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Thousands of protestors gathered today outside of the UK parliament forming a human chain in solidarity with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. The United States is trying to have Assange extradited to face criminal charges for leaking classified information to the public. Protestors gathered in a line which stretched from the parliaments perimeter railings and snaked across nearby Westminster Bridge to the other side fo the River Thames.
Assanges wife, Stella, recently posted the following on Twitter,
WE DID IT!
I told Julian today was EPIC.
On behalf of Julian and our family THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts to each of you.
It took 5,000 people to complete the chain. We did that and more. Likely 10-12,000 people.
Post your pics from today below! #FreeAssangeNOW pic.twitter.com/8srE8uxh5n
Assange was charged under the Espionage Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, largely for actions rightfully recognized as protected news-gathering practices. He made public previously classified documents exposing various war crimes and other immoral and unethical actions carried out by the US and other governments.
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For the first time in the history, the government has brought criminal charges against a publisher for the publication of truthful information. This establishes a dangerous precedent that can be used to target all news organizations that hold the government accountable by publishing its secrets. And its equally dangerous for U.S. journalists who uncover the secrets of other nations.
Ben Wizner, Director of the American Civil Liberties Unions Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, American Civil Liberties Union, explains,
For the first time in the history of our country, the government has brought criminal charges against a publisher for the publication of truthful informationIt establishes a dangerous precedent that can be used to target all news organizations that hold the government accountable by publishing its secrets. And its equally dangerous for U.S. journalists who uncover the secrets of other nations.
If Julian is extradited he will be put on trial in Alexandria, Virginia, where he stands no chance of a fair trial. It is where US intelligence agencies are headquartered. The court complex is 15 miles from CIA headquarters. The state is populated by employees of the very sector whose abuses and crimes Julian exposed. The Espionage Act prevents Julian from arguing why he published what he published, what he exposed, and the fact it didnt result in any physical harm.
The Espionage Act was originally intended for use against spies. But its been used against journalistsand whistleblowers in recent decades. These new charges against Assange threaten to criminalize reporting in the United States and around the world.
Daniel Hale a former U.S. intelligence analyst was arrested and sentenced to 45 months in prison for violating the Espionage Act. Hale leaked documents about the secretive U.S. drone program, showing 90% of people killed in Afghanistan were innocent bystanders.
A favourite quote of ours here at The Pulse comes to mind. Its fromNils Melzer, the Human Rights Chair of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law who has served as the UN Rapporteur on Torture and Other Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
How far have we sunk if telling the truth becomes a crime? How far have we sunk if we prosecute people that expose war crimes for exposing war crimes? How far have we sunk when we no longer prosecute our own war criminals? Because we identify more with them, than we identify with the people that actually expose these crimes. What does that tell about us and about our governments? In a democracy, the power does not belong to the government, but to the people. But the people have to claim it. Secrecy disempowers the people because it prevents them from exercising democratic control, which is precisely why governments want secrecy.
Proponents of Assanges extradition would argue that he threatened national security. We would argue, as would many others, that national security has become an umbrella tool to censor information that exposes unethical and immoral actions of corporations and governments. Its simply used as an excuse to justify these actions for ulterior motives, be it financial or political gain, while simultaneously deeming these actions as necessary and good for the collective.
Read the original:
Thousands Form Human Chain Around UK Parliament Demanding The Release ...
