#JulianAssange #Assange
1/ Today, I went to a court for the very first time & I’d like to share some thoughts.
Let me start by talking about the courageous, ordinary citizens who protested outside and/or queued from the early hours in the cold & rain to support Julian
1/ Today, I went to a court for the very first time & I’d like to share some thoughts.
Let me start by talking about the courageous, ordinary citizens who protested outside and/or queued from the early hours in the cold & rain to support Julian
#JulianAssange #Assange
2/ In the crowd you could hear people speaking in South American Spanish, German, French, accented English from New Zealand, Australia, the Americas& the Uk, Polish, Greek and more!
2/ In the crowd you could hear people speaking in South American Spanish, German, French, accented English from New Zealand, Australia, the Americas& the Uk, Polish, Greek and more!
3/
Some were supporters who have stood outside the Ecuadorean embassy for years recognising early how Julian was being framed .
Others were those who stand outside Belmarsh today shining a light on the UK govt’s role in torturing the world’s most important political prisoner
Some were supporters who have stood outside the Ecuadorean embassy for years recognising early how Julian was being framed .
Others were those who stand outside Belmarsh today shining a light on the UK govt’s role in torturing the world’s most important political prisoner
4/ Citizens have begun to join the dots. The #GiletsJaunes who travelled to support Julian stood shoulder to shoulder with critical activists, artists, whistleblowers, trade unionists, healthcare workers, students socialist campaigners & ... all those whose lives are...
5/ ...blighted. Blighted because many of our political representatives & the media have been too cowardly, compromised or incompetent to hold power to account.
The slow death of dissent & the persecution of #Assange signal the ways in which the powerful distort the narrative
The slow death of dissent & the persecution of #Assange signal the ways in which the powerful distort the narrative
6/
The media focus on Julian’s supposed misdemeanours while remaining wilfully blind to / silent about those who committed mass atrocities, who were hugely corrupt & who impoverished ordinary people. Citizens know it’s them the media & judiciary should be holding to account.
The media focus on Julian’s supposed misdemeanours while remaining wilfully blind to / silent about those who committed mass atrocities, who were hugely corrupt & who impoverished ordinary people. Citizens know it’s them the media & judiciary should be holding to account.
7/
Entry for the press was prioritised & then some of us who had by now queued a good few hours, followed ( limited spaces in court - more on this later).
Shout-out here to comrades who serve in positions in security or facilitation at the court - polite & decent folks
Entry for the press was prioritised & then some of us who had by now queued a good few hours, followed ( limited spaces in court - more on this later).
Shout-out here to comrades who serve in positions in security or facilitation at the court - polite & decent folks
8/ Assange arrived dressed neatly in a dark suit, white shirt & light blue jumper. His white hair was combed back. He had aged. He was composed. Take this with a pinch of salt - he appeared to me to have the demeanour of someone very sad standing firm despite being worn down.
9/ Mark Summers headed the defence. James Lewis QC prosecuted. Judge Vanessa Baraitser (of the Sep hearing) presided this time.
Schooled in tv courtroom dramas I wrongly expected dramatic flourishes. What I saw was the banality of UK evil misusing process to torture a great man
Schooled in tv courtroom dramas I wrongly expected dramatic flourishes. What I saw was the banality of UK evil misusing process to torture a great man
10/
Lewis argued for all issues to be dealt with together for sticking to the timetable & why a delay would be unacceptable.
Summers argued for an extension (3 months) given new evidence. He pointed out that it was Julian who was suffering from being held in prison longer.
Lewis argued for all issues to be dealt with together for sticking to the timetable & why a delay would be unacceptable.
Summers argued for an extension (3 months) given new evidence. He pointed out that it was Julian who was suffering from being held in prison longer.
