Thread by @LaFleurDelSur

In EU Parliament (14 Nov 2019), @NilsMelzer, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, describes questions he asked of UK, US, EC, & Sweden, & their replies.

For 50 detailed questions of Sweden about their legal process, there was zero explanation.

web-guengl.streamovations.be/index.php/even… (at 45:30)

@NilsMelzer "We are talking about someone who has exposed information & evidence for serious government misconduct. THAT is what needs to be investigated.

If he [Assange] has committed any offences, let's investigate them, but [cats & skateboards just] deflect attention ..."

- @NilsMelzer

@NilsMelzer "The elephant in the room is not Mr #Assange. And it's not his personality. Or even @wikileaks.

The elephant in the room is the information he exposed. And that no one wants to investigate, because it leads very high up - probably, in many of those countries."

- @NilsMelzer

@NilsMelzer @wikileaks If [#Assange] were, G-d prevent, to die in prison, then the finger will be pointed, with total justification, at the political leaders who allowed [this] ...

I send a message [to] London to think carefully about holding a political prisoner like this ...

- @bobjcarr [54:18]

@NilsMelzer @wikileaks @bobjcarr On the public's right to know:

"Could anyone argue that we are poorer because we know the material [from #Assange & @wikileaks] about bankers & arms dealers, about the brutality of 'democratic' countries, about corruption?
About [govt] collusion with corporations?"

- @bobjcarr

@NilsMelzer @wikileaks @bobjcarr Conclusion of the [AU Defence] Taskforce on material released by #Assange & @wkileaks was:

"It was unlikely that AU or allied forces would be directly endangered by the leaks. [They] did not contain any significant details about incidents beyond that already publicly released."

@NilsMelzer @wikileaks @bobjcarr @wkileaks "The publications we are all referring to were published in the UK & Europe. [...] This is a European matter.

The judicial kidnapping of a EU publisher, publishing in Europe, with EU staff [...] is a profound concern for the States of Europe & the EU."

- John Shipton [1:11:60]

@NilsMelzer @wikileaks @bobjcarr @wkileaks Demonstrating ongoing relevance of the @wikileaks 'Cablegate' publication:

"During the recent #Bolivian coup, you were able to look up the names of some of those involved & see references in the cables to their involvement with other actors, or the US."

- John Shipton [1:11:60]

@NilsMelzer @wikileaks @bobjcarr @wkileaks On the recent appearance in court of #JulianAssange:

"AU criminal law barristers who deal with indigenous people - Phillip Segal, @BarnsGreg & 8 others said they have never seen a defendant brought into court in that condition - unable to remember his name."

- John Shipton

@NilsMelzer @wikileaks @bobjcarr @wkileaks @BarnsGreg "When I ask, as a UN Official, that states explain to me how they think [their treatment of #Assange] is lawful in the light of their HR obligations, they just respond 'We have no further comment.' 2 are EU states - Sweden & UK.
How far have we sunk?"

- @NilsMelzer [at 1:37:27]

@NilsMelzer @wikileaks @bobjcarr @wkileaks @BarnsGreg "If the only way [a Foreign Secretary (@Jeremy_Hunt)] responds in 5 mths is to send a tweet ... he is not taking my mandate seriously."

"That is of utmost concern - when states will no longer engage with the institutions they created to protect human rights."

- @NilsMelzer