Assange's Prosecution

[David Barrett]

That's an incredible video. I think it lays out a very clear argument that
the hacking charges against him are trumped up and flimsy, and will never
carry in court. If that video is accurate, and there truly is nothing more
to the case than what has been presented, Assange's defense attorneys
should have no trouble, should it ever go to trial -- which looks very
unlikely due to the UK continuing to block extradition.

(Though Assange is actually imprisoned in the UK for skipping bail by
hiding out in the Ecuadorian embassy for years to avoid rape charges --
which is a completely different matter that still needs to be settled.)

But very little of this is new. We are just rehashing the same old
discussions, and fear mongering about what might have happened had he
actually just showed up in court for his various accusations.

I know there is a great deal of skepticism that he would get a fair trial
in the US. A lot has been made of the hundred plus years of jail time when
you add up all of the accusations.

But Chelsea Manning was facing 135 years in prison, and served only seven
-- for directly leaking information in a way that I think we all agree as
far more serious than what Assange is charged with. And that was military
court, which is far more strict than Assange would face.

I'm not sure why we assume by default that Assange is going to face a
greater sentence than Chelsea Manning, given that the case against him is
so much weaker, and his actions are so much easier to defend on first
amendment principles.  It's entirely possible that had he just showing up
in court, he would be a completely free man running WikiLeaks in the clear.


Regardless, the main reason I'm continuing this conversation is I'm trying
to get anyone to specify precisely what they would like done that is
different than what is happening. Not some vague hand wavy outcomes that we
prefer, but who specifically should do something different, and
specifically what.

Do you want a law changed? Specifically which one, and how? Who do you want
to change it exactly, and what is the process for asking them to do it?

Or is the conclusion of all of this discussion is simply to ask Biden to
drop the case?  If so, say that. How should we convince Biden to do it?
Have you written him a letter or taken any action whatsoever to actually
constructively encourage the outcome? Or are you hoping that Biden reads
your mind and just intuitively senses that's what you want?

It's easy just to complain, and there's plenty of that being done here.
It's hard to actually fix things, and that's what I'm trying to encourage
you all to participate in.

I think Jim Bell has done the best job yet of linking to this very succinct
summary of the issue, which drives the conversation forward constructively.
I am going to tweet this out and ask the Biden administration to drop the
case against Assange to clear the way for him too face Justice in Sweden.
What are you going to do?

David
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