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Assange Wins the Right to Appeal Extradition Order

Assange Wins the Right to Appeal Extradition Order

Julian Assange, the beleaguered publisher of WikiLeaks, scored a critical legal victory on Monday when the British court hearing his appeal granted him the permission to file an appeal against the extradition order for sending him to the United States where he faces prison for life for exposing US military’s war crimes during the Bush and Obama administrations.

BBC reported on Monday (May 20) that two senior judges of the High Court granted Assange’s request for a full appeal in the United Kingdom against an earlier extradition order of June 2022 after the British Supreme Court rejected his request for appealing his extradition. Assange, his family and supporters, and free speech advocates worldwide have rejected the US government assurances that he would get a fair trial in the US and will not get the death penalty if/when convicted.

Assange drew the wrath of the US military establishment and intelligence leadership when he published leaked classified files, including video footage, in 2010 that revealed US military’s reckless killing of civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan during the presidencies of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. The files were damaging to the reputation of the US military and federal government as they revealed what would amount to war crimes. In April 2019, the Department of Justice (DOJ), under then Attorney General William Barr, formally charged Assange with espionage though the sealed indictment against him was first reported in 2018. Assange was dragged out of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and jailed, pending his extradition trial.

Assange has maintained that he only published the classified files as any media or publication would do and is being politically targeted for exposing the ugly truth about America’s wars. Monday’s ruling was celebrated by Assange’s family and his well-wishers. Kristinn Hrafnsson, investigative journalist and the editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, told supporters outside the court in London that they have finally seen a glimpse of justice. He called on the Biden administration to drop the case against Assange that they are going to lose inevitably.

Stella Assange, Julian Assange’s wife, addressed her husband’s supporters and said that the Biden administration should distance itself from this shameful prosecution; it should have done so from day one.

RT (formerly Russia Today) correspondent Marina Kosareva commented on Monday’s court ruling in favor of Assange saying that it doesn’t change a lot as Assange will continue appealing, which he has been doing for years now. Kosareva briefly touched on last month’s news that Joe Biden told Australian authorities that he will consider their request to drop charges against Assange. She said that it could likely be Biden’s reelection strategy to improve his image. 

British journalist Matt Kennard posted on X (formerly called Twitter) that he was in the court for the hearing and he witnessed the US case against Assange shredded in just over an hour. He added, “The CIA’s lawyers were all over place.”

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3 Comments

  1. frank stetson

    I do not understand why PBP and Joe Gilbertson give asylum to failed journalist immigrant Karim Khan, writing under the very Pakistani name of Earnest Dempsey, not to be confused with the author and actual Earnest Dempsey of America. It’s not the news he’s reporting, it’s the bias and lies. In this one, I have no dog in the fight — you say Julian Assange and what little grey matter I have started to leak out.

    But I do know that taunting readers with a supposed free speech angle pulls at the heart strings while Dempsey bashes everything else that is America. America says Assange outed us, stole our secrets, and put our people at risk. He says he’s showing the light of day on nefarious and he’s afraid we will try him unfairly and punish him with death. You know, spying and all that.

    To tell his story he sources Assange’s wife, relatives, no bias there. Also he sources a no-name UK journalist who publishes mostly via his website, but has a few articles and self-funded books out. Guy has basically been ex-communicado from most UK military sources due to his fake news.

    And Dempsey tops it off with his, and now PBPs’ favorite source: Russian TV, or RT — the voice of Putin.

    He also does not tell the story well. Assange gets his appeal and it is about extradition, but chances are he will be extradited. The appeal is about assuring no death penalty, be persecuted for his nationality, and that gets the same First Amendment protections as a U.S. citizen. He could get those assurances, maybe, but his bid to overturn the extradition is muted by the very assurances he is seeking It’s the old you can’t give an Aussie a US death penalty if they don’t have the penalty there. Fucker should have thought about that before he released the suff. But it puts US and Australian diplomacy in the mix. That’s the case, that’s the appeal, that’s the news.

    The rest is jabberwonky. I am all for transparency, but not for outing our sources. At least not until the rest of world, especially China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, etc. show theirs. Because unlike Dempsey, I am an American, born here. and while I love transparency and let’s out all crimes, indite the alleged criminals and take them to court. Unlike Dempsey, I think our system of law is the best and most fair in the world. It’s not perfect,, Dempsey, but certainly better than your home —- so fucking write about what you know. Meanwhile,, let’s get Julian in court and the facts on the table and QUIT REPORTING FROM RUSSIA TODAY or RT or at least tell your readers you are spewing Putin’s propaganda. .

  2. Tom

    As a natural born US Citizen and US Veteran, I agree with you 100% Frank! Well said!

    This RT anchor (formerly Russia Today) correspondent Marina Kosareva is a Putin mouthpiece all the way. She is always on the air talking about how right it is for Russia to be invading Ukraine! She is the only one I know of (except for Trump) that can spin better than Larry! Her spin makes Larry look like a grade school boy in a writing contest.

    PBP ought to give Dumpster the boot!

    • Frank stetson

      Tom. I really don’t understand Gilbertson on this one. I think the Dumpster has special photos of Joe.

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