Upcoming Events
PROTEST AT BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION
Stop the extradition
12.30pm, Tuesday 13th December
We are calling for the British Government to refuse Julian Assange’s extradition and are also belatedly marking UN Human Rights Day and the grave infringement of Assange’s human rights.
See this UN report on Assange by Prof Nils Melzer, the former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, and you can buy his book, The Trial of Julian Assange here. The book is probably the most comprehensive examination of Julian Assange’s actions and the various charges against him, including the bogus reports of rape charges. Fake news in action by the US before Trump.
The extradition request for Assange is clearly for a ‘political offense’, as his lawyer Jennifer Robinson described so clearly at her recent National Press Club talk, which you can view here.
The UK Extradition Treaty Article 4 states, “1. Extradition shall not be granted if the offense for which extradition is requested is a political offense.” We urge the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak or the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman to stop the extradition process for this political prosecution. There is some talk that the US might not mind the case being brought to an end by such an action by the UK government.
Freedom of the press, including stopping the intimidation of journalists as is happening with this extradition request, and protection of democracy globally, requires that this ‘matter to be brought to a close’, as PM Albanese has requested. At the time of his response to Monique Ryan's question, the British High Commissioner was reportedly in the visitors gallery accompanied by the UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan.
Please write to the Home Secretary - suella.braverman.mp@parliament.uk asking her to refuse the extradition in accordance with Article 4, point 1 of the UK Extradition Treaty.
In Adelaide there is a regular Tuesday picket for Assange at FM Penny Wong’s office, 19 Gouger St, Adelaide city at 4.30pm.
PenMelbourne
The Day of the Imprisoned Writer - the case of Julian Assange, with Jennifer Robinson, John Shipton, and journalist Rachael Brown, at the Wheeler Centre, Melbourne.
Suppport ADF Whistleblower David McBride
David McBride will be presenting his Public Interest Defence at the ACT Supreme court on 27, 28 and 31 October.
We will be gathering in support at the ACT courts at 9am on 27 October. Speakers will include Dr Monique Ryan MP (TBC) Bernard Collaery, Senator David Shoebridge, Tosca Lloyd, from GetUp, senior HRLC lawyer, Kieran Pender.
It is outrageous that David McBride is still being prosecuted when the Brereton report has validated his disclosures. Come along to say this prosecution must be discontinued by the Attorney-General or CDPP.
Free Julian Assange Now!
Julian Assange
On 4 January 2021, UK District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled against the United States’ request to extradite Assange and stated that doing so would be “oppressive” given concerns over Assange’s mental health and risk of suicide.[22] On 6 January 2021, Assange was denied bail, pending an appeal by the United States.[23] On 10 December 2021, the High Court in London ruled that Assange could be extradited to the US to face the charges.[24] In March 2022, the UK Supreme Court refused Assange permission to appeal.[25] On 17 June 2022, Home Secretary Priti Patel approved the extradition.[26] Julian Assange’s appeal has been lodged.
Assange has been confined in Belmarsh, a category A prison, in London since April 2019.”
Prime Minister Albanese has said that ‘Enough is enough, it has gone on long enough’. But we want to know what he is doing to end the torture of Julian Assange, as it has been called by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Prof Nils Melzer.
The PM must urge the new British Prime Minister, Liz Truss, to free Julian from prison, and urge the US Government to drop the charges and the extradition request.
Support ATO whistleblower Richard Boyle at Court
Richard Boyle is facing court in South Australia for divulging the Australian Tax Office’s unfair and unethical debt recovery practices. The controversial and aggressive use of garnishee notices to recover debts devastated businesses and destroyed livelihoods and has since been changed.
He raised his concerns first with the Inspector General of Taxation in 2017, then went public in 2018 when he saw no action. He now faces 24 charges with the possibility many years in prison if found guilty. The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions indicated at a Senate hearing that the case was being reviewed but our hopes that the charges may be dropped have been dashed and the case continues.
Richard will be presenting his public interest disclosure defence in the Adelaide District Court, lower Ground Floor, Sir Samuel Way Building, 241 Victoria Square (western side) on Tuesday 4 October 2022. There will be an action in support of Richard at the court that morning.
PenMelbourne - UN International Day of Peace Rally
Partiament House steps, NAARM (Melbourne)
‘If war can be started by lies, peace can be started with truth’.
Julian Assange
Free Julian Now