- UK ruling on Assange extradition resets the game. What happens next? - Al Jazeera English - May 25th, 2024
- Assange Won a Victory, but the Fight Isn't Over - Jacobin magazine - May 25th, 2024
- Why Wikileaks' Julian Assange faces US extradition demand - BBC - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange can appeal his extradition to the U.S., a British court ... - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange wins right to appeal against extradition to US - The Guardian - May 25th, 2024
- The Assange Case: A Flicker of Hope in the UK High Court - CounterPunch - May 25th, 2024
- The U.K. Will Let Assange Appeal Extradition, as Pressure Mounts on Biden To Drop Charges - Reason - May 25th, 2024
- WikiLeaks founder Assange wins right to appeal against an extradition order to the US - The Associated Press - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange can appeal his extradition to the U.S., a British court has ruled - NPR - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange can appeal extradition to the US, UK court rules - CNN - May 25th, 2024
- UK: 'Positive news' for defenders of press freedom as Assange granted permission to appeal - Amnesty International - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange wins right to appeal against extradition: how did we get here and what happens next? - The Guardian - May 25th, 2024
- Timeline of the Assange legal saga over extradition to the US on espionage charges - The Associated Press - May 25th, 2024
- CPJ welcomes UK High Court decision to hear Julian Assange appeal - Committee to Protect Journalists - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange's Extradition Appeal Hearing: What Could Happen? - The New York Times - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange's appeal to avoid extradition will go ahead. It could be legally groundbreaking - The Conversation - May 25th, 2024
- The Guardian view on Julian Assange: time to dial this process down - The Guardian - May 25th, 2024
- UK dispatch: WikiLeaks founder Assange allowed to appeal extradition to US as hundreds gather outside High Court - JURIST - May 25th, 2024
- WikiLeaks' Julian Assange Can Appeal His Extradition to the US, British Court Says - WIRED - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange faces judgment day in years-long fight to stay out of US court - The Hill - May 25th, 2024
- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can appeal extradition to the US, UK court rules - WABC-TV - May 25th, 2024
- The case against Julian Assange has been a cruel folly. His right to appeal is a small step towards justice - The Guardian - May 25th, 2024
- Explained: The case against WikiLeaks Julian Assange, who can now appeal his extradition to the US - The Indian Express - May 25th, 2024
- Watch: Outside High Court as Julian Assange wins bid to appeal US extradition - The Independent - May 25th, 2024
- Wikileaks Assange Gets Another Shot at Extradition Appeal - Bloomberg - May 25th, 2024
- Assange wins High Court bid to appeal against extradition to US over spying charges - The Independent - May 25th, 2024
- End the punishment: On Julian Assange - The Hindu - May 25th, 2024
- U.K. High Court Grants Julian Assange the Right to Appeal U.S. Extradition - Democracy Now! - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange wins right to appeal extradition to United States - UPI News - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange London hearing could decide whether the WikiLeaks founder is extradited to the US - Fox News - May 25th, 2024
- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can appeal extradition to the US, UK court rules - WPVI-TV - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange's Wife Urges Joe Biden to Drop Pursuit of Husband as he Wins Right to Appeal US Extradition Byline ... - Byline Times - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange Extradition Ruling: Everything We Know About WikiLeaks Case - Newsweek - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange Has Secured a Rare Legal Victory, But Press Freedom Still Hangs in the Balance - The Wire - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange can appeal extradition to the US, London High Court rules - The Register - May 25th, 2024
- Julian Assange Can Appeal Against Extradition To The U.S., London Court Rules - HuffPost - May 25th, 2024
- British court says Julian Assange can appeal his extradition to the US over espionage charges - Salon - May 25th, 2024
- There is a way out of the Assange legal quagmire the US should drop the case - The Guardian - May 25th, 2024
