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The Last Chance for Julian Assange

It’s now or never…

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2 months ago

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Imprisoned journalist and WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, is set to appear before two High Court judges in London on February 20-21, 2024, in what will likely be his final appeal against extradition to the United States.

Assange, an Australian citizen, faces charges of violating the US Espionage Act and the potential for a staggering 175-year prison sentence if convicted. 

This “may be the final chance for Julian Assange to prevent his extradition to the United States,” WikiLeaks warned.

His years long imprisonment in HM Prison Belmarsh in London, UK comes without having been convicted of any crime. 

The two judges will reevaluate a decision made in June 2023, which denied the journalist’s request to make further appeals and struck down parts of a January 2021 ruling, which had rejected Assange’s extradition due to concerns about the risk of suicide and his deteriorating health.

Stella Assange, Julian’s wife, has confirmed that the hearing will occur at the Royal Courts of Justice.

“With the myriad of evidence that has come to light since the original hearing in 2019, such as the violation of legal privilege and reports that senior US officials were involved in formulating assassination plots against my husband, there is no denying that a fair trial, let alone Julian’s safety on US soil, is an impossibility were he to be extradited. The persecution of this innocent journalist and publisher must end,” Stella said in a statement.

On February 6, 2024, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Alice Jill Edwards, called on the UK government to halt the imminent extradition of Assange to the US, citing significant concerns that if extradited, he could face inhumane treatment constituting torture or other forms of punishment.

“The risk of being placed in prolonged solitary confinement, despite his precarious mental health status, and to receive a potentially disproportionate sentence raises questions as to whether Mr. Assange’s extradition to the United States would be compatible with the United Kingdom’s international human rights obligations, particularly under article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as respective articles 3 of the UN Convention against Torture and the European Convention on Human Rights,” the Special Rapporteur said.

Day X is here.

In what may be the final chance for the UK to stop Julian’s extradition, there will be a show of force outside the courtroom at 8:30am BST on February 20-21 by everyone who cares about the persecution of Julian Assange. There will be solidarity protests from around the world.

It can potentially save Julian’s life.

February 20-21
Royal Courts of Justice
Strand, London, WC2A 2LL GB
Gather outside at 8:30am UK time

  • Register your attendance here.
  • Click here to join other participating locations.

It’s now or never…

Assange, now 52 years old, has been behind bars in London since 2019, following Ecuador’s withdrawal of his asylum status after he lived for 7 years in their embassy, reportedly at the behest of the US, leading to his forcible removal from the embassy and immediate handover to British authorities.

Upon his arrest, the US charged Assange with espionage over the 2010 publication of classified military and State Department documents that detail torture and war crimes, alleging they endangered lives. Subsequently, the UK has greenlit his extradition to the US.

Despite this, Assange has been trying to overturn the decision, maintaining his innocence by asserting that his disclosure of the classified documents constituted legitimate journalism.

Utilizing The Espionage Act to prosecute a journalist or publisher solely for publishing classified material—without involvement in its theft—is unprecedented.

Assange’s supporters say he is a hero who has been victimized for doing the right thing by revealing US wrongdoing through WikiLeaks. They say that his prosecution constitutes an attack on journalism and freedom of speech.

It is important to note that no one in the US government or otherwise has been arrested or punished for the war crimes exposed by WikiLeaks except for Julian Assange. 

Outrage over Assange’s mistreatment, from activists, professionals, and organizations, is nothing new. Former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, concluded that Assange’s life was at risk and his treatment did constitute psychological torture following a visit to the incarcerated journalist in May of 2019. In February 2020, Doctors for Assange demanded an end to his torture and neglect.

Elected officials around the world, including in Australia and the US, have spoken out, asking for an end to Assange’s imprisonment and extradition attempts both due to his health and the threat it poses to press freedom.

Earlier this week, Australian federal MPs, including the prime minister and cabinet members, overwhelmingly voted to urge the US and the UK to allow the return of Assange to Australia.

It seems highly improbable that Julian Assange would receive a fair trial in the US.

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63 Australian Lawmakers Urge U.S. to Drop Charges Against Assange

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White House Rejects Australia’s Call to Drop Assange Charges

Biden Says “Journalism is Not a Crime” as He Seeks Assange’s Extradition

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