At a rally before the Parliament building in Canberra on Thursday, Australian politicians decried the British and U.S. governments’ persecution of Australian journalist Julian Assange, the imprisoned publisher of WikiLeaks, and demanded that he be released.
Video by Cathy Vogan for Consortium News.
Assange faces up to 175 years in a U.S. prison if Britain extradites him for the “offense” of exposing crimes of the state.
The speakers at Converge on Canberra for Assange:
MC Mary Kostakidis
Andrew Wilke MP
Peter Whish-Wilson MP
Bridget Archer MP
Monique Ryan MP
David Shoebridge MP
Jordan Steele-John MP
Julian Hill MP
Christin Lambang- Foyne, Amnesty International
Pre-recorded message from Gabriel Shipton
Sue Wareham – Doctors for Assange
James Ricketson
Why has it taken so long for Australian politicians to finally ‘catch fire’ and start speaking up??? Up to now the silence coming out of Australia has been ‘deafening’.
The USA is still smarting from their “lost causes” in Iraq, Vietnam and Afghanistan. (And soon to be the Ukraine.) Their spite and revenge is directed solely on an individual as a means to falsely exonerate themselves (in their minds) from the atrocities they have committed.
I agree Valerie and its disgusting, that the crimes that US and UK were responsible for, in Iraq, Afghanistan
and the ongoing actions of Israel, in Gaza, where they completely destroyed all buildings, including Hospitals
and burying families beneath the rubble, are rarely mentioned! Keir Starmer has a second home in Israel and
most UK Leaders, are owned, by the Israel Lobby! How can we trust any of them?
The US is a cowardly nation…always picking on someone smaller and weaker – whether nation or person.
When I first read the charges against Julian, especially the sexual charges which were eventually dropped, i said Oh, this sounds like CIA misdeeds. It was very plain to see. The plan to take power away from the people is moving fast. Assange is a war victim. The war targets all Humans. First you have to eliminate Free Speech and journalists who write truths. Julian’s health will never be the same. The WEF desires to eliminate Humans. Anyone who doesn’t support Julian is encouraging the end of Humanity.
What sort of Country is Australia? Dont they have Journalist’s there?Allowing one of their citizens to be imprisoned and harassed like this.Hard to believe it’s taken all these years for them to acknowledge that one of their citizens is being treated in such a egregious manner.l suppose they get Fox News there together with the rest of the rat pack.
as the proverb says: better late than later (never). We are witnesses to how corrupt and disgusting America has become! And all this started in 1913. America lost its independence and the rule of the banksters was established. Actually, this is rule number 1 all over the World. It seems a positive move from the Australians but isn’t it too late? And on top of all Julian is an entirely innocent person, doing his job, exposing the criminal deeds of the corrupt American elite. Free Assange NOW ?
It is wonderful to see some Australians attempt to put some pressure on their government on behalf of one of its citizens who is being murdered in slow motion by the US and UK governments. I live in the US and have pretty much given up on people here learning the facts well enough to do anything substantive on his behalf. The forces of ignorance and government propaganda are very strong. It appears that most people long ago believed the shameful smears spread by the government and dismissed the matter based on those falsehoods. Obviously the Democrats under Biden have now joined in the Republican effort to effectively destroy our first amendment rights of press and speech, signs of the increasing force of totalitarianism in this Country. Thanks to the Aussies for their efforts. I commend you and join you in spirit.
Very welcome BUT where were all these people over the last decade ?
Too little, too late ?
Speaking out earlier may have prevented the torture and abuse that Julian has had to endure in part because of the silence of those in authority in his homeland.
Of course. Not one bit of coverage of this on the ABC or other Australian mainstream Empire Friendly corporate media.
Yes, this is exactly what I was thinking when I saw this. Where have they all been, these politicians? Have they suddenly realised that this is actually happening and happening now?
Some of these MPs, like Wilkie, Hill and Whish-Wilson have been speaking out for Assange for years now, including on CN Live!
You are dead right. What has and is lacking is any support from the major parties and the media. For that mat.ter what about us (Australians). I include myself the only (effort?) was a donation to his senate campaign and the signing of a few useless petitions. I feel so self righteous and powerless. I don’t like to see myself as a shallow hypocrite. I will make any excuse.
It is comming up to crunch time and Julian will not get any help from our 2 faced government as long as it is dominated by the 2 major parties.
Here is a thought. Music! Crowd funding and sponsors to find and commission a song writer or poet for an inspired Australian band such as the Seekers, some folk group to come up with a song and music and swamp the airwaves here and overseas. Maybe a poet reading an inspirational poem delivered by a well known actor or public figure. We need to shame the s**t out of the governments and the media.
Won’t happen though.
Jack
I don’t know how to go about organizing such an exercise but there must be people who do.
As an American citizen, I am ashamed that my government has treated Assange is such a despicable manner .
Indeed a decent Australian journalist that because he published truth he has been made to suffer the ruthlessness of the American government.
He published evidence showing the war crimes of the United States of America, and has suffered the consequences .
Hopefully the good people of Australia will demand that Julian Assange be freed from this torture and welcomed back to his home country Australia .
As an American I will always be grateful for the decency of Assange and thankful for being shown exactly what my government is capable of.