Surprisingly, this morning a British judge rejected the US request for extradition of Julian Assange. Assange, as most of you know, is the beleaguered founder/leader of WikiLeaks.
Previously, Judge Vanessa Baraitser was considered a harsh critic of Assange so her decision surprises me. Assange’s supporters expected a different decision, which would most likely spell the end for Assange. Among the reasons for her decision, the Judge listed Assange’s “recurrent depressive disorder and autism,” and referenced the poor conditions inmates face in U.S prisons(?).
Assange was charged in 2019 with 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act. “The charges criminalized common newsgathering practices, including the receipt and publication of secret government information. Press freedom organizations throughout the world condemned the charges.”
Assange’s lawyers plan to request bail for him later this week.
To me, one of the shocking things about 2020 is the lack of support for Assange among journalists.
satyam