Independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr's campaign is retracting language used in fundraising emails that likened January 6 defendants to activists stripped of constitutional liberties. The emails compared the defendants' situation to that of Julian Assange, prompting a call to 'free Assange now.' The campaign spokesperson clarified that the language was an error, terminated the vendor responsible, and stated that those involved in the January 6 insurrection should face appropriate penalties.
The United Kingdom (UK) High Court concluded a two-day hearing on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's appeal against extradition to the United States for espionage charges. Assange, wanted for disclosing national defense information, could face extradition and transfer to Australia for any prison sentence. Assange, absent due to illness, faces the possibility of extradition within weeks if the court rules against him. Hundreds of supporters gathered outside the UK High Court in London, chanting 'Free Julian!' and 'No extradition!'.
The UK High Court has postponed a ruling on Julian Assange's extradition to the US, requiring assurances from the US that he would not face the death penalty and could rely on free speech rights. Assange's legal battle, ongoing for over 13 years, involves 18 charges under the Espionage Act for WikiLeaks' release of US military records. If the US fails to provide assurances by April 16, Assange may be granted permission to appeal. Supporters fear for his well-being in harsh detention. The case has raised concerns about press freedom and extraterritorial legal reach.
In 2012, while on bail, Julian Assange was granted political asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he sought to avoid extradition to Sweden, and what his supporters said was the possibility of subsequent extradition to the US. On 11 April 2019, Ecuador revoked his asylum, he was arrested for failing to appear in court, and carried out of the Embassy by members of the London Metropolitan Police. Following his arrest, the US revealed a previously sealed 2018 US indictment in which Assange was charged with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion related to his involvement with Chelsea Manning and WikiLeaks.On 23 May 2019, a US grand jury added 17 espionage charges also related to his involvement with Chelsea Manning, making a total of 18 federal charges against Assange in the US. On 25 June 2020 a new indictment was filed alleging that since 2009, Assange had attempted to recruit hackers and system administrators at conferences around the world and conspired with hackers including members of LulzSec and Anonymous. The new indictment described Assange's alleged efforts to recruit system administrators, Assange and WikiLeaks' role in helping Edward Snowden flee the US, and their use of Snowden as a recruitment tool, and WikiLeaks' exploiting a vulnerability in the United States Congress' system to access and publish the Congressional Research Service reports. Assange's defenders have responded to U.S. accusations, describing him as a journalist who did nothing more than publish leaked information that embarrassed the U.S. government.While there was support from some American journalism institutions and from bi-partisan politicians for Assange's arrest and indictment, several non-government organisations for press freedom condemned it. The New York Times' Editorial Board warned that "The administration has begun well by charging Mr. Assange with an indisputable crime. But there is always a risk with this administration — one that labels the free press as “the enemy of the people” — that the prosecution of Mr. Assange could become an assault on the First Amendment and whistle-blowers."In December 2021, the High Court of Justice ruled that Assange may be extradited to the US.
American lawyers argue in a London court for Julian Assange to face espionage charges in the U.S., citing his involvement in publishing classified documents nearly 15 years ago. The U.S. alleges Assange helped Chelsea Manning steal diplomatic cables and military files, endangering lives. Supporters view Assange as an investigative journalist who exposed U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan. His defense claims the prosecution is politically motivated and fears he won't receive a fair trial in the U.S., warning of a potential 175-year prison sentence if convicted.
Views on Julian Assange have been given by a number of public figures, including journalists, well-known whistleblowers, activists and world leaders. They range from laudatory statements to calls for his execution. Various journalists and free speech advocates have praised Assange for his work and dedication to free speech. Some former colleagues have criticised his work habits, editorial decisions and personality. After the 2016 US Presidential election, there was debate about his motives and his ties to Russia. After Assange's arrest in 2019, journalists and commenters debated about if Assange was a journalist. Assange has been awarded multiple awards for journalism and publishing.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is facing a crucial court hearing in London to avoid extradition to the United States. His wife describes the decision as a matter of life and death, emphasizing Assange's deteriorating health in custody. Assange, indicted on 18 charges related to the publication of classified documents in 2010, faces the possibility of a prison term of up to 175 years if convicted. Supporters argue he acted as a journalist to expose U.S. military wrongdoing under press freedom protections.
The Australian Parliament has passed a motion calling for the United States and the United Kingdom to release Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks. Assange is currently in London's Belmarsh Prison and is facing extradition to the US on espionage charges. The motion, which was supported by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, comes ahead of Assange's final appeal against extradition in the UK's High Court next week. Australian lawmakers argue that Assange should be allowed to return home, while his family has expressed concerns about his potential extradition to the US and the conditions he may face there.
