London – This Saturday, October 8, demonstrations in various countries will once again demand freedom for Julian Assange in a moment called International Day of Action.
The goal of press freedom organizations, activists, journalists and ordinary citizens is to pressure the UK to reject the extradition of the Wikileaks founder and to encourage the US government to drop all charges against him.
The protest, calling for the release of Julian Assange, was organized by the Extradition Assange group and was coordinated by his wife, Stella, a lawyer specializing in human rights who was part of the defense team.
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New wave of protests for Assange’s freedom
The main protest will be in London, where Assange is being held. At 13.00 (local time) on Saturday, a human chain of more than 3,600 people will hold a “huge hug” in the British Parliament to draw the attention of the world press to the case.
The public was called by advertisements in social networks and even in major newspapers.
Today’s ad in Ankara @Guardian. get ready for tomorrow #FreeAssange #human chain.
Sign up and join us: https://t.co/0izCd8NvFX pic.twitter.com/W4Z4KV9NrG— Do Not Return Assange – #FreeAssange (@DEAcampaign) 7 October 2022
Among the international celebrities who have defended Assange is film director Oliver Stone, who recorded a video urging the public to join the action in the British capital.
“Don’t leave Julian #Assange. in his name #freedomWalk on October 8 and #Peace and sanity survive this dark time.” –@TheOliverStone #human chain #SurroundParliament#FreeAssangeNOW https://t.co/6bSCafYhVm
— AssangeDAO (@AssangeDAO) 7 October 2022
During the show (9am Brasília time), Fenaj will engage in an international tweet with the hashtag #FreeAssangeNOW as a way to make visible the action taking place around the world.
Solidarity actions are planned all over the world to support the founder of Wikileaks. In France, the Assange Support Committee and 37 other organizations that signed the “Paris Call for Julian Assange” are holding a meeting at the Statue of Liberty in Paris at 14:00 local time.
Comme ailleurs dans le monde, rassemblons-nous à Paris le samedi October 8 à 2:00 PM for the release of Julian Assange https://t.co/xy7ZXpwp7H #FreeAssangeNOW
— SNJ-CGT (rejoignez-nous !) (@SnjCgt) October 4, 2022
In the United States, the Assange Defense Committee will hold a rally in front of the Washington Department of Justice at 12:00 and call on Attorney General Merrick Garland to drop the charges against the Wikileaks founder.
Demonstrations are also held in the US cities of Denver, Seattle, Minneapolis, Tulsa and San Francisco.
In Australia, Assange’s home country, a flow of people will also form at 11 a.m. at Princes Bridge in Melbourne.
Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand will also receive a “group hug” organized by activists. Protesters will march from the building to the British embassy and from there to the US embassy.
Protests also occur in Canberra, Byron Bay and Bendigo, Australia; In Canada, South Africa, Mexico, Germany, Brussels, Scotland and Italy.
“The UK Home Secretary’s decision to allow the extradition of Julian Assange was vindictive and was a real blow to media freedom,” said Dominique Pradalié, President of the International Federation of Journalists.
“All journalists should support Julian Assange for allowing the US Army to expose war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. October 8 is the time to mobilize and express solidarity to defend Assange’s freedom and everyone’s right to know.”
Understand the Assange case
The founder of WikiLeaks has been sued by the United States for conspiracy to obtain and disseminate national defense information after hundreds of thousands of leaked documents related to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were posted on the site.
He faces a charge under the Espionage Act 17, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and faces up to 175 years in prison.
Barack Obama, who was president when the documents were published in 2009, considered him a traitor.
But by April 2019, while Donald Trump was in office, the accusations became official and the US State Department requested extradition from the UK.
Informants will think twice before taking the risk of giving out press stories that can improve society or prevent the continuation of bad practices, corruption and crime.
Also Read | Private | Follow the Julian Assange case and its importance for the future of press freedom
source: Noticias
