He is the most famous journalist, held in a Western prison: Julian Assange. Since April 2019 he is being held in custody in London. The United States has demanded his extradition – due to the release of secret documents on military missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. The materials made available to him by whistleblower Chelsea Manning, among other videos on the presumption of war crimes, Assange in 2010 published on his online platform Wikileaks.
The main point of the accusation, which has been compiled, among others, by US President Donald Trump, is related to: disclosure and endangerment of secret service sources. The maximum sentence theoretically provided in this case is 175 years in prison. In January 2021 a London court refused to extradite other Assangers, arguing that there was a risk of suicide. The deteriorating health of Assange, according to UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer, is also a consequence of the conditions of his arrest in the UK.
Parole was rejected by the court – ostensibly because of the risk of escape. But now there is a glimmer of hope for Assange, because the most important and dubious witness of the accusation, according to an announcement of the Icelandic newspaper “Stundin” has denied the accusations made against the founder of Wikileaks. Sure Ingi Thordarson had initially claimed, that Assange had asked him to spy on politicians and hack computers.
Allegations against Assange “constructed and baseless”
This Icelandic depositor implicated in criminal activity has now withdrawn. He says he fabricated the allegations to secure impunity for himself by the US Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The FBI is the central prosecuting authority of the US government and at the same time the internal intelligence service.
Members of the German Bundestag, who have long been involved in the Assange case, with this sudden turn feel their commitment confirmed: “Recent revelations of fabricated accusations of hacking a key witness who collaborated with the FBI reinforce even more, “The allegations against journalist Julian Assange are fabricated and unfounded,” said a joint statement by parliamentarians from all parliamentary groups in the Bundestag, adding that the only party not taking part in the initiative was Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Founder of Wikileaks in isolation
Members of the “Freedom for Julian Assange” parliamentary working group called on President Joe Biden to end once and for all the extradition process launched by his predecessor under Donald Trump and to prosecute the founder of Wikileaks. Julian Assange has been held for almost two years in “almost torture conditions” in the high security prison in Belmarsh, London. Despite his critical health condition he has to stay there in solitary confinement even on his birthday on July 3rd.
The Bundestag’s parliamentary initiative in defense of Assange has asked Chancellor Angela Merkel to “insist” during her upcoming visit to Washington to ask President Biden to end the persecution of Julian Assange and commit to freedom of the press and expression of opinion. “Moreover, now that important parts of the indictment, on which the US indictment is based, have now been unmasked as fabricated”, emphasizes the politician of the “Left” party, Sevim Dağdelen.
“Humanitarian and rule of law scandal”
Djir-Sarai from the Liberal Democratic Party “FDP” criticizes the court’s refusal to release Assange on parole, calling it a “humanitarian and rule of law scandal” in poor detention conditions. The US government led by President Biden must seize the opportunity, “to leave behind the Trump era in this matter as well”, underlines the Christian Democrat, Frank Heinrich. Attitudes towards Assange are not at all in line with the principles of the rule of law, says Social Democrat Frank Schwabe. This “theater” must also end due to the poor health of the founder of Wikileaks.
Environmentalist Margit Stumpp summed up the appeal: “If the United States and the Western community of states are to make a firm commitment to protecting press freedom and the rule of law, they must end the pattern of persecution of critical journalists.” as in the case of Assange. “The criminalization of investigative journalism and the revelation of horrific war crimes, torture and corruption scandals on Wikileaks not only undermines democracy and the rule of law, but also undermines people’s trust in public institutions.”
Wedding in prison?
Protests continue in the UK as well. On Thursday (02.07) a ship sailed in Themse in London in front of the US Parliament and Embassy protesting for the release of Assange. On board were also his fiancée and mother of two children who are together Stella Moris. Assange and his fiancée want to get married as soon as possible. They would rather do this in a free state, but if this does not happen the marriage can also take place in prison.
DW