WikiLeaks () is a media organisation and publisher that operates as a non-profit and is funded by donations and media partnerships. It has published classified documents and other media provided by anonymous sources. It was founded in 2006 by Julian Assange, an Australian editor, publisher, and activist, who is currently challenging extradition to the United States over his work with WikiLeaks. Since September 2018, Kristinn Hrafnsson has served as its editor-in-chief. Its website states that it has released more than ten million documents and associated analyses. WikiLeaks' most recent publication of original documents was in 2019 and its most recent publication was in 2021. Beginning in November 2022, many of the documents on the organisation's website could not be accessed. In 2023, Assange said that WikiLeaks was no longer able to publish due to his imprisonment and the effect that US government surveillance and WikiLeaks' funding restrictions were having on potential whistleblowers.WikiLeaks has released document caches and media that exposed serious violations of human rights and civil liberties by various governments. It released footage of the 12 July 2007 Baghdad airstrike which it titled Collateral Murder, in which Iraqi Reuters journalists and several civilians were killed by a U.S. helicopter crew. WikiLeaks has published diplomatic cables from the United States and Saudi Arabia, and emails from the governments of Syria and Turkey. WikiLeaks has also published documents exposing corruption in Kenya and at Samherji, cyber warfare and surveillance tools created by the CIA, and surveillance of the French president by the National Security Agency. During the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign, WikiLeaks released emails from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and from Hillary Clinton's campaign manager, showing that the party's national committee had effectively acted as an arm of the Clinton campaign during the primaries, seeking to undercut the campaign of Bernie Sanders. These releases resulted in the resignation of the chairwoman of the DNC and caused significant harm to the Clinton campaign. During the campaign, WikiLeaks promoted false conspiracy theories about Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party and the murder of Seth Rich.WikiLeaks has won awards and been commended for exposing state and corporate secrets, increasing transparency, assisting freedom of the press, and enhancing democratic discourse while challenging powerful institutions. WikiLeaks and some of its supporters say the organisation's publications have a perfect record of publishing authentic documents. The organisation has been the target of campaigns to discredit it, including aborted ones by Palantir and HBGary. WikiLeaks has also had its donation systems interrupted by payment processors. As a result, the Wau Holland Foundation helps process WikiLeaks' donations.The organisation has been criticised for inadequately curating content and violating personal privacy. WikiLeaks has, for instance, revealed Social Security numbers, medical information, credit card numbers and details of suicide attempts. News organisations, activists, journalists and former members have also criticised WikiLeaks over allegations of anti-Clinton and pro-Trump bias, various associations with the Russian government, buying and selling of leaks, and a lack of internal transparency. Journalists have also criticised the organisation for promotion of conspiracy theories, and what they describe as exaggerated and misleading descriptions of the contents of leaks. The CIA and Congress defined the organisation as a "non-state hostile intelligence service" after the release of Vault 7.
Julian Paul Assange ( ə-SAHNZH; né Hawkins; born 3 July 1971) is an Australian editor, publisher and activist who founded WikiLeaks in 2006. He came to wide international attention in 2010 when WikiLeaks published a series of leaks from US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning: footage of a US airstrike in Baghdad, US military logs from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and US diplomatic cables. Assange has won multiple awards for publishing and journalism. Assange was raised in several towns in Australia until his family settled in Melbourne in his mid-teens. He became involved in the hacker community and was convicted for hacking in 1996. Following the establishment of WikiLeaks, Assange was its editor when it published the Bank Julius Baer documents, footage of the 2008 Tibetan unrest, and a report on political killings in Kenya with The Sunday Times. In November 2010, Sweden issued a European arrest warrant for Assange, for questioning in a Swedish investigation. After losing his appeal against the warrant, he breached bail and took refuge in the Embassy of Ecuador in London in June 2012. He was granted asylum by Ecuador in August 2012 on the grounds of political persecution and fears he might be extradited to the United States. He stood for the Australian Senate in 2013 and launched the WikiLeaks Party but failed to win a seat. Swedish prosecutors dropped the investigation in 2019.On 11 April 2019, Assange's asylum was withdrawn following a series of disputes with Ecuadorian authorities. The police were invited into the embassy and he was arrested. He was found guilty of breaching the Bail Act and sentenced to 50 weeks in prison. The U.S. government unsealed an indictment charging Assange with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion related to the leaks provided by Manning. In May 2019 and June 2020, the U.S. government unsealed new indictments against Assange, charging him with violating the Espionage Act of 1917 and alleging he had conspired with hackers. Assange has been incarcerated in HM Prison Belmarsh in London since April 2019, as the United States government's extradition effort is contested in the British courts.
Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, faces extradition to the US for helping Chelsea Manning release classified documents. The High Court will hear his final appeal this week. In 2010-2011, WikiLeaks published US military and diplomatic files, sparking controversy over national security risks. Manning, formerly Bradley Manning, leaked key documents, including videos of a US helicopter attack in Baghdad.
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