Chances that the United States will get its way with extradition to its territory and incarcerate our messenger for life are now greater. It is imperative that everyone who understands the need for a free press, the people's fundamental-democratic right to know, must act to defend Julian Assange. No journalist who does not support journalism's David has the right to be called a journalist.
Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, lost a high court decision yesterday, which allows the U.S. government to expand the reasons for its appeal to the January ruling of Magistrate Vanessa Baraitser. She had ruled against extradition to the United States to face charges of espionage in a Virginia court where whistleblowers never win and cannot use the "public interest" or any reason for motivation to reveal "national security secrets". Julian Assange refused bail despite judge ruling against extradition to US | Julian Assange | The Guardian
Assange's mental and physical health is clearly deteriorated after having been holed up for nearly seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, and now 28 months incarcerated in isolation in Britain's most Middle Ages prison, Belmarsh. Nevertheless, neither Baraitser nor this high court allow him freed while awaiting the final appeal ruling, which could take another two or more years.
Julian is held in a windowless cell 23 hours a day; allowed nearly no visitors; his lawyers must write to him or he must call them from a hallway telephone; he cannot use a computer or acquire materials necessary for his defense. Belmarsh is commonly known as "Britain's Guantanamo Bay".
Last month, the
high court granted the U.S. the right to appeal Baraitser's decision barring
extradition on minor points but not on the grounds of Assange's health. The
court reversed that decision yesterday based on the prosecution's argument that
the key defense-expert witness on suicide, Professor Michael Kopelmanone, of
four psychiatrists for the defense who testified, did not tell the court that he
knew that Assange had fathered two children with his partner, Stella Moris.
So, when the key hearing on appeal takes place, October 27-8, the U.S. will be
able to argue that Assange's health is stable enough that he wouldn't commit
suicide if extradited to U.S. "torture chambers", so known by any who been
imprisoned in them, as well as by internationally renowned experts in torture
practices. One of them is the UN rapporteur on torture, Nils Meltzer. Â A
murderous system is being created before our very eyes - Republik
There is no law forcing Kopelman to state such, and he did not for admittedly "human" reasons, as even Baraitser admitted. When Kopelman prepared a preliminary report in December 2019, long before the court hearing, Assange's relationship with Moris or the fact that they had two young children together was not public knowledge. Moris feared for her safety and privacy and that of their children if this was disclosed.
Yet this "high court" determined that, by withholding that information, Kopelman was an incredible witness.
No matter that defense lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, reminded the court that the Spanish security firm, UC Global, constantly spied on Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy for the CIA. It even stole for the CIA a diaper of Assange's first child to obtain DNA. CIA agents also discussed poisoning or kidnapping Assange. Baraitser heard this testimony. Julian Assange spying: Spanish firm that spied on Julian Assange tried to find out if he fathered a child at Ecuadorian embassy | International | EL PAÃ S in English (elpais.com)
All of the judges who have sat above Julian with gothic wigs and heavy robes look and act condescending towards him and his team of lawyers and witnesses. As reported by Joe Lauria, Judge Holyrode (no forename given) was no different. Holyrode "gave full attention to Dobbin but fiddled with his pen and looked around the room when Fitzgerald spoke". US Wins Right to Appeal Health Grounds on Assange Extradition - Consortiumnews
Clair Dobbin, British lawyer for the U.S., said the U.S. government would show that Assange's mental-health problems did not meet the threshold required in law to prevent extradition. Furthermore, Judge Baraitser erred when she did not consider the fact that witness Kopelman had not informed her that Assange had a lover, the mother of his two children, as important.
Edward Fitzgerald told the court that Judge Baraitser, having heard all of the evidence in the case, was in the best position to assess it and reach her decision, including concerning the "human predicament" in which Assange's partner, Stella Moris, found herself at the time.
Judge Holyrode ruled that Kopelman's testimony had been misleading, even if the expert's actions had been deemed an "understandable human response" designed to protect the privacy of Assange's partner and children.
The judge said that, in those circumstances, it was "at least arguable" that Baraitser erred in basing her conclusions on the professor's evidence. Julian Assange loses court battle to stop US expanding extradition appeal | Julian Assange | The Guardian
Jacobin's reporter Chip Gibbons summarized:
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