Your man in the public gallery: Assange hearing day 1

383 posts / 0 new

Tue, 2020-02-25 20:43

NDPP

Craig Murray: Your Man in the Public Gallery - Assange Hearing Day 1

https:/www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2020/02/your-man-in-the-public-gallery-a...

"...When inquiring about facilities for the public to attend the hearing, an Assange activist was told by a member of court staff that we should realise that Woolwich is a 'counter-terrorism court.' That is true de facto, but in truth a 'counter-terrorism court' is an institution unknown to the UK constitution. Indeed, if a single day at Woolwich Crown Court does not convince you the existence of liberal democracy is now a lie, then your mind must be very closed indeed..."

But of course Julian Assange is 'a rapist' who 'worked for Putin' to 'elect Trump and make Hillary lose,' so obviously deserves everything he gets, according to many Canadian 'progressives' who have read their Guardian etc and so are quite up on it all...

Wed, 2020-02-26 06:12

NDPP

Craig Murray: Your Man in the Public Gallery - Assange Hearing Day 2

https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/02/your-man-in-the-public-galler...

"This afternoon Julian's Spanish lawyer, Balthasar Garzon, left court to return to Madrid. On the way out he naturally stopped to shake hands with his client, proferring his fingers through the narrow slit in the bulletproof glass cage. Assange half stood to take his lawyer's hand. The two security guards in the cage with Assange immediately sprang up, putting hands on Julian and forcing him to sit down, preventing the handshake.

That was not by any means the worst thing today, but it is a striking image of the senseless brute force continually used against a man accused of publishing documents. That a man cannot even shake his lawyer's hand goodbye is against the entire spirit in which the members of the legal system like to pretend the law is practiced. I offer that startling moment as encapsulating yesterday's events in court..."

Wed, 2020-02-26 06:40

NDPP

Nozome Hayase: Assange's Extradition Hearing Reveals Trump's War on Free Press is Targeting WikiLeaks Publisher

https://dissidentvoice.org/2020/02/assanges-extradition-hearing-reveals-...

"...From the US government spying on the embassy, to the alleged extortion, Julian Assange's lawyer argued this extradition case is not about criminal justice, it's about the manipulation of the system to ensure United States could make an example of Assange..."

Wed, 2020-02-26 07:11

NDPP

The Show Trial of Julian Assange Begins

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/25/pers-f25.html

"The first day of the British court hearing yesterday to determine if WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange will be extradited to the US left no doubt that what is taking place is a legal travesty that threatens both Assange's life and fundamental democratic rights. The Trump administration's application to render Assange to the US should have been thrown out within minutes, due to British laws that deny the extradition of individuals to face politically motivated charges.

Assange has been charged with multiple counts of espionage over WikiLeaks publication in 2010 and 2011 of leaked information that revealed US war crimes and diplomatic conspiracies. A more blatantly politically motivated case could not be imagined than a state seeking to prosecute those who exposed its criminality..."

Wed, 2020-02-26 09:10

NDPP

"If you're a reporter and following the Assange Espionage Act extradition case - and you should be, since its possibly the biggest press freedoms case in a generation - it's worth reading this thread on the defense's first arguments, which really blow a hole in the government' case."

https://twitter.com/Snowden/status/1232451085954011137

Debunking All The Assange Smears

https://twitter.com/caitoz/status/1232655108741066753

"Added a bunch of new links and updates to this resource for the Assange trial to help people debate the smears."

Thu, 2020-02-27 00:58

NDPP

"As Julian Assange's extradition hearing begins, it's a good time to ask: Are whistleblowers good guys or bad guys? Patriots or traitors? It all depends on who they embarrass." (and vid)

https://twitter.com/IntheNow_tweet/status/1232717031071473674

Fri, 2020-02-28 00:34

NDPP

Your Man in the Public Gallery - The Assange Hearing - Day 3

https://www.craigmurray.org.uk

"In yesterday's proceedings in court the prosecution adopted arguments so stark and apparently unreasonable I have been fretting on how to write them up in a way that does not seem like caricature or unfair exaggeration on my part. What has been happening in this court has long moved beyond caricature. All I can do is give you my personal assurance that what I recount actually is what happened..."

Fri, 2020-02-28 21:15

NDPP

Your Man in the Public Gallery - Assange Hearing, Day 4

https://www.craigmurray.org.uk

"...The USA claims universal jurisdiction. Assange is being charged with crimes of publishing committed while he was outside the USA. The USA claims the right to charge anyone of any nationality, anywhere in the world, who harms US interests..."

