Journalist and activist Julian Assange, who remains incarcerated in Belmarsh Prison just outside London, was visited on Saturday by DiEM25 co-founder Yanis Varoufakis for the second time since February 2020. The visit took place together with Roger Waters and Assange’s wife Stella. The meeting lasted almost two hours. Afterwards, Yanis Varoufakis said that Julian told him that his condition is deteriorating. That he is trying with all his strength to keep a small part of himself alive. A small part which he will use when he gets out of prison to exist again, to be Julian again. As a fighter he knows that’s what he will have to do.
The prison in which Assange is being held is considered to be Britain’s equivalent of Guantanamo Bay – a deplorable “high security” prison, i.e. inhumane conditions that Julian has endured for three and a half years, since April 2019 to be precise. It is typical of the inhumanity of this dungeon that Julian, over the years, has been in strict solitary confinement for 23 hours per day.
According to the UN, Assange’s treatment meets the definition of torture, which is why the UN has called, as of 2020, for his release. Given that Assange has never been convicted of anything (nor has he even been formally prosecuted), his continued detention in Belmarsh is a unique example of a human rights violation – which, apparently, is nothing more than an attempt by the US and British authorities to destroy him both mentally and physically. And why is that? Because he dared to publish material proving the US military’s crimes against humanity in Iraq and Afghanistan. In other words, Assange is being prosecuted, and effectively exterminated, for the crime of investigative journalism.
Having just visited Julian Assange at Belmarsh, a quick message (on our way out) from Roger Waters, Julian Assange and me. Free Julian! pic.twitter.com/FbHosurPpD
— Yanis Varoufakis (@yanisvaroufakis) September 30, 2023
Yanis Varoufakis
“Prisoner N. A9379AY has been rotting for three-and-a-half years in solitary confinement for the crime of practicing journalism in a way that led to Pulitzer Prizes before the US government criminalised investigative journalism in the public interest. Julian Assange is slowly dying in there on our behalf – for our right to know the crimes our governments are committing in our name behind our backs.
“By torturing Julian Assange, the UK and US governments are deliberately forfeiting any moral right they have to teach others, around the world, about the importance of freedom of the press – thus damaging freedom of speech around the world.
“Let us unite to demand Julian’s immediate release. No one can be free while Julian rots in Belmarsh.”
Roger Waters
“We’ve just been in to see Julian and we had a great conversation. Not withstanding the draconian conditions here we’ve managed to have a proper afternoon with our great hero. I’m feeling a bit over emotional so I’d rather not say much more. We have to keep fighting for proper justice.”
Stella Assange
“It’s so important for Julian to be surrounded by his friends and family. You’ve seen how he is surviving, with people around him who remind him that he is so important and loved, and I think he really enjoyed today.”
Julian Assange has been held in prison in England since April 2019, pending an extradition request from the United States. Through his journalistic work and through the WikiLeaks website he has exposed war crimes, notably in Iraq and Afghanistan through the release of tens of thousands of confidential and secret diplomatic and military documents. If extradited to the US for these activities, there is a possibility that he could be sentenced to up to 175 years in prison.
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