Newsletters
12 December 2022
Dear supporter of justice and democracy
PROTEST AT BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION
Stop the extradition
12.30pm, Tuesday 13th December
We are calling for the British Government to refuse Julian Assange’s extradition and are also belatedly marking UN Human Rights Day and the grave infringement of Assange’s human rights.
See this UN report on Assange by Prof Nils Melzer, the former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, and you can buy his book, The Trial of Julian Assange here. The book is probably the most comprehensive examination of Julian Assange’s actions and the various charges against him, including the bogus reports of rape charges. Fake news in action by the US before Trump.
The extradition request for Assange is clearly for a ‘political offense’, as his lawyer Jennifer Robinson described so clearly at her recent National Press Club talk, which you can view here.
The UK Extradition Treaty Article 4 states, “1. Extradition shall not be granted if the offense for which extradition is requested is a political offense.” We urge the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak or the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman to stop the extradition process for this political prosecution. There is some talk that the US might not mind the case being brought to an end by such an action by the UK government.
Freedom of the press, including stopping the intimidation of journalists as is happening with this extradition request, and protection of democracy globally, requires that this ‘matter to be brought to a close’, as PM Albanese has requested. At the time of his response to Monique Ryan's question, the British High Commissioner was reportedly in the visitors gallery accompanied by the UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan.
Please write to the Home Secretary - suella.braverman.mp@parliament.uk asking her to refuse the extradition in accordance with Article 4, point 1 of the UK Extradition Treaty.
Join this PENMelbourne event tomorrow (Sat 10th Dec), Lanterns for Assange, tea lights, projection, music at 7.30pm, Cnr Bourke and Swanston Sts. “I am in a very dark place presently, light up the night until victory.” Julian Assange.
Here’s another chance to look at this brilliant art installation, sign the petition for Assange, listen to the inspiring 1 minute video (second one down) and keep an eye out for their appearance in Australia next year. If anyone has some sturdy wooden chairs, see photo below, that you could lend or give to us, please let us know.
And let friends in Townsville know of this picnic tomorrow.
Other news
David McBride has recently been awarded the Blueprint for Free Press 2022 Whistleblowing Price. Congratulations David!
We understand that the Commonwealth made an application in David's recent Public Interest Disclosure hearing to seek to remove evidence for ‘foreign partners’ concerns, presumably the US's. This led to the conclusion that David’s witnesses would not be able to be heard at his hearing and thus the end of his PID defence. It is outrageous that such unwarranted secrecy and seeking to remove evidence is at the basis of this case, as it was also for Bernard Collaery's. Really, the National Security emperor has no clothes!
There is a directions hearing on March 30 to decide the date of David's trial.
Richard Boyle is still awaiting the judgement of his PID defence.
New political cases of concern
AAPP has decided that the extradition request by the US for an Australian pilot, Daniel Duggan, and the 15 month jail sentence brought down against climate activist, Violent Coco, constitute political prosecutions. We’ll write to AG Dreyfus about Mr Duggan’s case and let you know of the response. The secrecy in relation to any charges against Duggan are a major cause of concern. Duggan appears in Court on 16 December, as does Violet Coco for an appeal against the refusal of bail for her.
For justice and democracy
Kathryn Kelly
Co-convenor, AAPP
PO Box 549, Curtin, ACT 2605
https://www.facebook.com/Dropwhistleblowerprosecutions/
Twitter: @DProsecutions
If you’d like to donate to AAPP, bank transfers or cheques are welcome, include your name as reference, to Alliance Against Political Prosecutions,
BSB 633 000
Account number 184383 297