Kevin Gosztola: Thread for Day 4 Updates

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1232973789325090822.html

"Judge refuses request to allow Assange to sit with his attorneys during proceedings..."

Fri, 2020-02-28 21:20

NDPP

CrossTalk: Re Assange

https://youtu.be/OpXa8MotSIM

"In London, Julian Assange is in court to decide whether he will be extradited to the US to face espionage charges. The stakes could not be higher. Assange's liberty, even life, is on the line. Freedom of speech is also on trial - though you wouldn't know that from the mainstream media."

Sun, 2020-03-01 02:38

#10

NDPP

The Assange Story (doco) - From Whistleblowing Hero to Exile

https://youtu.be/630X89TbI74

"The US wish to get its hands on the WikiLeaks founder in what the UN Special Rapporteur called 'the collective persecution' by a group of 'democratic' states. Through WikiLeaks, Julian Assange published a trove of classified documents on the power elite, including war crimes."

Sun, 2020-03-01 19:59

#11

NDPP

'Julian Assange is Being Prosecuted For Exposing Human Rights Abuses' - UN Rapporteur Nils Melzer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU8GXnXjU5U

Free Julian Assange: Imperialism on Trial

https://youtu.be/CxNgQI6kzgs

"Join George Galloway, Neil Clark, Mike Barson, Joti Brar, Joe Lauria, Peter Lavelle, Alexander Mercouris, Eva Bartlett and Craig Murray as they share their expertise on imperialism in general and on the Julian Assange case in particular."

Wed, 2020-03-04 07:18

#12

NDPP

Inside the Assange Courtroom (and vid)

https://twitter.com/TheGrayZoneNews/status/1234970461257158656

"Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with journalist Kevin Gosztola about the trial of Julian Assange. Gosztola was in the courtroom."

More 'Bombshells' From Assange Lawyers. Extradition Case Exposed as Seriously Flawed

https://www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/2020/03/01/more-bombshells-from-ass...

"A serious flaw in the US extradition case against Julian Assange has been exposed by lawyers representing the WikiLeaks founder. Consequently the defence has called for the extradition to be denied..."

Wed, 2020-03-04 12:13

#13

Mobo2000

CBC coverage of Julien Assange case is abysmal. There has not been a story on their site since Feb 24th. However we got 2 stories about the time Bernie Sanders was considering quitting politics, and the "Dirtbag Left", and a headline story today about Biden's big Super Tuesday in the international section. Thanks for bringing this info here, NDPP.

Wed, 2020-03-04 16:28

#14

NDPP

You're welcome. There seems to be a sort of unofficial 'omerta' about msm reporting on it here. Unlike when the smear and disinformation campaign was in full swing, then they reported all of that. I've sent a few emails to journos asking why they're not reporting it. Others may wish to do the same. Given that there are such important free speech implications Rabble should be covering it as well, but doesn't.

Thu, 2020-03-05 19:28

#15

NDPP

May 18, 2020: Shutdown The Show Trial!

https://twitter.com/ClassConscious1/status/1235514670825472000

"Thank you for sharing our pain this week at seeing Julian being mistreated by UK's Belmarsh Prison. Thank you for sharing our outrage that he was denied a fair hearing in their US showtrial. Thank you for standing up for him." -- Christine Assange

How Swedish Authorities Invented the Rape Charge Against Julian Assange

https://www.pressenza.com/2020/03/how-swedish-authorities-invented-the-r...

"Thanks to the investigative work and perseverence of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, the truth is gradually being revealed..."

Tue, 2020-03-10 18:26

#16

NDPP

Assange is Being Treated Like Top Terrorist - Sevim Dagdelen, Bundestag Member (and vid)

https://www.rt.com/shows/going-underground/482007-assange-extradition-he...

"We speak to Left party member of the German Bundestag Sevim Dagdelen after she witnessed Julian Assange's extradition trial. The bias of the judges, and WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief Kristinn Hrafnsson being temporarily banned from viewing the proceedings. She also invited Keir Starmer to witness the extradition trial."

Thu, 2020-03-12 20:33

#17

NDPP

International Bar Association Chair Compares UK Abuse of Assange to Abu Ghraib Prison Scandal

https://www.change.org/p/free-julian-assange-before-it-s-too-late-stop-u...

