Julian Assange

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Someone's probably made a Lucius Malfoy joke by now.

Julian Assange is an Australian journalist and transparency activist who has gained world-wide recognition as the founder and editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks. In 2006, Assange founded WikiLeaks and since then he has been the focus of a never-seen-before international controversy. His involvement with WikiLeaks has earned Assange praise from civil liberties organizations and criticism from others.

There are valid and legitimate criticisms that can be levied against Assange (such as the sexual allegations mentioned below or issues surrounding his ego[1]), his contribution to the whistle-blowing platform can nonetheless be justly described as revolutionary. Some of the awards Assange received include Amnesty International UK Media Awards, Sam Adams Award, Sydney Peace Prize and Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism.[2]

While his politics has been described by some as techno-anarchic, his admiration and support for the likes of Ron Paul and Rand Paul and his support of free market and anti-abortion views seem to put him somewhere on the far-right side of things .[3]

Contents

[edit] The Julian Assange Show

In 2012, Assange started producing and hosting a talk show, World Tomorrow. In theory, it is independently produced and can be syndicated by any TV company that wants it. In practice, the only channel that saw fit to do it is RT,[4] who never miss a chance to give a tribute to a critic of the US. The list of guests in the first few episodes is... interesting.

[edit] Rape allegations

Two women accused Assange of rape in Sweden. As a result of those accusations, Sweden attempted to get Assange extradited from the United Kingdom so he could be put on trial. There are concerns that if Assange is extradited to Sweden, he could be removed from there to the United States [5] and speculation that he might face the death penalty in the USA. [6]

British courts agreed to extradite Assange to Sweden but in June 2012 he fled to the London embassy of Ecuador, which later granted him asylum. Sweden has given assurances that Assange will not be extradited to the US if he faces the death penalty, which supporters of Assange fear.[7] The Swedes refused to rule out extradition entirely though.[8] Amnesty International is one of many organisations wanting such an assurance,[9] which in any case would be hard to enforce.[10]

Since being granted asylum by Ecuador there has been a stand off. Assange cannot leave the embassy to take up asylum in Ecuador without being arrested. Meanwhile, UK law enforcers cannot enter the embassy without serious diplomatic repercussions. The UK showed how it has the legal option of entering the embassy by force and arresting Assange, but so far has not done this.[11] In the third week of August 2012 an intimidating police presence appeared outside the embassy including one police officer outside a toilet window and there were complaints about excessive police presence.[12] It has been reported that the cost of keeping police outside the embassy, awaiting the opportunity to arrest Assange, is £2.9 million ($4.4 million) as of January 2013.[13] At the same time, response to the UK government's posturing by President Correa of Ecuador may have helped get him reelected in 2013. Renard Sexton suspects that could possibly have been Correa's motive in granting asylum.[14]

As of April 2013 Assange had settled into a work routine in a confined space in the Ecuadorian embassy. Oliver Stone wrote:

He lives in a tiny room with great modesty and discipline. (…) Strong mind, no sun, friends who visit, work to be done, (…) I don't think most people in the US realise how important WikiLeaks is and why Julian's case needs support. (...) Julian Assange did much for free speech and is now being victimised by the abusers of that concept.[15]

Talks may take place between the UK government and the government of Ecuador,[16] whether there will be a way out of the impasse or any improvement in the situation is anyone's guess.

Meanwhile a Swedish woman believed to be one of Assange’s accusers claims she is the victim of wild guesses and speculation over her motives for the accusations. Harassment has made it extremely hard for her to work.[17]

As of August 2014 Assange says he may soon leave the embassy for unspecified reasons, he confirms his health suffered while he was confined in the embassy. [18]

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Footnotes

  1. As one of the people first involved in WikiLeaks could attest.http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/22/wikileaks-julian-assange
  2. On occasion, however, he's shown some poor judgment by releasing documents containing some information that had actual legitimate reasons for being concealed, and in doing so exposed entirely innocent and already vulnerable groups of oppressed people to even greater threats to their safety; for instance, he decided to release this document containing highly sensitive information on the last Jews living in Baghdad, where they are living in perpetual fear for their lives.
  3. Julian Assange backs Ron and Rand Paul
  4. The Prisoner as Talk Show Host Julian Assange Starts Talk Show on Russian TV
  5. There are concerns that Assange would be a repeat of Chelsea Manning, who has suffered "cruel and inhumane treatment" together with human rights violations. [1] [2]
  6. Julian Assange’s legal limbo
  7. Sweden: If Assange faces death row in US we won’t extradite him
  8. Ecuador will care for Julian Assange in embassy if WikiLeaks founder falls ill
  9. Sweden should issue assurance it won’t extradite Assange to USA
  10. Not to mention such a carte blanche would be an unheard of thing; since it would cover not only what he is accused of but also further acts.
  11. Julian Assange asylum offer leads Ecuador and UK into diplomatic row
  12. Julian Assange can stay in embassy for 'centuries', says Ecuador
  13. Julian Assange police guard cost nears £3m
  14. Rafael Correa's domestic agenda behind Ecuador's Assange asylum
  15. Oliver Stone meets Julian Assange and criticises new WikiLeaks films
  16. Julian Assange: UK considers talks with Ecuador minister
  17. 'Julian Assange Sex Assault Accuser' Speaks
  18. Julian Assange 'to leave' Ecuador embassy
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