Thread by @rebecca_vincent

Today at 10:30 am the UK High Court will begin to consider the US government’s appeal against the court decision opposing @wikileaks publisher Julian Assange’s extradition to the US. I’ll be in court monitoring for @RSF_inter and will have updates on this thread. #FreeAssange

For the first time in the extradition proceedings against Assange, the court has accredited professional NGO observers. I’ve been assigned a seat in the well of the court for @RSF_inter, as has a representative of @amnesty. Frankly I will fully trust this only once I’m inside. 2/

Those who have been following will know the long and difficult history of our access issues at 3 prior courts in this case. @RSF_inter has been the only NGO to monitor the full extradition proceedings despite severe restrictions previously imposed by the District Judge. 3/

I’m hearing most journalists who applied have been accredited. However, it’s concerning and unclear why @SMaurizi was not given access. She’s covered the Assange case from the very start and recently won a landmark FOI case securing important documents from the UK government. 4/

As for what to expect today, read this informative update from Assange’s fiancée @StellaMoris1. While today’s hearing is preliminary, an important part of the US appeal strategy will be considered, which will have a significant substantive impact on the full appellate hearing. 5/

https://twitter.com/StellaMoris1/status/1425336150504484864

Regarding the US’ “assurances” about Assange’s possible prison conditions, not only is that highly unreliable, but I want to be clear that it is @RSF_inter’s position he should not be imprisoned anywhere, under any conditions, for publishing information in the public interest. 6/

I also find it extremely troubling that the US is attempting to discredit a leading neuropsychiatrist, Michael Kopelman. I was in court in September for Kopelman’s powerful and disturbing testimony about Julian Assange’s state of mental health - see this thread for a read-out. 7/

https://twitter.com/rebecca_vincent/status/1308493621415612416

I note also that the US government’s own counsel had themselves attempted to engage Michael Kopelman as an expert in a prior case. 8/

https://twitter.com/rebecca_vincent/status/1308499081392730117

Assange is expected to appear in court in person this morning. The last time he was seen in public was on 6th January, when the court issued an unnecessarily cruel decision keeping him detained despite the 4th January extradition ruling in his favour. rsf.org/en/news/rsf-co… 9/

.@RSF_inter maintains serious concerns about Julian Assange’s mental and physical health, both of which are at risk during his prolonged detention at high-security Belmarsh prison - yet another reason he should be immediately released. 10/

Quite lively #FreeAssange protest outside the Royal Courts of Justice ahead of the hearing. I’m told policing has been unusually discreet and courteous this morning. 11/

I’m now entering the main courtroom - court 4 - and have had no trouble at all getting in. Unlike journalists accredited to cover the hearing, I won’t be able to use my devices in the courtroom. This is expected to last two hours. I’ll update as soon as possible afterwards. 12/

The session has just concluded. The judges will return to announce their decision on the grounds for appeal at 2 pm (in one hour). There is also discussion about the dates for the appeal hearing, which may also be decided today. 13/

Although Assange had requested to appear in person, he joined via video link from Belmarsh prison. He looked to be ably following proceedings, although seemed quite tired at times. There was no audio connection and he did not address the court. 14/

What we witnessed was the US government continuing to grasp at straws in their relentless persecution of Julian Assange. They are determined to extradite him at any cost, quite literally gambling with his life. 15/

Today’s arguments from the US centred on two areas: questioning Assange’s “self-reported” mental health symptoms, and criticising Kopelman’s first report, which did not explicitly mention Assange’s partner and two young children for privacy and safety reasons. 16/

At the time of Kopelman’s first report, Assange and his family were facing extreme surveillance and there were legitimate privacy and safety concerns should the identities of his partner and children be disclosed. Regardless, the prosecution was fully informed by March 2020. 17/

It remains unclear to me how mental health symptoms such as suicidal thoughts and auditory hallucinations can be anything other than self-reported - a point made by Kopelman in his September testimony. 18/

We’re waiting inside court for the 2 pm decision and will come out for comment afterwards. The situation inside is much better organised than in previous hearings, thanks in large part to seats having been allocated for observers. 19/

The court has granted the US permission to appeal on the two remaining grounds, meaning they can now argue on all five grounds in the appeal hearing, which has been scheduled for 27-28 October. 20/

The judge was oddly specific that Assange is not required to be present for the appeal but can join via video link if he wishes. It’s unclear why he won’t be allowed to attend in person & why he wasn’t here today, left sitting alone in the prison video link room as we exited. 21/

That part is both heartbreaking and infuriating. Before, he was held at the back of the court in a glass cage like a terrorist. Now he’s made to watch remotely from prison as if this all has nothing to do with him. It’s the rest of his life at stake. This is cruel. 22/

It’s clear that the US is adamant about pursuing this until the bitter end, but it doesn’t have to be this way. The Biden administration could make this all stop by dropping the case, stopping this relentless pursuit & living up to the US’ freedom of expression obligations. 23/

I repeat @RSF_inter’s position that Assange has been targeted for his contributions to public interest reporting, the case should be dropped and he should be immediately released - and certainly not extradited. This will have severe implications for the future of journalism. 24/

I’ll be out to give comment shortly, and @RSF_inter will have a full statement out a bit later today. Thank you for following, and supporting our campaign to #FreeAssange! /END