USA v Julian Assange Extradition Hearing

When:

Part 1: 24th February -28th February
Part 2: 18th May – 5th June

Where:

Woolwich Crown Court/Belmarsh Magistrate’s Court, which is adjacent to HMP Belmarsh (See travel advice)

Magistrate:

Vanessa Baraitser

Defence team:

Solicitor Gareth Peirce (Birnberg, Peirce & Partners); lead Barristers Edward Fitzgerald QC, Doughty Street Chambers, Mark Summers QC, Matrix Chambers

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Great compilation of information, arguments, and sources follows:

https://defend.wikileaks.org/2020/02/23/usa-v-julian-assange-extradition-hearing/

"It is the first time the 1917 Espionage Act has been used to indict a publisher or journalist. Press Freedom organisations have emphasised that the indictment criminalizes normal newsgathering behaviour. The indictment applies the Espionage Act extraterritorially. Assange was publishing from the United Kingdom in partnership with UK media and other European and US press. The indictment opens the door for other journalists involved in the 2010 publications to be prosecuted. The USA will make the extraordinary claim that foreigners are not entitled to constitutional protections, so Julian Assange cannot benefit from the First Amendment."             [end of partial quote]

Jim Bell's comments follow:

See this statement, from above:

"The USA will make the extraordinary claim that foreigners are not entitled to constitutional protections, so Julian Assange cannot benefit from the First Amendment.":

This statement is nuts.  The First Amendment says, in relevant part:

  “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The First Amendment does not limit its scope of protection to a specific region.  It states, instead, "Congress shall make no law ...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press..."   It doesn't matter where that "speech" occurs, or "the press" happens, Congress is simply prohibited from making any law about it, whether it covers "America", or anywhere in the rest of the world.  

                       Jim Bell

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