Julian Assange – an innocent journalist/publisher – is being constantly strip-searched, handcuffed and confined either in an iron cell in the infamous Belmarsh prison or in a glass cage during his show trial. The aim is to make Assange feel and look powerless. Ironically the news of the torture and weakened body of Julian Assange and his unfair trial has generated a tremendous political movement for his freedom.
Today this movement is a global movement and is rising to the level of the international campaign which saved Nelson Mandela’s life in preventing the death sentence and ultimately making his freedom possible. Although Assange is in isolation and confined in a tiny cell, certainly he is not alone. A few yards from his prison, there are people of all walks of life; artists, intellectuals, workers, youth and democratic-minded people who proudly hold their signs up high in defense of Julian Assange. Today, the line of justice for Assange has crossed the UK borders and has reached the four corners of the world. The power of truth is frightening the shameful authorities in London, Washington, and Canberra!
Is it possible to see Julian Assange unchained and FREE? The legendary Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg believes that without whistleblowers like Chelsea Manning and publishers like Julian Assange “we would not have a democracy”, and in their defense, he says: “It is now up to us to make sure that the First Amendment is preserved.” The great Roger Waters clearly points out that: “The ruling class,… the corporate world, the rich people, the people who run everything, the people who tell [U.K. Prime Minister] Boris Johnson and Donald Trump what to do” are responsible for the imprisonment of Julian Assange.
He tirelessly campaigns for Assange’s freedom because he believes he is “representing the thoughts of ordinary people who believe in the law, freedom, and the freedom of the press and free speech.”
Professor Noam Chomsky emphasizes that “Assange in courageously upholding political beliefs … performed an enormous service to all those in the world who treasure the values of freedom and democracy.”
John Shipton, Assange’s father, logically and rightly so is concerned that his son’s extradition to the U.S. is nothing but a “death sentence”.
Nils Melzer, the UN Special Rapporteur on torture has stated: “My most urgent concern is that, in the United States, Mr. Assange would be exposed to a real risk of serious violations of his human rights, including his freedom of expression, his right to a fair trial and the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”.
Makia Freeman, the truth-telling researcher in his article on the Global Research site; “Freedom of the Press on Trial: 10 Reasons Why Assange Is Lawfully in the Right”* covers the key issues about Assange case which makes it a credible and informative source of information for the democratic-minded people who want to join the movement to FREE ASSANGE.
Today, there is a long list of prominent people who have made Assange’s freedom campaign uniquely strong. However, it is the ordinary people who are moving the campaign forward inch by inch, day by day. In the different demonstrations, the simple and creative hand-made signs in defense of Assange reflect the power of truth.
Today, the old unfounded accusations and plots by the police and media against Assange incontrovertibly have failed. People indeed understand that Julian Assange not only did not commit any crime, on the contrary, but he has exposed American war crimes! People have concluded that the treatment of Julian Assange is a miscarriage of justice; his confinement in a maximum-security prison under very harsh conditions is inhumane and unnecessary.
Therefore today ordinary people more than ever understand that the trial of Assange is an attempt to crush independent journalism, freedom of the press and at the same time to punish Assange as an individual, sending a signal to all courageous journalists.
Join the global movement to FREE JULIAN ASSANGE and block his extradition to the U.S. now; he is innocent!
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Massoud Nayeri is a graphic designer and an independent peace activist based in the United States. He is a frequent contributor to Global Research.
All images in this article are from the author
