‘The crime of journalism’: Assange still in grave danger

JVL Introduction

Julian Assange’s appeal against extradition to the US court hearing  was “successful” and has generally been greeted as a “temporary reprieve” for him.

Jonathan Cook argues it is nothing of the kind and that the English judiciary is “still rubber-stamping his show trial”.

A reminder: Assange is still in Bellmarsh high security prison five years on, accused of nothing. He is held while he awaits extradition for a trial in the US on ludicrous charges under the century-old, draconian Espionage Act. Assange is not a US citizen and none of the charges relate to anything he did in the US.

What the court has granted are three technical grounds of appeal, each of which will be rendered null and void if Washington submits “assurances” to the court, assurances that will be impossible to enforce after Assange has been extradited.

Granting an appeal on technical grounds means there will be no hearing in which we, the public, get to learn more about the various British and US crimes Assange exposed. In effect, he is denied a public-interest defence.

In a statement outside the Royal Courts of Justice, Stella Assange said:

“The UK High Court recognise that Julian is exposed to a flagrant denial of his freedom of expression rights, that he is being discriminated against on the basis of his nationality and that he remains exposed to the death penalty. And yet, what they have done is to invite a political intervention from the United States to send a letter saying ‘it’s all okay’…”

RK

This article was originally published by Jonathan Cook Blog on Tue 26 Mar 2024. Read the original here.