily?) going along with every brutal, bloody, illegal and human rights criminal action since Vietnam, from the Chagos Islands to Serbia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Syria, upholding the economic sanctions against Venezuela, Iran….on and on and on…..

      Where in western governments are the truly humane, those with a truly humane, ethical, moral conscience and scruples??? If any exist, they are very quiet and have all but no power.

  18. Linda
    June 22, 2020 at 10:42

    Set Assange Free Now! Enough is Enough!

  19. June 22, 2020 at 10:36

    Julian Assange God is on YOUR SIDE & you’ve proven beyond ANY reasonable doubt to be innocent & just followed your journalistic initiative to let the world know what’s wrong with Washington. You exercised your right of FREEDOM of Speech such as guaranteed by the US constitution. Regretfully in a criminal society such as USA the so-called LAWS are used to protect the upper class criminals in Washington but NOT the common people. Political murders is a common practice in USA like we saw with the murder of former President John F. Kennedy & his brother Robert Kennedy. Washington today is a criminal center controlled by the MAFFIA. Justice in USA doesn’t exist as we’re reminded every day again & again!

    • Jane CHRIST
      June 22, 2020 at 11:41

      I agree. He deserves a reward for the corruption he has unearthed.

  20. Nylene13
    June 22, 2020 at 10:16

    Thank you Australia 60 Minutes.
    Now if our U.S. 60 Minutes would do the same, THAT would be something.
    Imagine, Free Speech in the United States of America!

    • Piotr Berman
      June 22, 2020 at 14:10

      Perhaps they will allow it in USA as a video. I recall the best SNL skid ever, “Hagel hearings SNL”. Only a “rehearsal”, blocked from the air, but not from video access. (A must if you did not see it yet)

  21. David Otness
    June 22, 2020 at 10:04

    A glimmer of hope. Powers that be, please make it so. I hope people will share this and encourage others to do so.
    And thanks to so many for keeping hope for Julian alive, and along with it a restoration in faith that our so-called democratic institutions still have an iota of legitimacy left to further advance noble causes.

    • Jane -Christ
      June 22, 2020 at 11:30

      Good to hear.

  22. doris
    June 22, 2020 at 09:52

    Now we need the US version of 60 Minutes to tell the truth about the criminal treatment of Julian, and show the American sheeple how sick and wrong our war-mongering, truth-killing government is.

    • Oonagh McCluskey
      June 22, 2020 at 10:40

      I hope there is a British version of this 60 Minutes – I am 83 and ashamed to have a British passport.

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