My (belated!) thread on the first day of the #DayX hearing at the UK High Court, which I was able to monitor in person for @RSF_inter. I’ll share a few thoughts on today’s proceedings and some access issues below, as well as our concerns for Julian Assange’s health 🧵 For the first time in four years of covering these extradition proceedings, @RSF_inter representatives were properly accredited to attend the hearing as NGO observers. Me, @fiona_obrien and @LM_Kretschmer had reserved seats in the public gallery section of the main courtroom.

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/

Still absorbing the news from Malta - the significance cannot be overstated. 5 years, with so many of us campaigning, to start chipping away at impunity in a single case. This is an important step towards justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia - but what about the bigger picture? 🧵 Globally around 1,000 journalists have been killed in connection with their work over the past decade - the vast majority (around 9 out of 10 cases) committed with full or partial impunity. That’s why it stands out so much when justice is achieved in any case - it’s an anomaly.

Today the Westminster Magistrates’ Court will hold a short hearing in the extradition case against Julian Assange. The court is expected to give an order referring the matter back to the Home Office. I’ll be monitoring for @RSF_inter and will have updates on this thread. 1/ The hearing is listed for 10:15 am UK time. In a welcome change from the previous judge (Vanessa Baraitser), I’ve been granted remote access as an NGO observer. I’ll be following proceedings online and will be outside court afterwards to give a statement for @RSF_inter. 2/

Back at the High Court this morning awaiting the decision on whether the judges will accept @wikileaks publisher Julian Assange’s right to appeal his extradition case to the Supreme Court. The hearing starts at 10:45. I’ll be monitoring for @RSF_inter and will have updates here. Today’s decision will follow the High Court’s ruling of 10 December, overturning the district judge’s decision barring Assange’s extradition on mental health grounds. This court found in favour of the US’ diplomatic assurances re. Assange’s treatment. rsf.org/en/news/rsf-co…

I’ll be back in court today to monitor the ongoing trial in the case of Arron Banks v @carolecadwalla. @RSF_inter and many other expert free expression organisations consider this vexatious case a clear example of SLAPP. I’ll have updates on this thread. rsf.org/en/news/ninete… Catch up on my live thread from Monday’s proceedings here:

https://twitter.com/rebecca_vincent/status/1483019060984041474

I’ll be back at Kingston Crown Court this afternoon for @RSF_inter to monitor the ongoing trial in the case of Muhammad Gohir Khan, a British citizen accused of conspiring to murder exiled Pakistani blogger @AWGoraya. Catch up on my thread from last week here 👇

https://twitter.com/rebecca_vincent/status/1481908064836108294

These proceedings were expected to last two weeks, and could possibly continue through 1 February. I’m monitoring in person when possible, and @RSF_inter is following closely even when we’re not present in court.

I’m at the High Court this morning for @RSF_inter, along with @AzzurraMoores, as @carolecadwalla faces a vexatious defamation suit brought by Arron Banks. RSF is one of many organisations that considers this a SLAPP case, and stands in Carole support. rsf.org/en/news/sixtee… .@RSF_inter is proud to support @carolecadwalla and her courageous public interest journalism. We were in court by her side when this case opened more than two years ago, and we’ll see it through. We’re also proud she’s one of the 2018 laureates of our Press Freedom Prize.

We are imminently expecting the High Court’s decision to be announced in the US government’s appeal in the extradition case against Julian Assange. I’m monitoring remotely (in isolation) and @AzzurraMoores is inside the courtroom for @RSF_inter. I’ll have updates on this thread. The High Court has allowed the appeal, and says the District Judge should have notified the US of her provisional view to allow for assurances to have been offered at that time.

One further line of comment about today’s proceedings, and that’s about Julian Assange the person. He had requested to attend court in person, which was denied for unclear reasons (the same scenario as the August preliminary hearing). His only option was the prison video link. 1/ However, when the hearing started he was not present. His lawyer said he wasn’t feeling up to it. He eventually joined, but was not fully visible due to the camera angle. I believe he was only on for under an hour in the morning and maybe half an hour in the afternoon. 2/

Today the UK High Court will begin its two-day consideration of the US government’s appeal against the extradition decision in the case of @wikileaks publisher Julian Assange. We’ll be present at court for @RSF_inter and I’ll have live updates on this thread. #FreeAssange 1/ The court has so far failed to grant us the requested in-person access, but we have a back-up plan. My lovely colleagues have been queuing outside court since 5 am, hoping to secure our access to the public gallery (I couldn’t queue so early myself this time due to childcare). 2/

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/

Tomorrow at 10:30 the UK High Court will hold a preliminary hearing in the US government’s appeal against the court decision opposing @wikileaks publisher Julian Assange’s extradition to the US.

