Russian Journalists' Union Calls Proceedings Against Assange Gross Violation Of Rights

Muhammad Irfan Published June 14, 2019 | 10:40 PM

Russian Journalists' Union Secretary Timur Shafirov said on Friday that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's rights were being severely violated and that his case served as an example of repression against a journalist and the freedom of speech

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th June, 2019) Russian Journalists' Union Secretary Timur Shafirov said on Friday that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's rights were being severely violated and that his case served as an example of repression against a journalist and the freedom of speech.

Earlier in the day, the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London said that a full hearing on the case of Assange's extradition to the United States would be held in February. The trial will last five days and be preceded by several technical hearings.

"I and my colleagues believe that a lot of norms related not only to the journalists' rights and Assange's personality, but also ... to the basis of freedom of speech ... have been violated. What is happening now to Assange is actually an example of what the repressive machine of the state ... can do with a journalist who is engaged in investigations, when he is asked for something that contradicts his principles, in particular, to disclose sources of information and everything else .

.. This is a blatant violation of the rights of our colleague, and this is a specific attack and suppression of any attempt to resist this system," Shafir said.

The union head noted that the issue was also addressed during the International Federation of Journalists Congress that took place from June 11-14. According to Shafir, members of the Australian Journalists' Union had adopted a resolution protesting the case and calling for Assange's release and asked all congress participants, who represented more than 160 countries, to join.

Assange was arrested in London on April 11 and sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for jumping bail back in 2012, when he claimed asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid being extradited to Sweden, where he faced sexual assault charges, and possibly being sent to the United States after that.

If extradited to the United States, where he is wanted on espionage charges, the whistleblower may face up to 175 years in prison.