Thread by @wikileaks

Defence lawyer Edward Fitzgerald: The extradition is for political purposes and that’s prohibited under US/UK treaty.

#DontExtraditeAssange #Freepress #FreeAssange

Defence lawyer Edward Fitzgerald: This prosecution is not about criminal justice, it is due to underlying political motives of the US government.

Extraditing #Assange would also lead to "inhuman and degrading treatment," in the US prison system, his counsel tells the court, says mental condition could put him at risk of suicide.

Edward Fitzgerald: “President Trump came into power with a new approach to freedom of speech…. Effectively declaring war on investigative journalists.”

Fitzgerald says that Trump met with FBI Director James Comey and said he wanted a "head on a pike" to discourage leakers and whistleblowers.
"Julian Assange has been made an example of."

Fitzgerald: "He was the obvious symbol of all that Trump condemned. He had brought american war crimes to the attention of the world."

Fitzgerald: "political motivation fuels this prosecution" and cites comments from the US government that Assange and Wikileaks are a 'non-state hostile intelligence agency'.

Fitzgerald: "It’s not about criminal justice, it’s about the manipulation of the system to ensure the United States could make an example of Assange"

Fitzgerald: Julian Assange was subjected to surveillance on the instructions of US intelligence while in the Ecuadorian embassy. A witness (unnamed) has provided detail including how they collected sound recordings from microphones every 14 days

Witness #2 will testify that: “extreme measures” such as kidnapping or poisoning Assange were discussed among personnel involved in the espionage operation

Assange's lawyer says in a meeting with congressman Dana Rohrabacher prior to his indictment, Assange was presented a "win win solution which could allow JA to leave the embassy and get on with his life."

Assange was said to have been asked to surrender details of the source of DNC leaks - (he refused)

Shows the deeply political nature of this case. Fitzgerald says that the dividing line between the executive and justice is being blurred and this extradition request is an abuse of process

Defense: any US trial would happen in a legal system "open to political manipulation.

Hearing will resume Tuesday morning where we are promised some bomshell revelations from the defense