USA v Julian Assange Extradition Hearing
   When:
   Part 1: 24th February -28th February
   Part 2: 18th May â 5th June
   Where:
   Woolwich Crown Court/Belmarsh Magistrateâs 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
   ========================================================
   Great compilation of information, arguments, and sources follows:
   https://defend.wikileaks.org/2020/02/23/usa-v-julian-assange-extraditio
   n-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:
     âCongress 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.â
   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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   On Monday, February 24, 2020, 01:02:02 AM PST, jim bell
   <jdb10987@yahoo.com> wrote:
   Britain starts hearing US case for extraditing Assange
   https://news.yahoo.com/britain-starts-hearing-us-case-extraditing-assan
   ge-042453947.html