Journalism is on trial: don’t extradite Assange!

JULIAN ASSANGE has been fighting extradition to the USA for the best part of a decade. If he were to be put on trial there, he would face a jail sentence, if convicted, of up to 175 years.

The USA is understandably upset that Assange, editor of WikiLeaks, published information which exposed US war crime and human right abuses. Ironically, the USA was one of the first countries in the world to introduce a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Their Act became law in 1966 – 34 years before the UK introduced its own Act (which took a further five years to come into effect).

If the USA doesn’t like to have its record of unlawful and indefensible conduct exposed, it could stop behaving unlawfully and indefensibly – or change the name of its Act to the “Freedom of Some (the bits we like) Act”. Instead, it is blaming the publisher for subjecting it to scrutiny, for letting US taxpayers see what was being done in their name, what they were funding.

The consequences for Assange, if he were to be put on trial in the USA, could be devastating. The implications for journalists around the world could also be monumental – just at a time when the USA’s actions, particularly its relations with other countries, should be open to public scrutiny across the world.

As Assange and his supporters wait to hear the verdict of the British Courts, campaigners explain the effect the extradition battle on Assange and his family – and talk about the consequences for us all. Tune in to VodTalk to listen live at 10pm or to view the show on demand, at a time convenient to you.

On this week’s 20:20 Vision…
Don’t extradite Assange!
Assange’s right to publish is our right to know: campaigners speak out

Host: Jenny Fisher, East London News
Guests:
Maxine Walker, Committee for the Defence of Julian Assange (JADC)
Dr Bob Gill, @doctors4assange
Helen Mercer, campaigner, JADC

Tune in at 10pm, Tuesday, 29th December 2020
Ring in to the studio on 020-81234507.

●20:20 vision is streamed live on: https://www.facebook.com/VodTalk

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