"The quote attached is an update from Davey Heller's petition 'Allow Julian Assange To Prepare His Defence - Move Him Out of Belmarsh Prison NOW!' I encourage you to also sign Davey Heller's petition. On March 10, the International Bar Association condemned the abuse of Julian Assange in the strongest terms The Association is the global voice of the legal profession with a membership of over 80,000 individual international lawyers and 190 bar associations and law societies from more than 170 countries.

The Co-Chair of the IBAHRI, Michael Kirby, who significantly is also a former Australian High Court Judge, bluntly stated Assange was not only being denied the right to a fair trial but was being subjected to treatment that constituted torture..."

Sign the Petitions. Stop this Outrageous Crooked Show Trial. Break the Western Media Silence. Free Julian Assange!

Wed, 2020-04-08 14:37

#18

NDPP

Craig Murray: Beyond Words

https://www.craignurray.org.uk/archives/2020/04/beyond-words/

"...I am in lockdown in Ediburgh, but received three separate eye-witness reports. They are unanimous that yet again Baraitser entered the court carrying pre-written judgements before hearing oral argument; pre-written judgements she gave no appearance of amending. There have been two COVID19 deaths in Belmarsh prison so far..."

Vindictive Court Rulings Prove British State Wants Assange Dead

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/04/08/pers-a08.html

"...Revealing plans to release several thousand low-risk prisoners late last week, the UK government made the astonishing announcement that because Assange was 'not serving a custodial sentence' he would not be considered eligible. Only one conclusion can be drawn: The WikiLeaks founder is being kept in prison with the deliberate intention of exposing him to a deadly disease.

It was exactly a decade ago that WikiLeaks published the Collateral Murder video. Its images of the indiscriminate murder of unarmed Iraqi civilians and journalists by US occupation forces were viewed with horror by millions around the world..."

Notice the virtually complete lack of coverage by western msm of these outrages and also the lack of support by the various international collaborationist liberal-'left's who wholeheartedly cheered on the previous smear and disinformation phase of the campaign conducted against the embattled freedom-fighter and publisher.

Sun, 2020-05-03 18:47

#19

NDPP

World Press Freedom Day: The Prosecution of Julian Assange

https://youtu.be/8ir2Mg5j13Y

"The Trump administration's indictment of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange and its unprecedented charges of Espionage for the publication of truthful information in the public interest."

Mon, 2020-05-04 14:16

#20

NDPP

Guess Which One is in Solitary Confinement in a High Security Jail?

https://twitter.com/BvGroat/status/1257241696812834817

No books. No pen. No computer. #FreeAssange

Tue, 2020-05-05 09:49

#21

NDPP

Coming Soon To A Protest Near You...

https://twitter.com/barnabynerberka/status/1257261913270083585

"Free Assange protesters (exercising social-distancing) outside Westminster Magistrates Court are being threatened with arrest with 'gathering' ruled unlawful by police under COVID-19 legislation."

Mon, 2020-05-18 03:07

#22

NDPP

Appeal Demands Sweden Probe Misdeeds in Assange Case

https://consortiumnews.com/2020/05/15/appeal-demands-sweden-probe-misdee...

"A Scandinavian activist group has opened signatures [Please sign...] for an appeal to the Swedish government for 'a full and transparent investigation' into a 'possible disappearance of documents' and the 'illegal destruction of evidence' in the Swedish prosecutors and police probe of sexual allegations against Julian Assange. The investigation the appeal seeks would also look into why Assange's case appears to have exceeded a statute of limitations as well as into pressure British authorities brought to bear on a Swedish prosecutor against Assange....

Petition To the Swedish Government: Set Julian Free

https://diy.rootsaction.org/petitions/set-julian-free-www-setjulianfree-...

Sun, 2020-05-24 09:19

#23

NDPP

Guccifer 2.0's Hidden Agenda

https://consortiumnews.com/2020/05/21/guccifer-2-0s-hidden-agenda/

CrowdStrike President Shawn Henry testified under oath behind closed doors on Dec 5, 2007 to the US House Intelligence Committee that his company had no evidence that Russian actors removed anything from the DNC servers. This testimony was only released earlier this month. Julian Assange has long insisted: 'Our source is not the Russian government,'

Assange Extradition: UK Minister Who Approved Trump's Request to Extradite Assange Spoke at Secretive US Conferences With People Calling For Him To Be 'Neutralized'

https://consortiumnews.com/2020/05/21/assange-extradition-uk-minister-wh...

