FREE THE TRUTH TUKUA TE PONO 

JULIAN ASSANGE is a South Pacific journalist in jail in England. The US wants to jail him for 175 years for publishing leaked evidence of their war crimes, torture and environmental corruption. This case will allow the US to jail anyone, anywhere in the world for revealing their Human Rights crimes.

This is the most consequential Human Rights case of this Century. How can we solve abuses we aren't allowed to see? Our Right to Know is the master key to all our rights, and it's in a prison cell with Julian Assange.

The UN has repeatedly called for his freedom since 2016, but he is in solitary confinement in a UK Supermax prison. A UN expert says the UK and US have been 'literally torturing him to death'. He recently suffered a stroke, and a letter signed by hundreds of doctors warns he is likely to die soon if not freed.

Aren't there many jailed journalists? What's the big deal? 

Never has a powerful nation like the US reached out to jail a foreign journalist before. The charges also don't allow for a fair trial, because he cannot argue he published information in the public interest. This is an unprecedented test case for GLOBAL press freedom. 

This ‘is a direct threat to journalists everywhere in the world.’ - Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, Joel Simon

If he's done nothing wrong, why can't he just fight it in court in the US?

The US is using a controversial old spying law against a journalist for the first time. Under the 1917 Espionage Act, the defendant is not allowed to argue they had a Public Interest reason to publish secret documents - even if it is undisputed evidence of Human Rights crimes. He would also be detained in 24/7 solitary confinement, which is torture.

US Security Officials have said top White House and CIA Officers called for 'sketches' to assassinate Assange. We cannot expect his basic human rights to be safe in the US.

Surely we can trust the UK justice system to fairly determine this extradition request?

Apparently not. Amnesty International have said the UK extradition trial was like a 'circus'.
The International Bar Association Human Rights Insititute said the proceedings against Mr Assange 'seriously undermine due processes and the rule of law'. 

All his private meetings with his lawyers were spied on, he did not have adequate access to his lawyers, in court he was placed in a glass cage away from his lawyers, and given a laptop with the keys glued down. UN Special Rapporteur Nils Melzer said 'this extradition proceeding has become irreparably arbitrary.' There is no chance of justice.

Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders were denied access to monitor the hearings. No one can credibly say that justice is being done.

He must have done something wrong or they wouldn't be doing this?

The US prosecution has admitted under oath in two separate trials, that they have found no evidence that his publications caused any harm to anyone.

A number of experts, including New Zealand investigative journalist Nicky Hager, testified that Assange took 'extraordinary precautions' to redact sensitive information and to protect sources.

The indictment criminalises 'common journalistic activity' - Committee to Protect Journalists. The real reason he is being persecuted is that corrupt power is intimidated by the amount of corruption he and his team at Wikileaks were able to reveal.

Democratic leaders must speak up NOW

The US is attempting to assert an unprecedented tyranny, that they can imprison anyone, anywhere in the world, for revealing their Human Rights crimes. Democratic leaders around the world cannot stay silent and credibly stand for Democracy and Human Rights. 

This case threatens South Pacific journalists, the integrity and safety of our Defense Forces, and the wider public's right to know.

Julian is suffering profoudly in arbitrary solitary confinement according to his wife Stella Assange. He is likely to die according to medical experts or be extradited to even worse conditions of 24/7 solitary in the US. We must free Julian before a terrible black mark is left in history threatening anyone prepared to stand up and tell the truth.

New Zealand's Democratic representatives must stand up for a South Pacific journalist, and call on our allies to bring an end to this NOW.