May 27, 2018
Julian Assange is under increasing threat. There are ominous signs the Ecuadoran government may facilitate Assange’s removal from their London UK Embassy which could lead to his extradition to the US. Just 47 years old, Assange is in failing physical health after nearly 6 years confined to a room without fresh air or sunlight.
Former Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa took the courageous stand to protect the Wikileaks founder from extradition to the USA. Under President Lenin Moreno, inaugurated in Spring 2017, Ecuador has resumed military and security collaboration with the US and Assange is reportedly “in imminent danger of being forced to leave the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.”
Starting March 27 , the Ecuadoran Embassy in London escalated the psychological pressure on Assange by preventing him from communicating with friends, family or colleagues in person or electronically. His small room is now being electronically jammed and he is only allowed lawyer visits and food deliveries.
The criminal charges filed by a Swedish prosecutor have been dropped. The threat is extradition to the US where some Washington politicians have publicly called for his execution. In February 2016 the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention condemned Assange’s persecution as a form of “arbitrary detention” and called for his release.
Julian Assange and Wikileaks are under attack because they exposed inconvenient truths. In 2010 Wikileaks published video showing US military forces killing Iraqi civilians and journalists. Then Wikileaks published “cablegate” confirming US governmental interference and subterfuge against Latin American countries. In 2016, Assange and Wikileaks published emails from the Democratic National Committee revealing bias and violations of the democratic process at the highest levels. In 2017, Wikileaks exposed CIA tools and techniques used to implicate targeted innocent parties.
Instead of acknowledging the crimes and misdeeds, the US political, military and security establishment have condemned the messenger. US Attorney General Sessions says Assange’s arrest is a “priority”. The new US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said Assange and Wikileaks are “hostile non-state actors”. The Democratic Party establishment has filed a lawsuit against Wikileaks for publishing authentic but embarrassing emails.
We believe Wikileaks and Julian Assange have provided a valuable service by exposing the truth. In reality, the US military, intelligence services and political establishment need fundamental reform. They do not serve the interests of the vast majority of Americans. Julian Assange deserves our thanks and support.
In recent weeks John Kariakou of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity has delivered a petition of support for Assange. Former president Rafael Correa has expressed concern. Australian journalist John Pilger has accused the new Ecuadoran president of defaming the good name of Ecuador.
We encourage everyone to visit the website IAmWikileaks.org to learn about the latest developments and to support Julian Assange.
29 May, 2018
http://taskforceamericas.org/urgent-call-to-support-julian-assange/
Source: Task Force on the Americas