Thread by @JuanLPassarelli

The #AssangeCase hearing is starting half an hour later, but we are not aware that they will finish half an hour later too.
#Assange

I will try to continue tweets in this thread, I there's a problem and tweets start falling out of the thread, please alert me via DM.

We had the usual dancing around with the tech guys, they ask for us to turn on our cameras and mics to identify us. Which worked for me, but apparently not for him. Three browsers, and a camera lapel mic later I was allowed in.
#AssangeCase

Judge walks in and Paul Rogers, emeritus professor of peace studies at Bradford University is giving an oath.
#AssangeCase

Ed Fitzgerald interrogating him for the defence. Paul Rogers is a Political scientist specializing in issues of defence and national security.
#AssangeCase

Rogers talks about the significance of the revelations. The US believed that the war in Iraq was a success, especially the public. The revelations showed that the war was not going well. A significant part of the Iraq War Logs was that 15 thousand civilian deaths were unaccounted

Rogers: #JulianAssange and @wikileaks are one of the true models for democracy of these days.
#AssangeCase

Rogers on #Assange political views: #Assange helped form the @wikileaks party in Australia, at the centre of this is his motivation to bring power to accountability and transparency to improve human rights.

Rogers: #Assange has a clear political view, but it's not a conventional view. It is rather a libertarian view that is increasingly being adopted.
From the point of view of the Trump Admin, represents a threat to normal political endevour.
#AssangeCase

Rogers: We see that the #Assange is in dispute with the Trump administration in Pompeo's statements and other members of the administration.
#AssangeCase

Rogers: This does appear to be a political trial, taking into account that the previous administration decided not to bring charges.
#Assange

Rogers: The #Trump administration appears to have considerable antipathy of the Obama administration and #Assange is perceived as a threat to the current administration. And #Trumps personality also has to be taken into account.

Rogers: #Trump has suggested the death penalty for #Assange in the past, although in the current political stage would probably not be possible.
#AssangeCase

Rogers: The refugee charter is very clear about political and religious views is accepted as a reason to seek asylum.
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Barraitser: "you have 5 minutes". Fitzgerald: "well I'm happy to say that I have concluded".
What a rock star!
#AssangeCase

Rogers: This case relates very much on the political views of Mr. #Trump who has called the press fake news and enemy of the people.
There is a huge change in political standing in the span of 8 years, which is unusual.

Lewis begins asking what's a political opinion? The answer is too long to tweet. 😂
#AssangeCase

Lewis: Ill ask short questions and please make short answer. Baraitser said that he was answering was a political opinion.
#AssangeCase

Lewis: Asks if #Assange has anti-war opinions? Yes.
Is simply being a journalist is one who expresses political opinion? Not necessarily

Lewis is upset that the professor actually answers his questions.

Just being an editor of a publisher does not mean that you express your political views? Not necessarily but usually.
#AssangeCase

Are #Assange's political views transparency at any cost? No I don't believe that is the case.
Is transparency ok even when individuals are put at risk? I don't see that this is the case.

Lewis is not getting what he wants for sure, he seems frustrated.
#Assange

Lewis says that #Assange has a very interesting assessment of how autocratic systems work, when you have an autocratic state may be more likely to have leaks and this leads to paranoia, and less documentation and its own demise. It's a very interesting concept.
#AssangeCase

Lewis: Let's deal with you being a political witness. You must be unbiased. - Yes.
Lewis: Cromberg says that this is not a political motivated prosecution. - Yes.

Why don't mention any part of Cromberg's statements in your report. - Because the defence asked me to focus on certain elements. I was asked to give my opinion as a political scientist, not what a lawyer would do.

Rogers: I see the wider context of the political issues in the development of the US, and I'm happy to expand on this.
#Assange

Lewis: Kromberg says the charges in the indictment based on evidence and criminal law. And elaborates in hacking, risk to people, etc.
Rogers: I based my assessment as on what I have seen in the actions of the past administration and this one. He sees a political case.

Lewis: Why did you not include the possibility of the case being based on criminal assessment. Have you seen the evidence against Mr. #Assange? - No because no one has seen it.

Lewis: If the evidence is overwhelmingly strong how could you make an assessment that it is not political case.
Rogers: I have made my assessment with the information that is available to me and that is the change in behaviour of the US administrations.
#AssangeCase

Lewis yet again is aiming to construct a case without actually showing any evidence. He is building a hypothetical case that Rogers cannot evaluate because the information is simply not available. He is asking the Judge to simply trust on evidence not available.
#AssangeCase

Lewis has now gone on for 40 minutes.

Rogers says that he understands that the officials in the department of justice will act competently and in good faith. But I am concerned that at a bigger political spectrum this has been persecuted in a political manner. He questions if the evidence has changed.

Rogers: What I have concluded looking at this situation in the last 20 years is that there is a strong political motivation at this time.
#AssangeCase