All extradition proceedings should be dropped because there is no way that Assange will receive a fair trial in the US.
Lindsey German
“Despite the initial success and publicity for Wikileaks, when Assange was feted by the liberal media, today the same media attack him while paying only grudging acknowledgement of his role in making people aware of the US war crimes.”
The rottenness of this Tory government has been further confirmed with the announcement that home secretary Sajid Javid has signed the extradition warrant for Julian Assange. While not unexpected, this makes more likely the extradition of the Wikileaks founder, for the ‘crime’ of whistleblowing about the secret activities of the US government.
Assange and Chelsea Manning have suffered terribly for their attempts to put these secret, illegal activities into the public domain. If Assange is extradited, he can expect many years in prison in appalling conditions. He is already held in maximum security Belmarsh prison in London, where he is reportedly very ill. All extradition proceedings should be dropped because there is no way that Assange will receive a fair trial in the US.
Despite the initial success and publicity for Wikileaks, when Assange was feted by the liberal media, today the same media attack him while paying only grudging acknowledgement of his role in making people aware of the US war crimes. None of the highly respectable newspapers which published his leaks have been sanctioned in any way, while Assange and Manning have been criminalised.
Extradition to the US will mean a life sentence – and possibly a death sentence given Assange’s health – and it should be opposed by every anti-war and peace campaigner, and all those who believe in democracy and civil liberties.