"Sajid Javid signed the Trump administration's extradition request for Assange in 2019..."

Free Julian Assange!

Fri, 2020-05-29 17:03

#24

NDPP

The Torture and Persecution of Julian Assange

https://youtu.be/C9_pBmaxecw

Nils Melzer, UN Rapporteur on Torture

'Julian Assange is Not Getting A Fair Hearing'

https://youtu.be/iN7s2PZiP5c

Helena Kennedy QC: "Around the world legal organizations have objected...It is quite serious that Assange is not getting a fair hearing..."

Still only silence or animosity from the collaborationist left.

Fri, 2020-05-29 17:54

#25

NDPP

A Massive Scandal: How Assange, His Doctors, Lawyers and Vistors Were All Spied On For the US

https://twitter.com/SMaurizi/status/1266306768990285824

"The Spanish High Court is now investigating the UC Global spying activities against us, the journalists who visited Julian Assange in the Ecuadorean UK embassy. It's a massive scandal..."

Tue, 2020-06-02 23:53

#26

NDPP

Don't Extradite Assange! (and vid)

https://twitter.com/DEAcampaign/status/1267998696119177216

"Free flow of information is the oxygen of democracy. If journalists can't breathe the democracy will die.' Statement from Kristinn Hrafnsson after Assange's court hearing today and the current attack on journalists."

"Julian Assange is again too ill to attend a court hearing by video. Denied access to his lawyers, loved ones, friends, any humanity, he has committed no crime. He wears a prisoner's yellow armband on his painfully thin arm. How evocative that is. The crime is his torture."

https://twitter.com/johnpilger/status/1267792324588761088

Sun, 2020-06-14 15:13

#27

NDPP

Julian Assange in Limbo

https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v42/n12/patrick-cockburn/julian-assange-...

"Julian Assange was running WikiLeaks in 2010 when it released a vast hoard of US government documents revealing details of American political, military and diplomatic operations. With extracts published by the New York Times, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, Le Monde and El Pais, the archive provided deeper insight into the workings of the US state than anything seen since Daniel Ellsberg gave the Pentagon Papers to the media in 1971. But today Ellsberg is celebrated as the patron saint of whistleblowers while Assange is locked in a cell in London's Bellmarsh maximum security prison for 23 and a half hours a day.

Making such information public, as Assange and WikiLeakss had done, weaponised freedom of expression: if disclosures of this kind went unpunished and became the norm, it would radically shift the balance of power between government and society - and especially the media - in favor of the latter. It is the US government's determination to defend its ongoing monopoly, rather than the supposed damage done by the release of the secrets themselves, that has motivated it to pursue Assange and to seek to discredit both him and WikiLeaks. This campaign has been unrelenting and has had a fair amount of success, despite the fact that most of the charges made against Assange are demonstrably untrue..."

Sat, 2020-06-27 17:00

#28

NDPP

In Letter to The Lancet, Doctors Condemn Torture of Assange and Demand his Release

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/06/26/assa-j26.html

"More than 200 eminent doctors from around the world have reiterated their call for an end to the psychological torture of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange and his immediate release from Britain's maximum security Belmarsh Prison. In a letter published in the current edition of the Lancet, released this week, the doctors warned that the mistreatment of Assange by the British, US and allied governments have intensified since the coronavirus pandemic began placing his life in serious danger..."

But China, but Michaels.

Sun, 2020-07-05 14:58

#29

NDPP

Assange Extradition: 'Free Speech in the US Empire is as Illusory as 'Free Range' Eggs

https://consortiumnews.com/2020/06/26/assange-extradition-free-speech-in...

"The imprisonment of Julian Assange is the part of the movie where the villain finally reveals their true face for the monster they've always been, writes Caitlin Johnstone..."

Not to mention the monster's little helpers who believe everything the monster says, cheer it on, then stand silently by while the monster devours its chosen victim. Afterwards, when the cheerleaders are proven wrong, they lapse into an embarrassed faux lib-lefty omerta.

Sun, 2020-07-05 15:03

#30

NDPP

Did the FBI Entrap WikiLeaks? New Assange Indictment Explained (and vid)

https://twitter.com/kgosztola/status/1279081436197330944

"Thanks to Anya Parampil of the Grayzone News for having me on 'Red Lines' to discuss the expanded indictment against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and WikiLeaks staff. And yes - years ago FBI tried to entrap Assange. Here's the full interview..."

