February 27, 2020
Consortium News is in London to cover the formal extradition process of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange and has provided updates throughout the week.
THURSDAY
11:30 pm London time: The judge has adjourned the hearings a day earlier than planned. It will resume in Woolwich Crown Court on May 18.
The defense this week seriously undermined the prosecutors’ case that Assange had endangered lives of informants, had “solicited” classified material from Chelsea Manning, and had helped Manning crack a password to enter a government computer. The defense showed Manning had legal access to the database and did not need a user name or password. Assange was helping her download video games and movies forbidden to U.S. soldiers.
The defense also laid out its evidence that Assange actually worked to protect informants; and that Manning had not responded to WikiLeaks‘ solicitations, a charge that ignores that asking sources for classified information is a routine journalistic practice.
The last two days of the hearings were consumed by the question of whether Assange was being accused of political offenses, and whether the British-U.S. extradition treaty or British domestic law on extraditions would apply. The question of whether Assange was being given a fair trial also arose, given that he is cut off from communication with his attorneys during the proceedings, while being locked in a glass cage behind them.
Assange lawyer Jen Robinson summed up the week and Kristinn Hrafnsson Thursday’s events:
#JulianAssange's lawyer @suigenerisjen gives a final recap of the #AssangeHearing week's proceedings: "Mr. #Assange has had significant difficulties in participating with these proceedings… the Judge has refused him to leave the dock an sit with his lawyers." #AssangeCase pic.twitter.com/VUsEIssuGh
— Don't Extradite Assange (@DEAcampaign) February 27, 2020
#Assange extradition trial 'unfair' – #WikiLeaks’ #Hrafnsson says#UK pic.twitter.com/q4cQA7zCyA
— Ruptly (@Ruptly) February 27, 2020
6:00 pm London time: The argument continued from Wednesday about whether Britain’s domestic Extradition Act of 2003 or the 2007 U.S.-British Extraction Treaty takes precedence.
Defense: It's not sufficient to say domestic legislation is sufficient, and where there is a treaty that provides additional protection, we say that it is arbitrary not to respect that protection.
— Courage Foundation (@couragefound) February 27, 2020
An element of the abuse of process is the failure to provide the protection within the treaty: the US are relying on the treaty for his extradition but failing to comply with the fundamental protection under the US-UK Treaty.
— Courage Foundation (@couragefound) February 27, 2020
…& when the courts give effect to statute consistent w/ treaty as much as possible, then of course the court looks at the interpretation of the treaty. US saying that you cannot interpret the treaty is falsified by centuries of precedent where courts have done precisely that.
— Courage Foundation (@couragefound) February 27, 2020
Back to the argument whether WikiLeaks has had an effect on policy, defense made this point:
Was actually Cablegate that had impact here: "Cable revealing executions of Iraqi farmer's family. Led Iraqi govt to refuse to grant US troops immunity from war crimes prosecutions. It helped spur Obama's decision to withdraw forces from Iraq"https://t.co/uhoy8f4UYj
— Courage Foundation (@couragefound) February 27, 2020
Read more at https://consortiumnews.com/2020/02/27/live-updates-from-london-assange-extradition-hearing-adjourned-until-may-18/