A reading list of @RSF_inter materials for those interested (thread).

#FreeAssange Please note that we are the only NGO that has monitored the full extradition proceedings, despite severe restrictions imposed by the court. Our analysis is based on in-person observations of each stage of these proceedings. 2/

Starting now: @HouseofCommons is holding a Westminster Hall Debate on global press freedom to mark World Press Freedom Day earlier this month, sponsored by @DamianCollins as Chair of the APPG on Media Freedom. Watch live here: parliamentlive.tv/event/index/8a… Strong start from @DamianCollins, mentioning the situation in Belarus, the murders of Jamal Khashoggi & #DaphneCaruanaGalizia, @mariaressa’s fight to #HoldTheLine in the Philippines, the SLAPP case against @CatherineBelton & many more worrying examples, citing @RSF_inter figures.

It’s been a worrying few days for UK press freedom. On Thursday, photojournalist @andyaitchison was arrested for photographing a protest against poor conditions in Napier Barracks, a military camp in Kent housing hundreds of asylum seekers. 1/

independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-n… On Friday, government equalities minister @KemiBadenoch triggered a flood of abuse & threats against @HuffPostUK reporter @Nadine_Writes by smearing her (in an 8-part Twitter thread) simply for doing her job by asking a question in the public interest. 2/

huffpost.com/entry/uk-minis…

Good morning. I’ll have updates on Julian Assange’s bail hearing on this thread today. The hearing takes place at 10 am GMT at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London. @RSF_inter calls again for Assange’s immediate release.

#FreeAssange 1/ I’m on my way to court. Escaped the hellish queue for the public gallery today only because Assange’s family have been kind enough to put me on their list - so unless the court pulls something funny, I should get in without problems today. 2/

Hello new followers! Can I introduce you to some of @RSF_inter’s other priority cases? They all deserve much more attention and support! Thread. #DaphneCaruanaGalizia was a courageous Maltese journalist assassinated by a car bomb near her home in October 2017. More than three years on, there’s still been no justice for Daphne or the extensive corruption she had uncovered. Some background here: rsf.org/en/news/malta-…

Good morning from the Old Bailey! Today’s the big day, as we await the extradition decision in the case against @wikileaks publisher Julian Assange. I’ll have updates on this thread.

#FreeAssange 1/ 5 hours to go until the 10am hearing. We’re already queuing outside in early morning winter temperatures to have a fighting chance of gaining access to the public gallery. This is how we’re left to try to do our jobs as the judge refuses to recognise the role of NGO observers. 2/

I’ve often said that nothing is normal about Julian Assange’s case. Here’s my list of the top 10 least normal aspects, strictly on the logistical side of monitoring the extradition proceedings (this is not to mention the many substantive issues that are also far from normal). 1. The judge’s stubbornly persistent refusal to acknowledge that NGO observers are professionals and have an important role to play (separate to that of the general public) in ensuring open justice, and refusal to grant us access to be able to do our jobs properly.

Okay, I’m not done yet (still furious). The barriers we’ve faced monitoring proceedings in Assange’s case are extensive and evolving, and cannot be purely coincidence or incompetence, as it’s been at 3 separate courts and happened pre-Covid too. The common factor is the judge. It is the judge who refuses to recognise NGO observers as different to the public & who revoked NGOs’ remote access. When we face barriers on entry, court officials say the judge set the (arbitrary) limitations on numbers. She even set the freezing temperature at the Old Bailey.

Back at Westminster Magistrates’ Court this morning attempting to monitor a call over hearing in the case of @wikileaks publisher Julian Assange. This is the last such hearing scheduled before the extradition decision will be given on 4 January.

Thread. 1/ The goal posts for access constantly shift at this court, in a completely arbitrary manner. We are currently being told by a court official that no journalists will be allowed in (told they can access the Cloud Video Platform) and only two people can access the public gallery. 2/