Sun, 2020-07-12 12:22

#31

NDPP

Global Assange: Arte Reportage (and vid)

https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/097012-000-A/global-assange/

"...Do you see Las Vegas Sands? And who is the head of Las Vegas Sands?"

Sun, 2020-07-12 12:31

#32

NDPP

"We join PEN Centres around the world and human rights organisations in calling on the UK government to release Julian Assange."

https://twitter.com/pen_int/status/1278993324268019714

"We are looking at a situation where a journalist, editor and source are being prosecuted for releasing information that informs our understanding about US war crimes." *

https://twitter.com/suigenerisjen/status/1279136547036635136

(*Not for making crooked Hillary lose an election. She did that all by herself.)

Tue, 2020-07-28 21:04

#33

NDPP

Assange Appears in Court As Lawyers Warn Case May Be Delayed By New US Indictment

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/07/28/assa-j28.html

"WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's case managment hearing yesterday continued the travesty of legal due process to which he has been subjected for more than a decade. The journalist and publisher is fighting extradition to the United States where he faces politically motivated frame-up charges of espionage with a combined potential sentence of 175 years. [For supposedly helping Trump beat Hillary, with Putin's help, right?]

At the previous hearing on June 29, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser had scolded Assage for not being present, demanding medical evidence to justify his non-appearance in future. But yesterday, Baraitser ruled the hearing could go ahead without Assange after Belmarsh prison disrupted his plans to attend. Prison authorities claimed to have forgotten to arrange videolink facilities for the world-famous political prisoner.

Assange's support for whistleblower Edward Snowden and transparency of information are alleged in the superseding indictment to constitute solicitation and theft of classified information. Former WikiLeaks section editor Sarah Harrison and former WikiLeaks spokesperson Jacob Applebaum are targeted on the same basis.

Kristin Hrafnsson, Editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks explained in a statement yesterday, 'What the US is doing is truly unprecedented. A new indictment is being introduced halfway into extradition proceedings, which have been a year in the making...What's really happening here is that despite its decade-long head start, the prosecution are still unable to build a coherent and credible case. So, they've scrapped the previous two indictments and gone for a third try.

Journalists and monitors from political, legal and medical organisations attempting to access the court via conference call were again unable to hear proceedings. The audio quality is routinely terrible, but on this occassion not even snatches of conversation were audible since, for the second time, the call was somehow left on hold after the adjournment. Space in the court is still strictly limited.

Assange's final case management hearing will take place at 10 am at Westminister Magistrate's Court on August 14 ahead of the resumption of the extradition hearing proper on Sept 7 at Central Criminal Court. It was agreed that Assange, the judge, the defence and the prosecution will all attend in person, but it remains unclear what the arrangements will be for the public, press and international observers."

Fri, 2020-08-14 16:58

#34

NDPP

Free Julian Assange!

https://twitter.com/khrafnsson/status/1294189298565230592

"Another day in court for the only journalist in Western Europe imprisoned for doing his job. The political persecution against the man who exposed corruption and warcrimes will not end unless people understand that press freedom in the world is at stake."

Fri, 2020-08-14 18:11

#35

NDPP

Chaos in Assange Case Management Hearing: DON'T EXTRADITE ASSANGE

https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/1294269058087563266

"US AG William Barr issued a replacement extradition request just two days after Julian Assange's defence team submitted their full and final evidence for the extradition hearing due in September.,Westminster Magistrates court heard today, (Friday, 14th August). The clear attempt to blindside the defence by US AG William Barr emerged as the court heard Julian Assange had not even seen the warmed-over extradition request..."

These kangaroo court proceedings continue to be so outrageous and twisted by chicanery and official animus as to thoroughly discredit any semblance of Britain as a 'the rule of law' democracy.

Fri, 2020-08-14 19:49

#36

NDPP

Shadowproof Update: Abuse of Process in Julian Assange's Case (and vid)

https://twitter.com/kgosztola/status/1294343517968437249

"Full commentary on the latest in Julian Assange's case."

Sat, 2020-08-15 13:48

#37

NDPP

The Show Trial of Julian Assange: A Cruel and Pseudolegal Farce

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/08/15/pers-a15.html

"Yesterday's hearing in London made clear, if any further proof was needed, that the prosecution of Julian Assange is a shameful and degrading show-trial, intended to railroad an innocent man to prison or death for revealing the crimes of US imperialism. Even as the COVID-19 pandemic rages through the UK prison system, Assange remains incarcerated in Belmarsh. Medical experts who have examined him report that his health is deteriorating and he could die in prison..."

