Friday’s announcement that the UK government approved Julian’s extradition was perhaps an expected formality, but many of you no doubt felt as we did that the news was extremely disappointing – particularly as so many press freedom organisations, including us, wrote to Home Secretary Priti Patel to state why extradition would be the wrong decision.
Nonetheless, as those of you who’ve followed closely will know, the battle for securing Julian’s liberty is far from over and many months of legal proceedings are expected. Yet, it must not be forgotten that every day that passes, a journalist who has not been convicted of any crime sits in the maximum-security Belmarsh prison alongside terrorists and murderers.
While Patel’s decision has been made and the matter now returns to court, we believe it remains imperative for us journalists to continue applying pressure in whatever ways we can. For this reason, we wanted to provide you with some resources to facilitate this process for those of you interested:
Reactions to the extradition from notable figures/ organisations:
- Statement of Assange solicitors Birnberg Peirce
- RSF statement
- IFJ statement
- CPJ statement
- Amnesty statement
- Australia’s Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (whose new president Karen Percy we’re glad to welcome as a signatory here)
- UK’s National Union of Journalists
- Clip of Stella Moris press conference on Friday
- Full press conference including Jen Robinson and NUJ head Tim Dawson (who we’re also glad to welcome)
- Australian MP Julian Hill and former prime minister Kevin Rudd
- UK MPs David Davis, Jeremy Corbyn and Claudia Webbe
- Politicians from further afield including Lula of Brazil and France’s Jean-Luc Mélenchon
- Former CIA director Mike Pompeo