Julian Assange remains incarcerated in a British prison, with an upcoming hearing in late May that will determine if he faces extradition to the United States. A recent U.K. High Court decision hinges on the U.S. providing adequate “assurances” regarding Assange’s treatment. This decision keeps alive the possibility of Assange being tried under the U.S. Espionage Act for his role in disseminating classified documents provided by Chelsea Manning in 2010.
In an interview with Caitlin Vogus of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, Chip Gibbons from Defending Rights & Dissent shared insights from Assange’s February extradition appeal in London, a session he attended and discussed in Jacobin. Gibbons underscored the significant repercussions for press freedom if Assange is extradited and convicted. He highlighted that such a precedent could affect journalists globally, emphasizing, “If Julian Assange is brought here and he loses his Espionage Act case, that is the death of a lot of First Amendment protections for press freedom.”
Gibbons further elaborated on the broader implications of prosecuting Assange, suggesting it could also undermine the ability to investigate war crimes and challenge militarism. He noted that authoritarian regimes could use Assange’s case as a pretext to prosecute journalists who expose governmental misconduct.
Despite the current administration’s indications that it may not pursue similar charges against more “conventional” journalists, the Espionage Act contains no provisions that would prevent future administrations from exploiting it. Gibbons pointed out that former President Donald Trump has openly expressed intentions to imprison journalists who report on leaks, reflecting a potential ongoing threat to press freedom.
One particularly troubling aspect of WikiLeaks’ operation, according to the prosecution, is its open solicitation of classified information, which they argue amounts to a conspiracy to violate the Espionage Act. This interpretation presents a serious challenge to what many consider fundamental journalistic practices.
The transparency of the U.K. court proceedings has also been questioned. International journalists faced uncertainty about access, and some had to follow the hearing from overflow rooms with inconsistent audio. This lack of transparency is concerning, especially given the potential implications of the case for journalists worldwide.
You can hear more about these discussions from a panel hosted by the Freedom of the Press Foundation featuring voices from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Knight First Amendment Institute, and the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project.
Further details and support options for Assange can be found on the Freedom of the Press Foundation’s dedicated page.
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