by Rhoda Wilson, Expose News:
Today is day two and the last day of the final hearing for the appeal against the extradition of Wiki Leaks founder Julian Assange. Yesterday crowds showed their support for Assange which included Craig Murray who also attended the hearing and said that although Julian Assange was given permission to attend in person or by video link, sadly he was too unwell to do either. Murray also said that the hearing was held in a disappointingly small court which was unable to seat more than just a few people.
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Additionally, journalists were assigned to a Victorian gallery, no table to take notes, use laptops, NO chance to hear and see what was being discussed in court” according to Journalist Stefania Maurizi, who has also revealed “we heard the arguments of the JA defense, including 2 key ones: 1) U.S. charges could be reformulated so that DeathPenalty applies 2) U.S. made repeated references to the fact that First Amendment does NOT apply to JA In both cases, NO guarantees were provided by U.S.”
Support for Assange Yesterday.
Extraordinary support at court in London for #DayX.
This is what it looked like when I walked out when we broke for lunch.
Tomorrow after day 2 of the arguments we will march from court to Downing Street. #FreeAssangeNOW pic.twitter.com/NQHgYmgm8K
— Stella Assange #FreeAssangeNOW (@Stella_Assange) February 20, 2024
He Should Be Given a Medal
Many of the supporters would agree with the words of Noam Chomsky when he said that Julian “shouldn’t be the subject of grand jury hearings, he should be given a medal, he is contributing to democracy.”
Yet he has received no medals just years of imprisonment and legal hearings and as Professor Yanis Varoufakis writes, “We are at the final stretch.
“Britain’s High Court judges get their last chance to decide whether to wash their hands of Julian Assange and let him be extradited to the United States – where he will disappear in a supermax prison maze never to be heard of again until he dies.
Britain’s High Court is on Trial
“Julian is not on trial. He has already been declared a hero of journalism and of everyone around the world who believe in the right of the public to know what crimes their governments have perpetrated in their name, behind their backs. Britain’s High Court is on trial.
This is the Court’s last chance to restore a small part of the British courts’ dignity that was sacrificed by judges who, year in year out, allowed themselves to be deployed as the legal agents of war criminals. But, let us make no mistake: It is not just Britain’s judges that are on trial. So are we – citizens, journalists, organisations and politicians who claim to care for universal human rights and press freedom.
History will deliver its own verdict in due course on us depending on whether we stand with Julian while the judges deliberate – and on whether we continue to stand with Julian the day after the High Court verdict. Let us commit to passing History’s test, even if the United Kingdom’s High Court judges fail it.” Yanisvarou Fakis
“If they fail it, and Britain extradites Assange to US, the U.S. government has been gifted the ability of an extraterritorial reach to go anywhere in world and pluck any journalist publishing information they don’t like. Understand the stakes. And mobilise to defend your freedom. There is no way back from this.” says chief investigative reporter of Declassified, Matt Kennard.
The Two Dangers
Historian, Former Ambassador, Human Rights Activist Craig Murray outside the Royal Court of Justice in London spells out the dangers that Julian Assange could be faced with. After attending the hearing Craig Murry wrote his thoughts in the article below.
