The Women’s Institute for Freedom of the PressWIFP and DC Action for Assange Denouce Decision to Extradite
WIFP and DC Action For Assange reject today’s announced decision of the UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel, to extradite Mr. Julian Assange to the United States, the country that plotted to assassinate him. Mr. Assange is a journalist and publisher, who told the truth about US crimes in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. The US Government now seeks to extradite Assange to the US, with a range of charges that could bring up to 175 years in prison. Assange’s extradition was initially blocked by UK courts, on the grounds that a US prison sentence would constitute “cruel and unusual punishment”; however, subsequent appeals have cleared the way for extradition. (More details at www.assangedefense.org)
Tens of thousands of people signed petitions, and dozens of journalism and civil liberties organizations wrote to Patel, asking her to stop this extradition of an innocent journalist. They expressed concern for his human rights and the worldwide chilling effect on media freedom caused by this indictment.
On May 10, 2022, Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic called on Priti Patel not to extradite Julian Assange:
He wrote: […] it is my view that the indictment by the United States against Mr Assange raises important questions about the protection of those that publish classified information in the public interest, including information that exposes human rights violations. The broad and vague nature of the allegations against Mr Assange, and of the offenses listed in the indictment, are troubling as many of them concern activities at the core of investigative journalism in Europe and beyond.Consequently, allowing Mr Assange’s extradition on this basis would have a chilling effect on media freedom, and could ultimately hamper the press in performing its task as purveyor of information and public watchdog in democratic societies.
Among other statements of support, a group of more than 300 doctors from around the world, known as Doctors for Assange, called on the UK to block extradition. In a letter to Patel, the group says the WikiLeaks founder suffered a mini stroke last October and that his overall health is continuing to deteriorate in prison. The doctors write, “The extradition of a person with such compromised health … is medically and ethically unacceptable.”
Other statements supporting Assange have come from Nobel Peace Prize winners, celebrities such as musician Roger Waters and actress Susan Sarandon, and many others.
Priti Patel’s decision to extradite Mr. Assange has shown a total disregard of the human rights watch groups and experts who warned her that his extradition to the USA would be illegal under international human rights law and create a severe threat to media freedom.
What does it tell us when the United Nations, press freedom, and civil liberties organizations are ignored by powerful governments? It shows us that these supposedly democratic governments have much to hide, that investigative journalism is vitally needed more than ever, and that the gathering of “buried” truth is the only tool we have to defend against corruption and totalitarian rule.
We, along with hundreds of thousands of people around the world, will continue to protest and demand justice and freedom for Julian Assange. Members of DC Action for Assange will continue to rally at the US Department of Justice and in bi-weekly vigils calling on Attorney General Merrick Garland to drop the charges (the next vigil will be Sunday, June 19, 2022 from 5-7 pm, near the Bethesda, MD home of AG Garland).
DC Action for Assange