- London court says Assange can appeal extradition to the US - Euronews - May 25th, 2024
- Timeline of the Julian Assange legal saga as he makes a final bid ... - PBS - May 15th, 2024
- New Blog Article on ThinkCareBelieve: The Future of Free Speech Hangs on Important UK Court Decision For Julian ... - Yahoo Finance - May 15th, 2024
- WikiLeaks founder's fate will be known in just 7 days - Pearls and Irritations - May 15th, 2024
- Julian Assange: Final UK legal challenge to stop WikiLeaks' founder's ... - May 15th, 2024
- Julian Assange Extradition Decision: What to Know - The New York Times - April 28th, 2024
- Julian Assanges mission was to change the world - but at what cost? - CNN - April 28th, 2024
- Irish Nobel Peace Prize winner calls on Joe Biden to release Julian Assange in letter handed to U.S. Consulate - Radio Habana Cuba - April 28th, 2024
- Justice Department Reportedly in Discussions With Julian Assange Over Potential Plea Deal - The New York Sun - March 21st, 2024
- Julian Assange could plead guilty to lesser offence to avoid extradition to US - The Telegraph - March 21st, 2024
- WSJ: The Justice Department reportedly is negotiating a deal that would set Assange free - Voz Media - March 21st, 2024
- Minute by minute - The Guardian - March 21st, 2024
- Julian Assange's legal team sees 'no indication' of resolution in extradition case - SBS News - March 21st, 2024
- Last Days of Julian Assange in the United States - Consortium News - March 21st, 2024
- Assange in plea deal talks - Pearls and Irritations - March 21st, 2024
- UK/US: Time to end prosecution of Julian Assange, UN expert says - Pearls and Irritations - March 13th, 2024
- Julian Assange's brother will attend the State of the Union address as Rep. Thomas Massie's guest - Reason - March 13th, 2024
- Assange, Phillips, and the End of Rights - The American Conservative - March 13th, 2024
- Julian Assange: Australian politicians call for release of WikiLeaks ... - February 17th, 2024
- Australian lawmakers approve motion calling for release of Julian Assange - The Associated Press - February 17th, 2024
- Artist says he'll destroy $45M worth of Rembrandt, Picasso and Warhol masterpieces if Julian Assange dies in prison - CBS News - February 17th, 2024
- Julian Assange: Australian politicians call for release of WikiLeaks founder - BBC.com - February 17th, 2024
- 'Devastating': wife of imprisoned journalist Julian Assange mourns death of Alexei Navalny - Pearls and Irritations - February 17th, 2024
- Law professors to DOJ: Drop Assange prosecution - Freedom of the Press Foundation - February 17th, 2024
- Julian Assange "Will Die" If Extradited To US, Says His Wife - The St. Kitts-Nevis Observer - February 17th, 2024
- Russian Artist Threatens to Dissolve $45 M. of Artworks by Picasso, Rembrandt if Julian Assange Dies in Prison - ARTnews - February 17th, 2024
- The International Court of Justice has made it difficult for the public to view the Assange extradition hearing - Boing Boing - February 17th, 2024
- US will 'throw the book' at Julian Assange if extradited - MSN - February 17th, 2024
- Australia approves motion urging Britain to return Julian Assange - UPI News - February 17th, 2024
- On eve of British hearings, Assange's brother Gabriel Shipton speaks out: This is Julian's last chance in the UK courts - WSWS - February 17th, 2024
- Days Before Extradition Hearing, Australian Parliament Tells US to Drop Assange Case - Common Dreams - February 17th, 2024
- Rule of Law and Raison d'Etat: Julian Assange Must be Released - CounterPunch - February 17th, 2024
- Australian Parliament Approves Motion Calling for Release of Julian Assange - Democracy Now! - February 17th, 2024
- Julian Assange extradition appeal verdict to be revealed in few days - Al Mayadeen English - February 17th, 2024
- 'Julian Assange Is Not Superhuman What Is Being Done to Him Is Unworthy of Any Democracy' Byline Times - Byline Times - February 17th, 2024
- Julian Assange 'will die' if extradited to US, wife warns - The Independent - February 17th, 2024
- Julian Assange 'will die' if extradited to US, his wife warns - Evening Standard - February 17th, 2024
- The fate of the free press is in your hands: join the Assange protest next week - Morning Star Online - February 17th, 2024
- Julian Assange 'will die' if extradited to US, wife warns - Yahoo News Australia - February 17th, 2024
- Julian Assange: law professors warn of threat to US constitution - Law Gazette - February 17th, 2024
- PETER HITCHENS: We all have an interest in saving Julian Assange - Daily Mail - February 17th, 2024
- Julian Assange 'will die' if extradited to US, his wife warns - MSN - February 17th, 2024