Mon, 2020-08-17 13:06

#38

NDPP

Lawyers For Assange: Open Letter

https://l4assange.mironet.ch/en/open-letter.html

Independent international legal observers of the proceedings in the case of Julian Assange. 'We write to you as legal practitioners and legal academics to express our collective concerns about the violations of Mr Julian Assange's fundamental human, civil and political rights and the precedent his persecution is setting..."

Sun, 2020-08-30 19:48

#39

NDPP

Waiting For the Old Bailey: Julian Assange and Britain's Judicial Establishment

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL2008/S00209/waiting-for-the-old-bailey...

"On September 7, Julian Assange will face another round of gruelling extradition proceedings, in the Old Bailey, part of a process that has become a form of gradual state-sanctioned torture. The US Department of Justice hungers for their man. The UK prison authorities are doing little to protect his health. The end result, should it result in his death, will be justifiably described as state-sanctioned murder. This picture was not improved upon by a prison visit from his partner, Stella Morris, accompanied by their two children. Almost 6 months had passed since the last visit..."

Sun, 2020-08-30 20:38

#40

NDPP

The War on Journalism: The Case of Julian Assange (and vid)

https://video.emergeheart.info/videos/watch/f2467447-f5a8-45c9-8d08-804d...

"There is a war on journalism. And Julian Assange is at the center of that..."

A film by Juan Passarelli

Free Julian Assange, Before It's Too Late: SIGN to STOP the USA Extradition

https://www.change.org/p/free-julian-assange-before-it-s-too-late-stop-u...

Sat, 2020-09-05 01:16

#41

NDPP

Christine Assange: Urgent! #SaveJulian

https://twitter.com/MrsC_Assage/status/1301668683610116097

"Will you/your family/friends please save my son't life? PETITION to UK Govt to STOP US Extradition of journalist Julian Assange. Written by journalists. ANYONE CAN SIGN! 74,000 signed! We need 100,000 signatures by Sept 7th."

For Years Journalists Cheered Assange's Abuse. Now They've Paved His Way to a US Gulag

https://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2020-09-02/media-assange-persecution/

"...All indications are that Assange will be extradited to the US to face a rigged grand jury trial meant to ensure he sees out his days in a maximum-security prison, serving a sentence of up to 175 years. None of this happened in some Third World, tinpot dictatorship. It happened right under our noses, in a major Western capital, and in a state that claims to protect the rights of a free press.

And once we strip out a sophisticated campaign of character assassination against Assange by Western governments and a compliant media [ and none more so than Canada's - read anything in Rabble.ca on this lately?], the sole justification for the relentless attack on press freedom is that a 49-year-old man, published documents exposing US warcrimes. That is the reason - and the only reason - that the US is seeking his extradition and why he has been languishing in what amounts to solitary confinement in Belmarsh high-security prison during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The aim has been to discredit WikiLeaks and similar organisations and stop them from publishing revelatory documents - of the kind that show western governments are not the 'good guys' managing world affairs for the benefit of mankind, but are in fact hugely militarised, global bullies advancing the same ruthless colonial policies and war, destruction and pillage they always pursued. And second, Assange had to be made to suffer horribly and in public - to be made an example of - to deter other journalists from ever following his footsteps. He is the modern equivalent of a severed head on a pike displayed at the city gates..."

A historic litmus test and another shameful no-show by the 'progressive' Canadian 'left', who if anything, has cheered the torture on. Sign the Reporters Without Borders Petition above and have others do so too. And a loud SHAME ON YOU to Canadian political 'journalism'. We see who you serve.

Sun, 2020-09-06 23:50

#42

NDPP

Assange US Extradition Hearings Resume Monday at London's Old Bailey Courthouse (and vid)

https://twitter.com/georgegalloway/status/1302666845472788483

Interview with Dr Deepa Govindarajan Driver, Academic and trade unionist on the kangaroo court extradition proceedings which resume tomorrow and the alarming abuse of process and Julian Assange himself in this critically important case @ 1:52:00

An Interview with Julian Assange's US Lawyer

https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/1302740838359891969

"Barry Pollack outlines why the US government position in the case against Assange is 'a very dangerous one."

