‘I pleaded guilty to journalism’ – Assange – Orinoco Tribune – News and opinion pieces about Venezuela and beyond

The WikiLeaks founder has made his first public appearance since being released from a British prison

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange called on European lawmakers to act against the uprising “transnational repression” of journalism by great powers during a speech to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Tuesday. It was his first public appearance since he was released from prison at the end of June.

Assange spent years in a maximum security prison in Britain as he fought extradition to the US, which had accused him of unlawfully obtaining and disclosing classified information related to national defense. In June, he reached a settlement with the US Department of Justice, formally admitting any guilt and waiving the right to legal remedies through the European Court of Human Rights, for example, in exchange for freedom.

“I want to be completely clear. I’m not free today because the system worked. I am free today, after years of incarceration, because I pleaded guilty to journalism.” he told members of the PACE legal affairs committee in Strasbourg.

In his testimony, Assange talked about his legal situation and what he mentioned “campaign of retaliation” by the CIA led by Mike Pompeo during Donald Trump’s presidency. According to media reports and other materials, the agency conducted an extensive surveillance campaign against the publisher, his family and associates. Consideration was reportedly given to kidnapping or killing Assange while he was protected by political asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

Julian Assange is finally free, but his plea deal sets a dangerous precedent for journalists

Assange said that while his personal story was moving, others in the same situation did not enjoy the same level of publicity and international support. Meanwhile, the world has changed dramatically for the worse since he founded WikiLeaks, he added.

“I see more impunity, more secrecy, more retaliation for telling the truth, and more self-censorship.” he said. “It is difficult not to draw a line between the US government’s persecution of me – crossing the Rubicon by criminalizing journalism internationally – to the cold climate for freedom of expression that now exists.”

The US has successfully abused European legal procedures to retaliate against a publisher and has been emboldened to reuse the same playbook, as have other countries, Assange claimed.

“If powerful countries feel entitled to attack individuals outside their borders, those individuals don’t stand a chance unless strong safeguards are in place and a state is willing to enforce them. Without them, no individual can hope to defend themselves against the enormous resources that a state aggressor can deploy.” he warned.

It is up to European governments to ensure this “The freedom to speak and the freedom to publish the truth are not privileges enjoyed by a few, but rights guaranteed to all.” he concluded.

(RT)