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Julian Assange arrested/Attack on freedom of pressAnonyme, Wednesday, December 29, 2010 - 21:54
Astrid Essed
The arrest case of Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks is politically motivated and therefore an attack on the freedom of press Dear Editor and Readers, To my opinion it is bizarre, that real or alleged American and allies war criminals are free to go, while Assange, who had the moral courage to unmask them, is in jail Wishing you Good Christmasdays and all good wishes for 2011 Kind greetings, ARTICLE:
FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND PRESS/
In the race between secrecy and truth, it seems inevitable that truth will always win'' Rupert Murdoch “In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.” This world is full of injustice. Wise woman What was feared by many adherents of whistleblower site Wikileaks has come to reality. Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks, has been arrested by the British police, after he voluntarily surrendered [1] O fficially this arrest was on behalf of the Swedish Justice, which had issued an European Arrest Warrant agianst him with charges of alleged rape and molestation of two Swedish women[2] On request of the Swedish police Interpol also issued an International Arrest Warrant against him [3] However it is clear, that this arrest is motivated by the political interests of the USA and their allies, considering the spectacular revealings of Wikileaks and the American political hysteria, from extreme right wing death treaths and hunting Assange down ''like a terrorist'', [4] till governmental plans to prosecute him [5] Also State Secretary of Defense mr Gates called the arrest of Assange ''good news'' [6] Releasement on bail : Initially it seemed, that Swedish Justice appealed against the decision of the UK Court [dd 14th december] to grant bail to Assange. [7] Mr Stephens, solicitor of Assange, spoke of the ''continuing vendetta by the Swedes'' [8] Later however rumour spread, that the British prosecution had appealed IN DEFENSE OF THE POWERLESS : Wikileaks, which has been founded by Assange, is an international new media with a whistlerblower function, revealing otherwise unavailable documents and thus exposing injustice, committed by States, especially Superpower the USA and their allies [10] As a new medium, Wikileaks has won several prices, as in 2009, Amnesty International's UK Media Award [in the category ''New Media''] for the 2008 publication of "Kenya: The Cry of Blood – Extra Judicial Killings and Disappearances" [11]
RELEASED DOCUMENTS What has infuriated the US and allies are the released documents about US and alles warcrimes and scandals about secret diplomacy And although Assange has been arrested, the releasements go on
An overview: Video in US killings in Iraq: ''Exposing warcrimes is not a crime!'' In April 2010, Wikileaks posted video from an American airstrike on Badghdad [2007] [12] in which Iraqi civilians and journalists were killed by US forces, including a Reuters journalist and his driver, on a website called Collateral Murder [13] A courageous American soldier with a conscience, Sgt Bradley Manning, is supposed to have leaked it He now possibly faces a trial and a yearlong prison sentence [14]
Afghan war-logs In July the same year, Wikileaks released Afghan War Diary , a compilation of more than 76,900 documents about the War Iraq war-logs In October, Wikileaks released a package of almost 400,000 documents called the Iraq War [16] in coordination with major As well as the Afghan as Iraq war-logs documents showed shocking details about American and allied warcrimes as torture practices The moat horrifying however is the total American indifference for Afghan and Iraqi civilian lives
US Embassy Cables In November, Wikileaks began releasing US State Department diplomatic cables [18] Those are the most important revelations, internationally known However, already in 2007 Wikileaks disclosed the ''Standard Operation Procedure for Camp Delta'', a guideline for the American military, how to handle prisoners in Guantanamo Bay [19] Shocking details were the detention [by arrival] of prisoners in an isolation cell [in the Manual called '' the'Brhaviour Managment Plan''] 'to make them more ''cooperative'' for interrigations Placing in isolation was litterary meant to ''ENHANCE AND EXPLOIT THE DISORIENTATION AND DISORGANISATION BY A NEWLY ARRIVED DETAINEE'' [20] Lack of access to the Red Cross: The manual also revealed, that some of the prisoners were denied access to the Red Cross Also on arrival, the prisoners were denied basics and access to a Qu'ran [21]
CREDIBILITY: Although it is impossible for the common civilian to control the hundred and thousands of document on their credibility, a clear confirmation is been showed in the website ''Collateral Murder, where the video proof of the US attack in Iraq, where 13 civiilians were killed, is clear [22] Also the close cooperation with quality papers like the New York Times, Der Spiegel and The Guardian, which have their own investigative journalists, confirms the credibility The Guardian has since then published all Wikileaks documents in her paper [23] Credibility is also shown by the aggressive and hostile reactiions of several States, especially the USA, which seek to prosecute Assange on the ground of an old ''Espionage Act'' , which is ridiculous, since a native Australian and not in American government service, he can't be a ''spy'' This American use of the Espionage Act to silence critics is not new: Human Rights Watch has emphasized her concern about the planned US prosecution in a letter to president Obama, that prosecitung Assange is a violation of the freedom of press and expression [25]