'The position that the US is taking is a very dangerous one. The position the US is taking is that they have jurisidiction all over the world and can pursue criminal charges against any journalist anywhere on the planet, whether they're a US citizen or not..."

'Today's Revelations Are the 7th Investigation Declassified UK Has Published on Legal Irregularities and Conflicts of Interest in the Assange Case'

https://twitter.com/markcurtis30/status/1302525602562478080

"The legal system is also on trial in the Assange case - which is also why it concerns everyone. Can we rely on an independent judiciary or has the legal process been captured by the government for political purposes. It doesn't get much more serious, if we believe in democracy."

Judging by the spectacular lack of coverage in the domestic press, apparently none of this is of any interest to the Canucklhead journalist community, let alone their corporate masters. Our presstitutes have a keen sense on which side their bread is buttered and their servility and subservience has long been obvious from their work. Like apologizing on air for 'mistakenly' calling Palestine, Palestine,( 'my bad'), as a CBC host on The Current did recently. This is much more up their alley. Besides, they were there for the earlier smear and disinformation part. And good gigs are hard to find and mostly their audience expects nothing more.

Mon, 2020-09-07 10:48

#43

NDPP

Julian Assange's Extradition Case: Previewing a Major Three-Week Hearing

https://dissenter.substack.com/p/julian-assanges-extradition-case

"Assange's legal team will likely present testimony from witnesses to show he is the target of a political prosecution..."

'Court No. 10 here. Would it be possible to bring up Mr Assange?'

https://twitter.com/kgosztola/status/1302897868060065792

Kevin Gosztola's twitter report of today's Julian Assange extradition proceedings from the Old Bailey courtroom.

Tue, 2020-09-08 00:24

#44

NDPP

Pilger: The Stalinist Trial of Julian Assange; Whose Side Are You On?

https://www.informationclearinghouse.info/55550.htm

"...In 2008, a top-secret US Department of Justice report described in detail how the United States would combat this new moral threat. A secretly-directed personal smear campaign against Julian Assange would lead to 'exposure and criminal prosecution.' The aim was to silence and criminalize WikiLeaks and its founder. Page after page revealed a coming war on a single human being and on the very principle of freedom of speech and freedom of thought and democracy.

The imperial shock troops would be those who called themselves journalists: The big hitters of the so-called mainstream, especially the 'liberals' who mark and patrol the perimeters of dissent. And that is what happened. I have been a reporter for more than 50 years and I have never known a smear campaign like it. The fabricated character assassination of a man who refused to join the club, who believed journalism was a service to the public, never to those above. He forced us in the West to look in the mirror. He exposed the official truth-tellers in the media as collaborators: those I would call Vichy journalists.

The extradition hearing in London this week is the final act of an Anglo-American campaign to bury Julian Assange. It is not due process. It is due revenge. Today, the land that gave us Magna Carta, Great Britain, is distinguished by the abandonment of its own sovereignty in allowing a malign foreign power to manipulate justice and by the vicious psychological torture of Julian - a form of torture, as Nils Melzer, the UN expert has pointed out, that was refined by the Nazis because it was most effective in breaking its victims..."

Tue, 2020-09-08 01:05

#45

NDPP

Craig Murray: Freedom? Show Me the MSM Journalist Opposing the Torture of Assange*

https://www.informationclearinghouse.info/555548.htm

"...Julian Assange has been a light in the darkness. WikiLeaks have opened a window into the secret world of war crime, murder and corruption that underlies so much of the governance we live under throughout the 'free world'. Coming in the wake of the public realisation that we had been blatantly lied into the destruction of Iraq, there was a time when it seemed Assange would lead us into a new age where whistleblowers, citizen journalists and a democratic internet would revolutionise public information, with the billionaire stranglehold shattered.

That seems less hopeful today, as the internet world itself is corporatised. Julian is in jail and continuing today is an extradition hearing that has been one long abuse of process. The appalling condition of solitary confinement in which he has been kept in the high security Belmarsh Prison, with no access to his legal team or a working computer, to his papers or to his mail, have taken a huge toll on his physical and mental health. The UN Special Rapporteur has declared he is subject to torture. A media which is up in arms about the very dubious attack on Navalny, has no emotion for state torture victim Assange other than contempt.

