At the Council of Europe today where there is going to be a meeting on the #Assange case shortly. 
Speaking today @NilsMelzer, Anthony Bellanger of @IFJGlobal, Régis Brillat of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, Senator @GianniMarilotti, @AndrejHunko and Julian's father John Shipton.
Andrej Hunko opens the meeting by saying that the Council of Europe institutions have a special responsibility to speak out on this case.
Nils Melzer: my mandate as Special Rapporteur requires me to get involved in this on three counts - #Assange's state today, what waits for him in the US. And that he exposed torture by the US and its allies, for which there has been no accountability.
Melzer: #Assange's rights have been "severely violated". His lawyers say they have inadequate access. Concerns that moving him out of medical wing may be designed to undercut medical arguments in the extradition hearing.
Melzer: the response he has had from UK, US and Sweden are "typical of the kinds of reactions i have from states that are conscious that their conduct is unlawful." #Assange
Régis Brillat of CPT describes the committee's inspections of Belmarsh. When they last visited in 2005, they found medical provision for inmates w severe disabilities was inadequate. #Assange
Brillat: the CPT takes the view that isolation in prison can have severe consequences. Its use needs to be as short as possible and prisoners need help to reintegrate. #Assange
Anthony Bellanger of @IFJGlobal. #Assange is a member of the IFJ who holds and international press card. "I will express myself in quite strong terms today"
Bellanger talking about the extraordinary efforts against #Assange and his journalistic work, including UC Global's surveillance at the Ecuadorian embassy.
Visitors to #Assange were themselves surveilled, their phones were interfered with. This is a profound interference w journalistic freedom. And with legal privilege.
Bellanger speculates that #Assange has been moved out of isolation because the UK authorities do not want him to be observed in poor health during February's hearings.
"@IFJGlobal repeats that journalism is not a crime. Julian #Assange must be released now."
John Shipton is now addressing the room: "together we will free Julian and we will ensure Europeans can keep publishing." #Assange
Gianni Marilotti @GianniMarilotti, who is head of the Italian inter-Parliamentary group for monitoring the #Assange case, now speaking. "our aim is to monitor the upcoming hearings in the UK."
Marilotti: we are looking at the human rights violations Julian #Assange is facing now and what might await him in the United States.
Marilotti: the use of the Espionage Act against a publisher conflicts with the freedoms of speech and information that are at the foundation of European democracies. #Assange
Marilotti. "We are building an independent observatory on the facts." #Assange
Marilotti: "We should be outraged by the silence of certain states on what is happening to #Assange"
And that's it - more news to come from @coe on this this week...
