SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Demonstrators protest outside Westminster Magistrates Court in London on October 21, 2019, where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been attending a case management hearing as he fights extradition to the United States. (Photo: Isabel Infantes/AFP via Getty Images)
Assange Lawyer Decries 'Legally Unprecedented' Assault on Journalism as Judge Denies Request to Delay US Extradition Hearing
"This is part of an avowed war on whistleblowers to include investigative journalists and publishers."
Oct 21, 2019
Lawyers for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Monday warned of potentially devastating consequences for journalism around the world after a British judge denied Assange's request to delay his U.S. extradition hearing in February.
Assange struggled to say his own name and date of birth during the hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London.
"I can't think properly," Assange told Judge Vanessa Baraitser.
The WikiLeaks publisher has been behind bars since he was dragged out of the Ecuadorian Embassy by U.K. police. Supporters say Assange's waning physical and mental condition is a consequence of his prolonged isolation, which the United Nations condemned as torture.
"It's a political attempt to signal to journalists the consequences of publishing information. It's legally unprecedented."
--Mark Summers, lawyer for Julian Assange
Assange's legal team requested a three-month delay to submit new evidence in the U.S. extradition case, including reports that a Spanish security firm spied on Assange on behalf of U.S. intelligence agencies. The allegation is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Spanish National Court.
If Assange is sent back to the U.S., he could face up to 175 years in prison on more than a dozen charges related to WikiLeaks' publication of classified documents that exposed American war crimes and other state secrets.
"I don't understand how this is equitable," Assange said Monday. "This superpower had 10 years to prepare for this case and I can't access my writings. It's very difficult where I am to do anything but these people have unlimited resources."
"They are saying journalists and whistleblowers are enemies of the people," Assange said of the Trump administration. "They have unfair advantages dealing with documents. They [know] the interior of my life with my psychologist. They steal my children's DNA. This is not equitable what is happening here."
\u201cIt's so clear: people would be indignant about Trump administration's efforts to prosecute anyone else for *espionage* for publishing documents. But because Assange made enemies of both parties, few care that he's been just disappeared from the world & is being mentally tortured:\u201d— Glenn Greenwald (@Glenn Greenwald) 1571675611
Mark Summers, one of Assange's lawyers, called the U.S. extradition effort "a political attempt to signal to journalists the consequences of publishing information."
"It's legally unprecedented," said Summers. "This is part of an avowed war on whistleblowers to include investigative journalists and publishers."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Lawyers for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Monday warned of potentially devastating consequences for journalism around the world after a British judge denied Assange's request to delay his U.S. extradition hearing in February.
Assange struggled to say his own name and date of birth during the hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London.
"I can't think properly," Assange told Judge Vanessa Baraitser.
The WikiLeaks publisher has been behind bars since he was dragged out of the Ecuadorian Embassy by U.K. police. Supporters say Assange's waning physical and mental condition is a consequence of his prolonged isolation, which the United Nations condemned as torture.
"It's a political attempt to signal to journalists the consequences of publishing information. It's legally unprecedented."
--Mark Summers, lawyer for Julian Assange
Assange's legal team requested a three-month delay to submit new evidence in the U.S. extradition case, including reports that a Spanish security firm spied on Assange on behalf of U.S. intelligence agencies. The allegation is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Spanish National Court.
If Assange is sent back to the U.S., he could face up to 175 years in prison on more than a dozen charges related to WikiLeaks' publication of classified documents that exposed American war crimes and other state secrets.
"I don't understand how this is equitable," Assange said Monday. "This superpower had 10 years to prepare for this case and I can't access my writings. It's very difficult where I am to do anything but these people have unlimited resources."
"They are saying journalists and whistleblowers are enemies of the people," Assange said of the Trump administration. "They have unfair advantages dealing with documents. They [know] the interior of my life with my psychologist. They steal my children's DNA. This is not equitable what is happening here."
\u201cIt's so clear: people would be indignant about Trump administration's efforts to prosecute anyone else for *espionage* for publishing documents. But because Assange made enemies of both parties, few care that he's been just disappeared from the world & is being mentally tortured:\u201d— Glenn Greenwald (@Glenn Greenwald) 1571675611
Mark Summers, one of Assange's lawyers, called the U.S. extradition effort "a political attempt to signal to journalists the consequences of publishing information."
"It's legally unprecedented," said Summers. "This is part of an avowed war on whistleblowers to include investigative journalists and publishers."
Lawyers for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Monday warned of potentially devastating consequences for journalism around the world after a British judge denied Assange's request to delay his U.S. extradition hearing in February.
Assange struggled to say his own name and date of birth during the hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London.
"I can't think properly," Assange told Judge Vanessa Baraitser.
The WikiLeaks publisher has been behind bars since he was dragged out of the Ecuadorian Embassy by U.K. police. Supporters say Assange's waning physical and mental condition is a consequence of his prolonged isolation, which the United Nations condemned as torture.
"It's a political attempt to signal to journalists the consequences of publishing information. It's legally unprecedented."
--Mark Summers, lawyer for Julian Assange
Assange's legal team requested a three-month delay to submit new evidence in the U.S. extradition case, including reports that a Spanish security firm spied on Assange on behalf of U.S. intelligence agencies. The allegation is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Spanish National Court.
If Assange is sent back to the U.S., he could face up to 175 years in prison on more than a dozen charges related to WikiLeaks' publication of classified documents that exposed American war crimes and other state secrets.
"I don't understand how this is equitable," Assange said Monday. "This superpower had 10 years to prepare for this case and I can't access my writings. It's very difficult where I am to do anything but these people have unlimited resources."
"They are saying journalists and whistleblowers are enemies of the people," Assange said of the Trump administration. "They have unfair advantages dealing with documents. They [know] the interior of my life with my psychologist. They steal my children's DNA. This is not equitable what is happening here."
\u201cIt's so clear: people would be indignant about Trump administration's efforts to prosecute anyone else for *espionage* for publishing documents. But because Assange made enemies of both parties, few care that he's been just disappeared from the world & is being mentally tortured:\u201d— Glenn Greenwald (@Glenn Greenwald) 1571675611
Mark Summers, one of Assange's lawyers, called the U.S. extradition effort "a political attempt to signal to journalists the consequences of publishing information."
"It's legally unprecedented," said Summers. "This is part of an avowed war on whistleblowers to include investigative journalists and publishers."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.