It is constantly asked by Julian's supporters why the media do not see the assault on a publisher and journalist as a threat to themselves. The answer is that the state and corporate media are confident in their firm alliance with the powers that be. They have no intention of challenging the status quo. Their protection from those kicking Assange lies in joining in with the kicking. I hope to be in court today and throughout the extradition hearing. The public gallery of 80 has been reduced to 9 'due to Covid.' There are just 4 seats for the general public. This is supposed to be a public hearing..."

* Nothing here yet...

Tue, 2020-09-08 02:01

#46

NDPP

Edward Snowden: 'Drop the Charges. Free Assange' (and vid)

https://twitter.com/Snowden/status/1302984557449351168

"The extradition of Julian Assange is a malicious prosecution by any standard. Even critics of the man ought to condemn this as a show trial. The 'crime' in question is the greatest public service WikiLeaks ever performed, exposing Iraq-era abuses"

Collateral Murder?

https://youtu.be/Zok8yMxXEwk

Julian Assange and WikiLeaks assisstance was critical in facilitating the escape of Edward Snowden. And now, before the eyes of the whole world, the imperialist West and their collaborationist judicial and media accomplices will take their revenge. Julian Assange will himself become 'collateral-murder' for daring to expose US war-crimes. And I predict not one Canadian msm journalist will take his part. Possibly no alternative one either. Certainly no 'opposition' politician. This is the real state of things. And goes a long way to explaining why the country is the way it is. Our media is not ours at all. Be warned and beware. Free Julian Assange!

Tue, 2020-09-08 03:23

#47

NDPP

The Jimmy Dore Show

https://youtu.be/bpxG3WU4JCk

"Censoring dissent: Noam Chomsky on Julian Assange:

"Julian Assange provided a vast amount of materials besides exposing war crimes. There's a huge amount of material which is being used by journalists, by scholars, in all sorts of domains. I have as well. He provided a great spur to independent journalism.

But his silencing is casting a pall over that, and is saying: 'we tolerate suppression of the independent journalism that we ourselves benefit from.' We are tolerating its suppression by looking the other way when there's a sacrifice being made by a person who stood up for achieving the goals of independent journalism.

'He's being sacrificed - we'll stay silent.' That's a dangerous threat to independence and freedom, not only of the press, but to a free society altogether..."

Tue, 2020-09-08 16:59

#48

NDPP

Report of Day 2 of Proceedings (and vid)

https://twitter.com/kgosztola/status/1303362227504730112

Video report by Kevin Gosztola on day 2 of proceedings.

Craig Murray - Your Man in the Public Gallery: the Assange Hearing Day 6

https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2020/09/your-man-in-the-public-g...

"...If you asked me to sum up today in a word, that word would udoubtedly be 'railroaded'.

Tue, 2020-09-08 21:41

#49

NDPP

Day 2 of Julian Assange Hearing (and vid)

https://twitter.com/richimedhurst/status/1303398042788265984

Recap by Richard Medhurst.

Tue, 2020-09-08 23:21

#50

NDPP

Pepe Escobar: Julian Assange, Prometheus Bound

https://consortiumnews.com/2020/09/08/pepe-escobar-julian-assange-promet...

"This is the tale of an Ancient Greek tragedy reenacted in Anglo-America. Prometheus is being punished not for stealing fire - but for exposing fire under the light of truth, thus provoking the unbound ire of Zeus the Exceptionalist, who's only able to stage his crimes under multiple veils of secrecy.

Prometheus's theft of the secrecy of power, though, is irreversible. His fate will certainly prompt the late entrance of Pandora and her jar of evils - complete with unforseen consequences. Whatever the verdict reached in that 17th century court, it's far from certain that Prometheus will enter History just as a mere object of blame for human folly. Because the heart of the matter is that the mask of Zeus has fallen."

Wed, 2020-09-09 02:50

#51

NDPP

Kampmark: Sinking Transparency at the Old Bailey...

https://dissidentvoice.org/2020/09/sinking-transparency-at-the-old-baile...

"The fine circus that is British justice resumed at London's Central Criminal Court on September 7, with the continued extradition proceedings against Julian Assange. Judge Vanessa Baraitser was concerned that approximately 40 individuals had remote video access. 'Once livestreaming takes place, the court cannot manage this breach, even less when the person is outside the jurisdiction.'

Inadvertently, the judge had put her finger on the very heart of WikiLeaks and the terror it inspires in the establishment: an event or occurrence that is published, remotely: information, previously confined, escaping..."

Your man in the public gallery: Assange hearing day 1

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