Wikileaks founder put people at ‘grave and imminent risk’, court hears - live
According to a lawyer, there is no proof that the publication of WikiLeaks by Julian Assange has caused any harm to anyone.
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During a court hearing, it was revealed that Julian Assange, intentionally and without discrimination, published classified documents that contained the names of individuals who were aiding the US government. This act of recklessness put these individuals in significant danger, and the risk was immediate.
The founder of WikiLeaks is currently in the High Court for the second day of his prolonged fight against being extradited to the United States. He has been charged with revealing classified military information.
The Australian, who is 52 years old, has been accused of 17 counts of espionage and one of misusing a computer. The US government is seeking his extradition due to allegations that he conspired to obtain and reveal classified information related to national defense. This came after a vast number of confidential documents regarding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were published.
His legal team argued that should he be forcibly transferred, he would be subjected to a clear infringement of justice by biased judges and had only been accused on the grounds of "regular journalistic behavior."
In 2021, a judge decided that Assange ought not to be extradited to the US because they believed there was a genuine possibility of him taking his own life. However, they decided in favor of the prosecution on all other matters.
Assange, currently imprisoned in Belmarsh jail located in London, is requesting approval to dispute the judge's rejection of additional aspects of his legal case.
US Lawyers Accuse Assange Of Risking Lives And Violating Journalism Ethics
The American government's lawyers have argued that Julian Assange, the mastermind behind WikiLeaks, is guilty of going beyond journalism by soliciting, stealing, and publishing classified US documents without any regard for innocent lives put at risk. Consequently, they believe that Assange should be charged with espionage in the United States.
According to American prosecutors, Assange supposedly motivated and aided US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in taking away diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks subsequently released, endangering lives.
During a court hearing, Attorney Clair Dobbin stated that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange endangered national security and intelligence operations in the United States, and by disclosing thousands of classified documents, he posed a significant and pressing threat. This behavior had the potential to put innocent individuals living in conflict areas or oppressive societies at risk, and could even result in their unjust imprisonment.
She stated that by urging Manning and other individuals to hack into government computer systems and unlawfully acquire information, Assange was "far surpassing" the realm of a journalist collecting data.
She stated that he was not merely a person who established a digital container where individuals could submit confidential information online. The accusations against him are that he endeavored to provoke the act of stealing and hacking that would be advantageous to WikiLeaks.
US Claims Assange's Case Is Undeniable
The United States government is resisting Mr. Assange's request for a reconsideration. They told the court that his situation cannot be debated and should not advance to a complete hearing.
Attorney Clair Dobbin KC, representing the US, requested that the judges take into account the underlying belief in honesty and trustworthiness of nations with whom the UK has a history of extradition relations.
According to her statement in court, the United States has been a solid and reliable ally to the United Kingdom for many years. She strongly affirmed that former district judge Vanessa Baraitser had clearly dismissed any notion that the appellant was entitled to be regarded as a journalist or similar profession in her ruling of 2021. Furthermore, she added that journalists could be held accountable for their actions under US law.
High Court Live: Julian Assange Appeals Extradition To US
On February 21, 2024 at 2:00 PM, Alexander Butler wrote a blog post.
Time To Free Julian Assange: My Opinion
Free Julian Assange Now - Enough Is Enough
After working closely with the individual, I comprehend why the Wikileaks founder will continuously remain a highly debated figure, expressed by Alan Rusbridger. Yet, he is currently making a final effort to contest his extradition to the United States, which leads us to ponder vital inquiries regarding the liberty of the press and the authority of the government.
On the afternoon of February 21, 2024, Alan Rusbridger wrote a blog post.
Assange Endangered Lives, Court Tells
In a court session, Clair Dobbin, who is a KC in the US, mentioned that Mr Assange's prosecution was not influenced by his political beliefs but rather grounded on legalities and evidences.
She strongly emphasized that the founder of WikiLeaks endangered people's lives by revealing the names of those who helped the United States in confidential documents, which were released without censoring and with full awareness. This act posed a serious and immediate threat to those individuals.
She explained that these papers revealed the complete names of individuals who had given information to the US, and this distinguishes Mr. Assange from other media organizations like the New York Times that also shared data exposed by WikiLeaks.
