Thread by @rebecca_vincent

Today @RSF_inter was meant to be the first NGO to gain access to @wikileaks publisher Julian Assange in Belmarsh prison. This took months to secure. @cdeloire and I were confirmed to visit today at 9:15 am - but we were barred access by the Prison Governor at the last minute. 1/

We followed all of the prison’s procedures and rules. We arrived early with all documents. But we were told at reception that we would not be allowed in, as the Prison Governor had taken us off the list. The reason? They had “received intelligence” that we were journalists. 2/

No further discussion was possible. The Prison Governor would not come speak to us. We have written a formal complaint. Assange’s lawyers have written too. We will keep seeking access. We call on Belmarsh Prison to reverse this decision and respect Assange’s visitation rights. 3/

Let me be clear: @RSF_inter defends journalists. Some of my colleagues have journalistic backgrounds. But we work as an NGO to support journalists. Our prison visit would be as an NGO, not journalistic. Also I have never worked as a journalist and have never held a press card! 4/

Assange has been extremely isolated in his 4 years at Belmarsh prison. No visits were possible for 2 years during the pandemic. He has had very few visitors beyond immediate family. He has not been permitted to leave prison, even for court, since a bail hearing on 6 Jan 2021. 5/

Assange has the right to receive visitors. As @RSF_inter we have a legitimacy to visit him, as an NGO that has long campaigned for his release and monitored his entire extradition proceedings. We wanted to assess his conditions, and speak about his case. We should be able to. 6/

At every stage and every level, UK authorities have defaulted to secrecy and barriers, and made our jobs difficult - barring us from prison, making it nearly impossible to get into court proceedings, refusing to accept our delivery of petitions. What do they have to hide? 7/

Despite these endless barriers, we’ll keep up our global campaign to #FreeAssange. We will hold the US & UK governments to account. He will not be forgotten. We will keep trying to visit him in prison. We will keep monitoring in court. We will keep fighting everywhere we can. 8/

Here’s @RSF_inter’s full statement on the barring of our visit to Belmarsh prison to see Julian Assange today, with quotes from me and @cdeloire. /END rsf.org/en/uk-rsf-barr…