News OnTheWight always welcomes a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers – unsurprisingly they don’t always reflect the views of this publication. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch and of course, your considered comments are welcome below.
This from Maggie Nelmes. Ed
Three courageous individuals are coming to Parliament Square in London on Saturday 24th June.
Two of them blew the whistle on war crimes, the other investigated and published their reports online. All have been imprisoned for speaking truth to power.
One has been held without charge or trial for well over four years in the UK’s top security prison, Belmarsh, while the US seeks his extradition to face trumped-up charges of espionage. For this, he will most likely receive a whole life sentence of up to 175 years, in a harsh maximum-security prison, in solitary confinement, from which he will never be released.
Who are these individuals who dared expose atrocities, allegedly perpetrated by members of American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan?
Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange.
They will be in Parliament Square from 1 pm – not in person, but in the form of a life-size bronze sculpture by Davide Dormino, each standing on a chair. The fourth chair is empty, creating an opportunity for anyone with something to say about the global threat to those who speak truth to power.
One last chance
Last week, Julian Assange’s legal battle to stop his extradition to the US on spying charges suffered another blow, when a single judge in Britain’s High Court rejected his appeal.
Now he has one last chance – at a public hearing at the High Court, before two judges.
Wider implications
But Assange’s fight has far wider implications. Journalists around the world are gravely concerned that the founder and publisher of Wikileaks is being made an example of, to deter journalists and publishers from exposing government crimes and corruption.
Press freedom is being stifled. If Assange is extradited, this could be the final nail in the coffin for investigative journalism worldwide.
Threatens all of our rights to freedom of expression
“If Assange goes to jail, no journalist on Earth will be safe”, says the International Federation of Journalists.
“Extraditing Assange would set a dangerous precedent and threaten all of our rights to freedom of expression”, states human rights defender, Amnesty International.
Democracy itself is under threat, tweets the President of Brazil, Lula da Silva:
“His (Assange’s) arrest goes against the defense of democracy and freedom of the press. It is important that we mobilize in their defense.”
The historical weight of what happens next cannot be overstated
Reporters Without Borders’ Director of Campaigns, reacting against last week’s High Court judgement, states:
“It is absurd that a single judge can issue a three-page decision that could land Julian Assange in prison for the rest of his life and permanently impact the climate for journalism around the world. The historical weight of what happens next cannot be overstated; it is time to put a stop to this relentless targeting of Assange and act instead to protect journalism and press freedom.
“Our call on President Biden is now more urgent than ever: drop these charges, close the case against Assange, and allow for his release without further delay.”
Held in solitary confinement at Belmarsh Prison
Years of confinement in the Ecuadorian Embassy, where he was forced to seek sanctuary, followed by isolation and persecution after regime change in Ecuador, took its toll on Assange’s physical and mental health.
This deteriorated significantly when he was violently arrested by the Metropolitan Police inside the embassy, and sent to Belmarsh, where he has been held in solitary confinement.
Setting a very dangerous precedent
For the UK government to treat someone who has never been charged with an offence, let alone convicted, is to me an outrageous breach of civil liberties and human rights. And Julian is not a UK citizen, but Australian. If extradition is granted, this will set a very dangerous precedent indeed.
Article 4 of the US-UK Extradition Treaty states that “extradition shall not be granted if the offense for which extradition is requested is a political offense”.
Everyone is invited to Parliament Square on 24th June to take part in or listen to the orations on the fourth chair.
Here is a petition you can sign to urge the UK government to stop the extradition (already signed by more than 88,000 people).
