The release of US war crimes targeted Julian Assange in the United States. He is in custody in London; now it's about his future and his health.
- A hearing on extradition of Julian Assange to the United States will be held in a hearing on Monday (February 24).
- The Wikileaks founder is in custody, 120 doctors and psychologists warn of his life.
- A UN Special Rapporteur and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe warn of an “example”.
London - Concern for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange : Around 120 doctors and psychologists are calling for an end to "psychological torture and medical neglect" Assange. He is suffering from the consequences of his stay in the Ecuadorian embassy and in the London maximum security prison in Belmarsh , the experts wrote in a letter published by the medical journal The Lancet .
Julian Assange: Doctors warn - Wikileaks founder "effectively tortured to death"?
If the 48-year-old died in the cell, he was "effectively tortured to death," the letter said. Assange must be tortured and given access to "the best possible healthcare before it is too late." He has been in prison in the east of the capital since April 2019. Assange's health is poor, according to his lawyers.
Meanwhile, Wikileaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson complained that the organization's Twitter account had been blocked a few days before Assange's hearing - "all attempts to have the block removed via regular channels were unsuccessful," he wrote on Monday afternoon's short message service. The account was available again a few hours later. "It is not uninteresting on which levels to intervene against Assange," said German MEP Martin Sonneborn (PARTY).
WikiLeaks twitter account has been locked, shortly before Assange extradition hearing. All attempts to get it reopened via regular channels have been unsuccessful. It has been impossible to reach a human at twitter to resolve the issue. Can someone fix this? @Twittersupport @jack
- Kristinn Hrafnsson (@khrafnsson) February 17, 2020The United States has requested Assange's extradition. The hearing is scheduled to begin on February 24. The United States accuses him of helping American whistleblower Chelsea Manning - then Bradley Manning - publish secret material from US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a result, war crimes committed by US soldiers became known. There are a total of 18 charges against Assange. If convicted on all counts, he faces 175 years in prison .
Julian Assange and Wikileaks: UN special rapporteur sees “examples” to intimidate journalists
The Wikileaks founder had fled to the Ecuadorian embassy in London for fear of extradition to the United States in 2012. At the time, he had a European arrest warrant for rape allegations in Sweden . However, the investigation has since been terminated. In April 2019, the British police arrested him for violating bail conditions by fleeing to the embassy. He was sentenced to barely a year in prison shortly thereafter.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture , Nils Melzer, had also recently made serious allegations against the authorities in Great Britain, Sweden, the United States and Ecuador. In his eyes, an example is made of Assange to intimidate journalists. He considers the allegations against the Australian-born to be constructed. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe also called on the 47 member states to demand liability for Assange - it was a "dangerous precedent for journalists".
Julian Assange: Reporters Without Borders starts petition - Federal government replies on request
More than 130 politicians, artists and journalists in Germany also spoke in favor of Assange's release. The organization " Reporters Without Borders " has also launched an online petition against Assange extradition.
At the request of several members of the Left and Greens, the Federal Government recently stated that it had taken note of the Council of Europe resolution and Melzer's assessment. At the same time, there is “no doubt” “about the rule of law and the way the British judiciary works.
A demonstration is planned for Assange in London next Saturday, which will also include celebrities such as fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis.
dpa / fn
List of rubric lists: © dpa / Dominic Lipinski