|
‘I can’t think properly’: Assange
fights back tears and struggles to say own name as
he appears in court over US extradition
Prosecution of WikiLeaks founder a ‘political
attempt’ by Trump to intimidate journalists, says
defence lawyer
By Chris Baynes
October 21, 2019 " Information
Clearing House" -
Julian Assange appeared to
fight back tears and said “I can’t think properly”
as he faced court to fight extradition to the US.
The WikiLeaks founder also mumbled, paused and
stuttered as he confirmed his name and date of birth
at the beginning of the start of a case management
hearing in London on Monday.
The American government is seeking to extradite the
48-year-old to prosecute him over the leak of
hundreds of thousands of classified
Assange, who sported a long, unkempt beard
when he was arrested in April, appeared
clean-shaven and wore a dark blue suit over a pale
blue sweater for the hearing at Westminster
Magistrates’ Court.
John Pilger, the journalist and documentary
filmmaker, and former mayor of London
Ken Livingstone were among supporters seated in
a packed public gallery as others protested outside
court.
Mr Assange’s barrister, Mark Summers, described
the extradition bid as “a political attempt” by
Donald Trump’s administration to “signal to
journalists the consequences of publishing
information”.
“It is legally unprecedented,” he told the court.
Mr Summers said there was a “direct link”
between Mr Trump’s election and the “reinvigoration”
of the investigation, which had concluded under
Barack Obama’s presidency without any charges
against Mr Assange.
The barrister also claimed the US “has been
actively engaged in intruding into privileged
discussions between Assange and his lawyers” in the
Ecuadorian embassy, where the WikiLeaks founder was
holed up for nearly seven years after claiming
asylum.
The intrusions included the “unlawful copying of
their telephones and computers” and “hooded men
breaking into offices,” Mr Summers alleged.
Such concerns were among “multiplicitous” issues
which meant Assange’s legal team should be given
more time to prepare for the case, argued the
lawyer, who requested a three-month delay to the
full extradition hearing.
But district judge Vanessa Baraitser refused to
grant defence lawyers more time to gather evidence.
She told Assange his next case management hearing
would take place on 19 December and the full hearing
would proceed as planned in February.
As court adjourned, Assange claimed he had not
understood proceedings and complained: “This is not
equitable.”
He added: “I can’t research anything, I can’t
access any of my writing. It’s very difficult where
I am.”
Assange, who is being held in high-security Belmarsh
prison, told the judge he was up against a
“superpower” with “unlimited resources” and appeared
to be fighting back tears as he added: “I can’t
think properly.”
|
Are You Tired Of
The Lies And
Non-Stop Propaganda?
|
He was jailed for 50 weeks in May for breaching
his bail conditions by taking refuge in the
Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid extradition to
Sweden over sex offence allegations.
Assange was arrested when police raided the
embassy after the South American nation withdrew its
offer of asylum.
He was due to be released from Belmarsh last
month, but a judge remanded him in custody because
there were “substantial grounds” for believing he
would abscond.
Former home secretary Sajid Javid
signed an order in June allowing the US
extradition request to be heard in court.
In May, WikiLeaks claimed there were “grave
concerns” about Assange’s health after he was moved
to a medical ward in prison. When he did not appear
for a scheduled court hearing, chief magistrate Emma
Arbuthnot said the Australian was “not very well”.
WikiLeaks said at the time: “During the seven
weeks in Belmarsh his health has continued to
deteriorate and he has dramatically lost weight. The
decision of the prison authorities to move him into
the health ward speaks for itself.”
In a statement before the latest hearing on
Monday, Amnesty International urged the UK to reject
the extradition request.
Massimo Moratti, the human rights group’s deputy
director for Europe, said: “The British authorities
must acknowledge the real risks of serious human
rights violations Julian Assange would face if sent
to the USA.
“The UK must comply with the commitment it’s
already made that he would not be sent anywhere he
could face torture or other ill-treatment.”
==See Also==
WATCH: Rare glimpse
of Julian Assange INSIDE prison van
Note To ICH Community
We ask that you assist us in
dissemination of the article published by
ICH to your social media accounts and post
links to the article from other websites.
Thank you for your support.
Peace and joy
|
No comments:
Post a Comment