On Thursday, January 13 at 19:30 GMT:
It’s been greater than a decade for the reason that web site WikiLeaks launched lots of of 1000’s of categorised paperwork and movies – a few of which revealed doable US warfare crimes. Now WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has yet one more probability to enchantment a UK ruling that may permit him to be extradited to the US.
Final month, a UK Excessive Courtroom dominated that Assange might be extradited to the US to face expenses of hacking and violating the US Espionage Act. The ruling goes towards a decrease court docket that beforehand mentioned harsh US jail circumstances would endanger Assange given his worsening psychological and bodily well being.
Assange’s authorized workforce has since filed an enchantment to Britain’s Supreme Courtroom, however to ensure that the enchantment to be thought of, it have to be deemed of “common public significance”.
In 2019, the Trump administration indicted Assange for violating the US Espionage Act on counts associated to the WikiLeaks launch of secret US navy paperwork and diplomatic cables. The US argues the discharge of categorised data put the lives of American allies at risk.
Twenty-four civil liberties and press freedom teams, together with the ACLU, Human Rights Watch, PEN America and Reporters With out Borders have referred to as on the Biden administration to cease its prosecution towards Assange. In a joint letter to the US Justice Division, they argue that Assange’s prosecution might set a precedent that may hurt press freedom and the security of journalists reporting on nationwide safety points.
Assange spent seven years in refuge on the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and was finally arrested in 2019. Final week, Assange’s supporters marked his 1,000th day of imprisonment at London’s Belmarsh excessive safety jail.
On this episode of The Stream, we’ll focus on the outlook for Assange’s case and its broader implications for press freedom worldwide.