Article: Julian Assange Addresses UN General Assembly (video)

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This evening, Julian Assange, from the Ecuadoran embassy in London, addressed the UN General Assembly.

"We commend and agree with the words that peace can be achieved" But the time for words has run out. It is time for the US to cease its persecution of WikiLeaks, our people and our sources."

Assange was highly critical of US involvement in the Arab Spring, denouncing Obama as audacious for exploiting it. He added that it is "disrespectful of the dead" to claim that the US has supported forces of change.

"Was it not audacious for the US President to say that his country supported the forces of change in the Arab Spring? Tunisian history did not begin in December 2010, and Mohamed Bouazizi did not set himself on fire so that Barack Obama could be re-elected," Assange told the panel.

"The world knew after reading WikiLeaks that Ben Ali and his government had for long years enjoyed the indifference, if not the support, of the US, in full knowledge of its excesses and its crimes. So it must come as a surprise to the Tunisians that the US supported the forces of change in their country, and it must come as a surprise to the Egyptian teenagers who washed American tear gas out of their eyes, that the US administration supported change in Egypt"

Assange also spoke at length about Bradley Manning and the history that brought him to where he is today, imprisoned for over 600 days, when the limit for imprisonment without trial, Assange claimed, is 120 days.

It has recently been revealed, through a freedom of information request, that Assange has been declared and 'enemy of state'.

Assange finished his UN address, saying, "It is time for Obama to do the right thing and join the forces of change, not in fine words, but in fine deeds."

This flash video was removed for security reasons