THE ''RAPE'' CASE ''There's something rotten in the State of Denmark'' Let's make this clear: Nobody is above the Law When there is really substantial and hard evidence, that Assange should have raped this women, he should be prosecuted and, by enough proof, condemned after a fair trial However, there are clear indications, that this whole case is politically motivated That would not be the first or the last time: Using rape and sexual contact as a political or personal means is as old as Mankind In the Old Testimony the wife of Potiphar accused Joseph, son of Patriarch Jacob, than slave in Egypt, of rape, when he refused to be intimate with her [26] Whistleblower Vanunu, who exposed Israel's nuclear power, was trapped by a gallgirl and so was abducted by Israel, which led to a yearlong imprisonment [27]
From the very start, this real or alleged ''rape case'' had some strange and clumsy aspects, which make the whole case look fishy After two Swedish women, in press called ''Miss A'' and ''Miss W'' went to the police with accusations about rape and molestation, at 21 august Swedish police opened an investigation against Assange [28] However, despite the dropping of the case, at 1 september, Swedish Justice reopened the rape case again [30] But there were more fishy elements on this case Accompanied with the European Arrest Warrant, Interpol issued an International Arrest Warrant against Assange [30 november], which is highly out of proportion, seen the charges against him Allegations of the women: Without going into details, at least some of the allegations of the women were dubious For example:''Miss A'' Despite her accusations ''Miss A'' organised a party for the same man whe accused of rape and molestation And moreover: Timing Not long after the revelations of Wikileaks Afghan war logs, the rape accusations of Miss A and W followed What is a better moment for slander against Wikileaks and his founder, seen American hysterical reactions? Assange himself commented on Twitter Of course there is no proof for a political set-up, but overviewing the strang behaviour of Swedish Justice, the out of propiortion Interpol Arrest Warrant, the initially ''wrong'' Swedish Arrest Warrant, the contradictional story of the women involved and the ''timing'' of the charges, raise a serious doubt and show political intrigue.
OPERATION PAYBACK
Source: INDYMEDIA.NL [www.indymedia.nl] Apparently due to American political pressure, large corporations like Mastercard, Visa, Paypal, Amazon and the Swiss Bank cutt of the financial means of Wikileaks [34] Later the Bank of America joined [35] Due to this cutting off of financial means, Assange was obliged to sell the rights of his autobiography for his legal fight in Sweden and to keep the website afloat [36] As a reaction, a group of hackers [socalled ''hacktivists''] of the Group ''Anonymous'' systematically attacked and attacks large corporations like Mastercard, Visa, Paypal and Swiss Bank,to protect the right to free information [37] Also the office of Mr Borgstrom, the laywer of the two women who accused Assange of socalled ''rape'' has been under attack [38] Dutch authorities arrested and later released a Dutch 16 year old, in connection with the Cyberattacks Cyberattacks: Attacks on the laywer of the two Swedish women are unacceptable, since any person has a right to a laywer, however controversial his or her case However, although somewhat extreme, the Cyberattacks on the financial corporations which cut off Wikileaks, are legitimate resistance, since Mastercard and co are supporting American government policy against Wikileaks, violating freedom of press In this respect and given the American hatred policy against Wikileaks, also attacks on American governmental organisations is legitimate. Anonymous is an important weapon in the struggle for Wikileaks freedom of press Also the Also UN Commissioner of Human Rights, mrs Pilay, has criticized websites, that have refused to host Wikileaks, as an attack on the freedom of expression of Wikileaks [40] EPILOGUE The arrest of Assange is directly connected with the American political interest to stop the revelations of Wikileaks at all costs Therefore it is an attack on the freedom of press and the freedom of expression Journalism feels that, by working together with Wikileaks and saving material, as The Guardian and other papers do But there's more at stake: Whole Internetjournalism may be treathed When Assange is to be extradited to Sweden and in the horrorscenario, that Sweden extradites him to the USA [41], after British consent [42], there is more to it than a probably unfair US trial From that moment all critical Internetjournalists, who write unpleasant truths about the US and human rights violating allies, can be prosecuted, persecuted and intimidated The freedom of press and speech, consolidated in the first Amendment of the American Constitution, will be a dead letter. However, most bizarre point: BUT US AND ALLIES, MAKE NO MISTAKE Their dirty secrets will always be unmasked and Wikileaks, or a successor, will go on To defend the victims of US power policy
Astrid Essed
