Amnesty Watch
Julian Assange // Amnesty Watch
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Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has been detained in the United Kingdom’s Belmarsh Prison since April 2019, raising serious questions about the legality of his detainment. Assange has been a controversial figure since WikiLeaks began publishing classified documents in 2010, exposing corruption, human rights abuses, and war crimes committed by various governments around the world. His detainment brings to light critical issues regarding freedom of the press, political asylum, and extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Firstly, Assange sought and was granted political asylum by Ecuador in 2012, fearing extradition to the United States, where he could face charges that might lead to the death penalty or life imprisonment. International law recognizes the right to seek asylum, and the United Nations’ 1951 Refugee Convention prohibits the refoulement of a refugee to a territory where his life or freedom would be threatened. Despite this, the Ecuadorian government, under President Lenin Moreno, controversially revoked Assange’s asylum in April 2019, leading to his arrest by British police. This revocation and subsequent arrest are dubious at best, as international law mandates that once asylum is granted, it cannot be arbitrarily revoked.
Secondly, the case against Assange revolves around his role in the publication of classified documents. However, it is crucial to recognize that Assange is a publisher and journalist. The charges against him set a dangerous precedent for press freedom, as they criminalize activities that journalists regularly engage in, such as receiving and publishing classified information. This has led many to argue that the charges against Assange are politically motivated and designed to stifle investigative journalism.
Finally, the extraterritorial application of U.S. law is deeply concerning. Assange is an Australian citizen who operated outside the United States, yet he faces extradition to the U.S. to stand trial for alleged offenses under U.S. law. This raises fundamental questions about jurisdiction and the extraterritorial application of national laws.
In conclusion, the detainment of Julian Assange raises significant legal and ethical concerns. From the revocation of his asylum to the implications for press freedom and the extraterritorial application of U.S. law, there are compelling reasons to argue that his detainment is illegal. It is essential to address these issues to uphold the principles of international law, human rights, and press freedom.
Timeline of Events that Lead to the Illegal Imprisonment of Julian Assange
April 2010: WikiLeaks releases a classified US military video showing an Apache helicopter attack in Baghdad that killed a dozen people, including two Reuters journalists.
July 2010: WikiLeaks publishes the Afghanistan war logs, revealing covert operations and intelligence gathering in the Afghanistan war.
August 2010: Swedish prosecutors issue an arrest warrant for Assange on allegations of sexual misconduct and rape, which he denies. Assange leaves Sweden for the UK.
November 2010: Swedish authorities issue an international arrest warrant for Assange. He fights extradition from the UK.
December 2010: Assange is arrested in London on the Swedish arrest warrant. He is released on bail but fights extradition to Sweden.
May 2012: The UK Supreme Court rules that Assange should be extradited to Sweden. Fearing extradition to the US, Assange takes refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, requesting political asylum.
August 2012: Ecuador grants Assange political asylum.
August 2012 – April 2019: Assange stays in the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid arrest and extradition.
April 2019: Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno revokes Assange’s asylum, stating that he violated the terms of his asylum. British police arrest Assange inside the embassy.
May 2019: Assange is sentenced to 50 weeks in prison by a UK court for breaching bail conditions in 2012.
April 2019 – Present: Assange is detained in Belmarsh prison in London. He fights extradition to the US, where he faces multiple charges related to the publication of classified documents with a possible prison sentence of 175 years – a number to scare any other international journalist to speak out against the United States empire.
The CIA’s Plan to Assassinate Julian Assange
In 2021, Yahoo News reported that the CIA had discussed plans to kidnap or assassinate Julian Assange during the Trump administration. According to the report, senior officials within the CIA and the Trump administration had discussed various options to deal with the WikiLeaks founder, who was at the time taking refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. The discussions reportedly included proposals for kidnapping, poisoning, and even a shooting in the streets of London. These discussions were part of a broader effort by the CIA to label WikiLeaks as a “hostile non-state intelligence service,” which would then justify more aggressive actions against Assange and his organization.
The revelations about the CIA’s plans to assassinate Assange raised serious concerns about the lengths to which the US government is willing to go to silence its critics. It also raised questions about the legality and ethics of such actions. Many human rights organizations and legal experts have argued that the assassination of Assange would have been a clear violation of international law and an affront to the principles of democracy and freedom of the press.
The reports about the CIA’s plans to assassinate Julian Assange are deeply troubling and highlight the need for greater oversight and accountability within the intelligence community. It is essential that governments around the world respect the principles of international law and the rights of individuals, regardless of their actions or opinions.