It was President Obama’s administration that enlivened the creeping misuse of the Espionage Act. More journalistic sources were charged under the Act than all previous administrations combined, including WikiLeaks source Chelsea Manning; CIA torture whistleblower John Kiriakou; and NSA spying whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Following massive public pressure Obama commuted Chelsea Manning’s 35-year sentence. Obama declined to prosecute Julian for publishing Manning’s leaks because of the implications for press freedom.
After the Obama administration’s Espionage Act charging spree, it was just a matter of time before another administration expanded the interpretation of the Act even further.
That day came soon enough. Trump’s administration broke new legal ground with the indictment of Julian for receiving, possessing, and publishing the Manning leaks. Meanwhile in Langley, Virginia, Pompeo tasked CIA assassination plans.
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Priti Patel’s decision comes amidst sweeping government reforms of an increasingly totalitarian bent – the plans to weaken the influence of the European Court of Human Rights and the decision to extradite Julian are the coup de grace.
The home secretary’s proposed reforms to the UK’s Official Secrets Act largely track the Trump-era indictment against Julian: publishers and their sources can be charged as criminal co-conspirators.
Julian’s extradition case itself creates legal precedent. What has long been understood to be a bedrock principle of democracy, press freedom, will disappear in one fell swoop.
As it stands, no journalist is going to risk having what Julian is being subjected to happen to them. Julian must be freed before it’s too late. His life depends on it. Your rights depend on it.
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https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/julian-assange-wife-stella-moris-extradition-wikileaks-b2106602.html
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