[1] ARTICLE JULIAN ASSANGE http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/wikileaks/dont-shoot-messenger-... ''At 9.15am last Tuesday a thin, white-haired figure left the Frontline Club, the west London establishment dedicated to preserving freedom of speech, and voluntarily surrendered to police.'' Source: THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/11/wikileaks-backlash-cyber-war THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/julian-assange [2] BBC NEWS http://ww w.bbc.co.uk/ news/uk-11949 771 ''Assange, a 39-year-old Australian, had earlier handed himself in to British police after Sweden had issued a European Arrest Warrant for him. Assange, who denies the allegations, will remain behind bars until a fresh hearing on December 14.'' Source: REUTERS http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B61PX20101207 [3] THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/nov/30/interpol-wanted-notice-julia... [4] AMERICAN POLITICAL HATRED HYSTERIA AGAINST WIKILEAKS AND ASSANGE THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/11/wikileaks-backlash-cyber-war THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/19/assange-high-tech-terrorist-... MAIL ONLINE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1334341/WikiLeaks-Sarah-Palin-de... POL ITICO NEWS http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/45667.html PITCH BLOGS http://blogs.pitch.com/plog/2010/11/rightbloggers_on_wikileaks.php THE HUFFINGTON POST http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/30/oreilly-wikileaks-leakers-execu... VOICES http://w ww.abc.net.au /unleashed/41914.html [5] AMERICAN PLANS TO PROSECUTE ASSANGE ARTICLE JULIAN ASSANGE http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/wikileaks/dont-shoot-messenger-... THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/06/wikileaks-cables-founder-jul... THE NATIONAL http://www.thenational.ae/news/worldwide/us-explores-options-to-prosecut... '' SOURCE: BBC NEWS http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11952817 THE INDEPENDENT http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-may-pass-new-law-to-... '' SOURCE: BBC NEWS http:/ /www.bbc.co. uk/news/worl d-us-canada-1 1952817< /A> THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/01/wikileaks-cables-us-espionag... THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/07/julian-assange-arrest-extrad... '' SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/afua-hirsch-law-blog/2010/de c/08/julian-a ssange-extrad ition-what-ne xt THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/dec/15/wikil... [6] GOOD NEWS REACTION OF THE US DEFENCE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES: ''The Pentagon welcomed the arrest, with US D efence Secretary Robert Gates saying on a visit to Afghanistan that it was "good news". SOURCE: BBC NEWS http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11937110 [7] '' Clearly, if the Swedish government opposes bail it will show there is some vindictiveness beyond this case. It will show there is some political element that goes beyond the case.'' Source: THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2010/dec/14/wikileaks-julian-assange... [8] ''Mr Assange's solicitor, Mark Stephens, said after the court appearance the bail appeal was part of a "continuing vendetta by the Swedes". Source: BBC NEWS http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12005930 [9] BBC NEWS http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12005930 [10] THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/wikileaks WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiLeaks [11] WIKIPEDIA ''WikiLeaks has won a number of awards, including the 2008 Economist magazine New Media Award.[10] In June 2009, WikiLeaks and Julian Assange won Amnesty International's UK Media Award (in the category "New Media") for the 2008 publication of "Kenya: The Cry of Blood – Extra Judicial Killings and Disappearances",[11] a report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights about police killings in Kenya.[12] '' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiLeaks EDITOR'S WEBLOG http://www.editorsweblog.org/newsrooms_and_journalism/2009/06/wikileaks_... AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL MEDIA AWARDS 2009 http://www.amnesty.org.uk/uploads/documents/doc_20539.pdf [12] WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_July_2007_Baghdad_airstrike ''David Schlesinger, Reuters editor in chief, said Tuesday that the video was disturbing to watch “but also important to watch.” He said he hoped to meet with the Pentagon “to press the need to learn lessons from this tragedy.” Source: THE NEW YORK TIMES http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/world/07wikileaks.html [13] WIKILEAKS http://www.collateralmurder.com/ WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collateral_murder#Leaked_video_footage [14] WIKILEAKS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradley_Manning BRADLEY MANNING SUPPORT NETWORK http://www.bradleymanning.org/ [15] WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_War_Diary THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/the-war-logs [16] THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/iraq-war-logs [17] WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiLeaks [18] THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/series/us-embassy-cables-the-documents THE GUARDIAN THE US EMBASSY CABLES THE DOCUMENTS