11/
He talked about how Assange’s case was an example of the war on whistleblowers & has a huge impact on journalists. He talked about the pressures at a political level & the reimprisonment of @xychelsea
He talked about how Assange’s case was an example of the war on whistleblowers & has a huge impact on journalists. He talked about the pressures at a political level & the reimprisonment of @xychelsea
12/
He talked about the evidence from Spanish courts about how the American state has been actively engaged in spying on privileged discussions between Julian and his lawyers while he was in the Ecuadorean embassy. He talked about his lawyers offices had been broken into
He talked about the evidence from Spanish courts about how the American state has been actively engaged in spying on privileged discussions between Julian and his lawyers while he was in the Ecuadorean embassy. He talked about his lawyers offices had been broken into
13/
* how not his 👆🏾in last line.
He explained that Julian did not even have access to a computer to prepare his defence
Yet a decision was made not to grant the extension. Diaries were compared between the judge and Lewis & a date for future hearing was agreed.
* how not his 👆🏾in last line.
He explained that Julian did not even have access to a computer to prepare his defence
Yet a decision was made not to grant the extension. Diaries were compared between the judge and Lewis & a date for future hearing was agreed.
14/
The judge also decided that Julian would attend the admin hearing in Nov & the case mgmt hearing in Dec by videolink
Then came the proposal from the judge that the hearings in the new year would be held in Belmarsh magistrates court.
The judge also decided that Julian would attend the admin hearing in Nov & the case mgmt hearing in Dec by videolink
Then came the proposal from the judge that the hearings in the new year would be held in Belmarsh magistrates court.
15/
This she said would provide better facilities for journalists. Guess how many seats are available for the public gallery there? I’ve since been reliably informed that it’s FIVE!
With media that shamefully ignore Julian’s plight, the civil society campaign is vital & yet 👆🏾😓
This she said would provide better facilities for journalists. Guess how many seats are available for the public gallery there? I’ve since been reliably informed that it’s FIVE!
With media that shamefully ignore Julian’s plight, the civil society campaign is vital & yet 👆🏾😓
16/
I’ve been looking at the judiciary’s commitment to open courts in order to allow for accountability & transparency. With a case of such significance, surely what matters also is that ordinary citizens, members of the public can attend?
I’ve been looking at the judiciary’s commitment to open courts in order to allow for accountability & transparency. With a case of such significance, surely what matters also is that ordinary citizens, members of the public can attend?
17/
Except for a few notable voices, the media have failed us in their duties of holding power to account. Yet, it now transpires that it is this shabby media that will end up having access so they can continue to stay silent on the world’s most important political prisoner
Except for a few notable voices, the media have failed us in their duties of holding power to account. Yet, it now transpires that it is this shabby media that will end up having access so they can continue to stay silent on the world’s most important political prisoner
18/
At the start when Julian was asked his name & date of birth, he responded with his name & then faltered as though trying to drag himself out of a fog.
At the end, the judge checked with him if he understood the proceedings. He replied that he did not. She said he was...
At the start when Julian was asked his name & date of birth, he responded with his name & then faltered as though trying to drag himself out of a fog.
At the end, the judge checked with him if he understood the proceedings. He replied that he did not. She said he was...
19/ ... in capable hands and his lawyer would explain things to him. It was almost like seeing a spark in an empty husk and it moved me to tears when he responded further. He seemed to dredge words from deep within as he pointed out the disproportionality of a superpower that..
20/... has had a decade while he doesn’t even have a computer to prepare his defence. He pointed out in a faint voice that he couldn’t think properly.
To many of us, it was horrific to see this clever, courageous man in agony while the real criminals roam scot-free
To many of us, it was horrific to see this clever, courageous man in agony while the real criminals roam scot-free
21/
As the case closed & we filtered out of the building, I was reminded that we only need good people to stay quiet & evil will easily triumph. So a big thank you to all the grassroots supporters & to those more famous who have the courage to support Julian
#WeAreAllAssange.
As the case closed & we filtered out of the building, I was reminded that we only need good people to stay quiet & evil will easily triumph. So a big thank you to all the grassroots supporters & to those more famous who have the courage to support Julian
#WeAreAllAssange.
