The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) spends around $40 million every year on litigation intended to prevent the disclosure of records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

“In determining whether to defend an agency's nondisclosure decision,” according to the guidelines issued by Attorney Merrick Garland in 2022, the DOJ supposedly “will not defend nondisclosure decisions that are inconsistent with FOIA” or the “presumption of openness” that should be applied.

Below are links to Mohamed Elmaazi's coverage of the two-day final hearing held on February 20 and 21, 2024, to decide Julian Assange's fate – whether he will be sacrificed to U.S. extradition for further abuse, torture, and possible death. Or will he be released from the threat of this U.S.-contrived abuse of power and political prosecution?

Day 2 of 2 Day Hearing to Allow Julian Assange to Move Forward with His Appeal in the UK Courts

During a hearing at the British High Court of Justice, the United States government responded to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s request for an appeal by explicitly and forcefully arguing that Assange was no “ordinary journalist” who deserved human rights protections.

Lawyers supporting extradition repeated the questionable assertion that the extradition treaty between the U.S. and the United Kingdom does not protect anyone from being extradited to America for “political offenses,” like “espionage.”

Julian Assange Protestors Photo by Mohamed Elmaazi

Regarding Julian Assange's adjudication status for U.S. alleged crimes related to Wikileak's publishing U.S. government whistleblower's disclosures of U.S. government war crimes, it's been over three years since U.K.'s District Judge Vanessa Baraitser’s extradition decision was issued in January 2021. Baraitser actually rejected the U.S. government's demand for Assange's extradition on the basis that there was a “substantial risk” of suicide if Assange was subjected to U.S. jail or prison conditions. However, in 2021 Baraister also rejected all of Assange’s other arguments against extradition. 

February 20, 2024 Assange's legal defense team Barristers Mark Summers KC and Edward Fitzgerald KC presented in the U.K. appeals court seven grounds for challenging the ruling.

If the High Court accepts some or all of the appeal grounds as being at least “arguable” they will set a future date for Assange’s appeal to be heard. But if the High Court judges reject the defense arguments, Assange will have exhausted all of his domestic avenues of appeal.

Crimes exposed by the WikiLeaks publications that are central to this case include “torture,” “[extraordinary] rendition,” and “drone strikes” that killed scores of civilians.

Tales from the Uni-Potty: The Morning Constitutional - Cartoon by Ed Newmann

Our February issue provides stories, information, data, and timelines, in the spirit of traditional journalism. Thanks goes to the authors' commitment to rational dissemination of facts instead of emotion-triggering, unproductive opining sans relative details necessary to actually inform the articles, let alone reliable sources for what little factual information might be sprinkled here and there.

Julian-Assange-Hero-Violence-Never-Stopped-by-Silence-Oct-11-2022-Photo-by-Alisdare-Hickson

WikiLeaks founder says whistleblowers are no longer as willing to risk the consequences of being caught sharing documents with the media organization. Journalist Charles Glass visited WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at His Majesty’s Prison Belmarsh in London, where he has been jailed for over four and a half years as the United States government pursues extradition.

(l to r) Wikileaks Founder/Publisher Julian Assange,  U.S. Army Whistleblower Chelsea Manning

A resolution in support of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was introduced in the United States House of Representatives on December 13.

Cosponsored by eight representatives, it states that “regular journalistic activities are protected under the First Amendment,” and the U.S. government should “drop all charges against and attempts to extradite Julian Assange.”

Shadowproof and Project Censored present a conversation between Kevin Gosztola and Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg to mark the release of Kevin’s book Guilty of Journalism: The Political Case Against Julian Assange. The book is available from Censored Press and Seven Stories Press. It is a crucial and compelling guide to the United States government’s case against the WikiLeaks founder and the implications for press freedom.

Uncle Scam Cartoon by Ed Newmann Feb 2023 River Cities Reader.png

Publisher Todd McGreevy recounts the highlights and content of the River Cities' Reader's February 2023 printed edtion, as well as links to the same stories online herein. Illustration of "Uncle Scam" is by Ed Newmann. 

A group of legal experts, press freedom activists, journalists, and public figures filled a ballroom at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to organize international opposition to the United States government's extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. For the Belmarsh Tribunal, United Kingdom parliamentarian Jeremy Corbyn flew more than 3,670 miles to speak in person on January 20, 2023. Other speakers flew in from Italy and Croatia. In fact, very few of the delegates on the tribunal organized by Progressive International were from the D.C. area.

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