http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/series/us-embassy-cables-the-documents [19] THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/nov/15/guantanamo.usa?INTCMP=SRCH [20] THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/nov/15/guantanamo.usa?INTCMP=SRCH [21] THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/nov/15/guantanamo.usa?INTCMP=SRCH [22] WIKILEAKS http://www.collateralmurder.com/ WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_July_2007_Baghdad_airstrike ''David Schlesinger, Reuters editor in chief, said Tuesday that the video was disturbing to watch “but also important to watch.” He said he hoped to meet with the Pentagon “to press the need to learn lessons from this tragedy.” Source: THE NEW YORK TIMES http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/world/07wikileaks.html [23] THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/wikileaks [24] '' SOURCE: BBC NEWS http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11952817 [25] HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/12/14/us-wikileaks-publishers-should-not... HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/12/15/us-don-t-prosecute-wikileaks-found... [26] WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potiphar [27] WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mordechai_Vanunu [28] THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/aug/24/assange-wikileaks-swedish-pr... [29] WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Assange#Swedish_sex_crime_investigat... THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/aug/21/julian-assange-wikileaks-arr... ''"The fact that one prosecutor dismissed the charges against Assange and another picked them up afterwards, makes the case look fishy. The prosecuting authorities should have acted more expeditiously and speedily.'' Source: THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/18/julian-assange-allegations-w... THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/21/julian-assange-defends-decis... [30] See the notes under [29] [31] THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/02/julian-assange-faces-arrest-... [32] ''Assange's supporters point out that, despite her complaints against him, Miss A held a party for him on that evening and continued to allow him to stay in her flat. Source: THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/17/julian-assange-sweden THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/18/julian-assange-allegations-w... THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/dec/17/wikileaks-man-idea-e... MAIL ONLINE http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1307137/Supporters-dis... WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claes_Borgstr%C3%B6m THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/17/julian-assange-q-and-a?intcm... [33] THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/06/wikileaks-julian-assange-pol... [34] THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/04/paypal-internet-backlash-wik... BBC NEWS http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11945875 CBS NEWS http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-20024801-503543.html FOX NEWS http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/12/06/swiss-postal-cuts-wikileaks-bank... INDEPENDENT http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/world-news/wikileaks-payments-cu... [35] THE AUSTRALIAN http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/wikileaks/bank-of-america-cuts-... [36] THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/26/julian-assange-book-deals [37] WEBSITE ANONYMOUS OPERATION PAYBACK: PROTESTS VIA MOUSE CLICK http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Operation-Payback-protests-vi... THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/anonymous THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/dec/10/wikileaks-cables-anonym... THE GUARDIAN http://w ww.guardian. co.uk/media/2 010/dec/11/wi kileaks-back lash-cyber-wa r BELFAST TELEGRAPH http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/wikileaks-palin-sweden... ALTERNET http://www.alternet.org/story/149142/ [38] ATTACKS ON SWEDISH JUSTICE MINISTRY AND THE LAWYER OF THE TWO WOMEN, WHO ACCUSED MR ASSANGE OF ''RAPE'' THE WASHINGTON TIMES http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/dec/9/teen-arrested-in-cyber-at... [39] THE WASHINGTON TIMES http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/dec/9/teen-arrested-in-cyber-at... REUTERS http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BA25Y20101212 [40] BELPHAST TELEGRAPH http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/wikileaks-palin-sweden... [41] THE GUARDIAN http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/afua-hirsch-law-blog/2010/dec/08/julian-as... THE NEW YORK TIMES http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/swedish-prosecutor-raises-po... STATEMENT FROM DIRECTOR OF PROSECUTION, MS MARIANNE NY http://www.aklagare.se/In-English/ THE HUFFINGTON POST http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vincent-warren/our-concerns-realized-swe_b... [42] BBC NEWS http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11949771 THE NEW YORK TIMES http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/swedish-prosecutor-raises-po... [43] THE AUSTRALIAN http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/wikileaks/dont-shoot-messenger-...
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