One of the elements of Julian Assange's persecution has been to demonise him. By dehumanising him, making him seem unworthy of humane treatment, authorities are torturing and slowly killing Assange in plain sight with minimal media or public outrage.
Assange's persecutors want us to forget how we felt about him a decade ago & forget he's one of the greatest journalists & dissidents of our time.
In 2010 Assange won:
-TIME’s Readers Choice Person of the Year
-Le Monde Man of the Year
-Rockstar of The Year 🇮🇹 Rolling Stone
In 2011 Julian Assange won 2🇦🇺awards:
-Walkley for Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism
-Sydney Peace Foundation Gold Medal
Today is Julian Assange's 1389th day in the UK's most high sec prison. Held on remand while fighting US extradition, where he faces another 175 yrs.
7 years arbitrary detention in the Ecuadorian Embassy plus almost 4 years of near solitary type conditions in Belmarsh Prison has taken an incredible physical, mental and psychological toll on Julian Assange.
No one should be in prison for publishing the truth.
Interview with John Shipton (#JulianAssange's father) on @3CR yesterday reiterated the chilling message from @johnpilger about Assange's failing health and urgency required by the Aus government.
Shipton said Julian's younger brother had been able to visit him in Belmarsh Prison and found Assange to be "emaciated, suffering anxiety and his wellbeing declining rapidly."
Lawyer and UN Special Rapporteur on Torture @NilsMelzer filed a report in May condemning "the deliberate, concerted and sustained nature of the abuse inflicted on Mr. Assange" and said he was showing "all symptoms typical for prolonged exposure to psychological torture."