She said that WikiLeaks and Mr Assange had specifically requested confidential files and attempted to enlist and cooperate with computer hackers to acquire data through illegal means.
Ms Dobbin and James Lewis KC wrote in their submissions that the release of classified information is among the most significant breaches in the history of the United States.
They went on to say that the appellant is accused of putting the human sources named in the information at risk of serious physical harm by publishing it on the WikiLeaks website.
Amy-Clare Martin wrote a blog article on February 21, 2024 at 12:01.
Rain Doesn't Deter Protesters
On the second day of a final attempt to appeal, a large group of demonstrators showed up to support Julian Assange despite the rainy conditions.
People who are in favor of WikiLeaks founder and his cause, held banners and wore yellow ribbons, outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London. The purpose of this gathering was to support his legal team in seeking permission to appeal against his extradition to the US for charges of spying.
As the doors to the historic court were unlocked on Wednesday, a group of people were shouting "free, free Julian Assange" and "no extradition".
On the last day of the two-day hearing, it is anticipated that High Court judges Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson will consider proposals from the US.
During a hearing on Tuesday, lawyers representing Assange claimed that his prosecution by the US is a form of "state retaliation." They argue that if he is extradited, he could be subjected to a blatant disregard for justice.
Amy-Clare Martin has written a blog post at 12:00 on February 21, 2024.
Lawyer Claims WikiLeaks Didn't Harm Anyone: Watch Now
According to the attorney representing Julian Assange, there is no proof that the release of classified information by WikiLeaks caused any harm to individuals or organizations.
Alexander Butler, a blogger, wrote an article on February 21, 2024 at 11:00.
"Supporters Rally At High Court For Hearing: See Pics!"
Protesters outside the Royal Courts of Justice were vocal in their calls to release Julian Assange, shouting "free Julian Assange".
Outside the Royal Courts of Justice, there is a gathering of individuals who are in favor of Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks.
Athena Stavrou posted a blog entry on February 21, 2024 at 10:00am.
Assange's Last Hearing: A Recap Of Yesterday's Proceedings
The second and last day of Julian Assange's extradition hearing is happening today. Tuesday's first day was captivating and held our attention.
On Tuesday, a two-day trial began and many people who support Julian Assange gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice. These supporters included his wife Stella Assange and the former leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn. There were hundreds of people who attended.
Before the court session, Ms. Assange addressed the audience, stating that it is unacceptable for those responsible to escape punishment. She asserted that Julian deserves to be freed, and the truth needs to be revealed for everyone's benefit.
During the trial, Mark Summers KC argued that if Mr Assange were extradited to the US, it would be in retaliation for his beliefs and views, which would violate UK law. The judges, Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson, were informed of this potential violation.
The lawyer stated that this is a perfect instance wherein the state retaliated against a person for expressing their political views. The judge in that area didn't acknowledge this, and if she had, her ruling would have been unsuccessful.
You can find the complete article written by The Independent's reporter on crime, Amy-Clare Martin:
On February 21, 2024, Athena Stavrou posted a blog at 9:00 AM.
Assange Absent From First Hearing Due To Illness
On Tuesday, Julian Assange's lawyer stated that he was unable to attend the initial day of his extradition hearing due to him being unwell.
Julian Assange, who is 51 years old, has been imprisoned at Belmarsh, a highly secure prison in London, for almost five years. This is because the US government is attempting to extradite him to face trial for charges of espionage. These charges are connected to the release of numerous documents, which disclosed information regarding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, amounting to hundreds of thousands of pages.
Back in January 2021, district judge Vanessa Baraitser made a ruling stating that Assange should not be extradited. However, the US authorities successfully challenged this decision afterwards.
Assange's lawyers will request permission to contest the original judge's decision to dismiss certain aspects of his case against extradition during the two-day hearing. This request comes amidst ongoing controversy surrounding Assange's persona.
At the beginning of the court proceedings on Tuesday, the lawyer stated that the individual who leaked confidential information through Wikileaks was unable to attend due to health issues.
The hearing is approaching and Assange's health is being described as fragile and worsening by his brother, Gabriel Shipton, during an interview with TalkTV.
Athena Stavrou wrote a blog on February 21, 2024 at 8:03.
