UK worsens Julian Assange's persecution as US seeks extradition

Pushback with Aaron Mate

Pushback with Aaron Maté

News

4.7 • 594 Ratings

🗓️ 19 September 2019

⏱️ 14 minutes

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Summary

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been ordered to remain behind bars until hearings over a US extradition effort begin next year. Kristinn Hrafnsson, editor-in-chief of Wikileaks, says that UK authorities are holding Assange in worse conditions than accused terrorists and 'making it impossible' for him to prepare his case. Guest: Kristinn Hrafnsson, editor-in-chief of Wikileaks. Support Pushback at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/aaronmate Pushback on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pushbackshow Aaron Maté on Twitter: https://twitter.com/aaronjmate Pushback podcast on iTunes: https://apple.co/2lu7MGQ Pushback podcast on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/pushbackshow Pushback podcast on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2mpwIQm Pushback podcast on Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=465855 Find transcripts and more at https://thegrayzone.com/pushback ||| The Grayzone ||| Find more reporting at https://thegrayzone.com Support our original journalism at Patreon: https://patreon.com/grayzone

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Pushback. I'm Aaron Mate.
0:05.0	Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was supposed to be released this month after serving half of his term for violating bail conditions in Britain.
0:14.0	But a British judge recently ruled that Assange must stay behind bars until his next hearing.
0:20.0	That's when a British court will weigh whether or not to extradite Assange to the U.S. for
0:25.4	charges brought against him under the Espionage Act.
0:28.9	Well, to discuss this, I spoke earlier to Christian Hopkinson.
0:32.4	He is editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks.
0:34.5	I began by asking him his reaction to the judge's ruling that Assange
0:38.7	must stay in prison.
0:40.3	Well, it came quite a surprise that the judge would decide to deny him bail without
0:47.3	his lawyers even requesting it. And I think that goes to show what kind of prejudice is within the UK justice system when it comes to Julian Assange.
0:59.2	And it's not for the first time that judges behave in this biased manner, which is quite outrageous.
1:04.7	The judge admitted that he was new to the case, he knew nothing of the case, but he decided that without the
1:12.1	lawyers asking for bail, that he wouldn't get a bail, citing his previous violation, and
1:17.5	he that he should remain behind bars until trial on remand after he serves his sentence.
1:26.5	This, of course, is totally unacceptable if he has to stay in
1:30.3	Belmar's prison, a maximum security prison, until his trial. He has thereby no means of
1:38.0	preparing his case. He has been under circumstances which are really straining. He has been under circumstances which are really straining.
1:46.0	He has been pretty much in isolation for the entire time.
1:51.0	He's been there spending most of 24 hours in his cell with a little exercise.
1:56.0	Only a few days ago he actually could get access to papers pertaining to his case, and
2:02.7	the lawyers were allowed to bring it to him and leave it there.
	...

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