Legendary Hollywood film actor, John Malkovich, took a stance in the Julian Assange case on Sunday when he asked the government of the United Kingdom to review the decision it made to extradite Assange to the United States.
“In the case of Julian Assange, I very much hope the UK government might rethink their position about extraditing him to America because I don’t in any way believe he got a fair trial there,” Malkovich said in a statement made last Sunday, October 23.
John Malkovich on Julian Assange: "I don't believe he will get a fair trial (in the US)…I would urge the UK government to revisit that decision (to extradite) pic.twitter.com/gdGzAWvZPD
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) October 23, 2022
On August 26, Assange filed his Perfected Grounds of Appeal before the High Court of Justice Administrative Court. The Respondents are the U.S. Government and the UK Home Secretary. The appeal also included arguments that the Secretary of State for the Home Department (SSHD) at the time, Priti Patel, violated Article 4 of the U.S.-U.K. Extradition Treaty. Assange was charged under the 1917 Espionage Act and faces up to 175 years in prison if convicted in the U.S.
“If our governments were more honest and more forthcoming about their actions and their activities probably there wouldn’t be a need for journalists like Julian Assange to do what they do, but we all know that that is not the case and they’re not forthcoming or honest about many many things,” Malkovich said.
“For me, it’s quite critical to know what is done in my name. That’s why I would urge the UK government to revisit that decision,” he added.
According to Julian’s wife, Stella Assange, the intrepid publisher was moved to a bare cell on the day that his extradition was announced by the UK Secretary of State for the Home Department at the time, Priti Patel, on June 17th, 2022.
In June, the free expression non-profit, PEN America, issued a press release in which they demanded that the Biden Administration drop criminal charges against Assange.
On August 15th, a group of journalists and lawyers sued the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and its former Director, Mike Pompeo, in the case Margaret Ratner Kunstler, Deborah Hrbek, John Goetz & Charles Glass vs. Central Intelligence Agency, Michael R. Pompeo, David Morales Guillen and Undercover Global S.L. (1:22-CV-06913), over allegations that The Agency spied on them when they visited Assange in London at the Ecuadorian embassy.
Supporters of Assange gathered in London and formed a human chain which surrounded Parliament on October 8th as a demonstration of popular support for the caged journalist.
Protesters complete epic Surround Parliament event in London calling for immediate release of the publisher Julian Assange
One clear message: Free Julian Assange! #FreeAssangeNOW #SurroundParliament pic.twitter.com/DFHgvJCGTH
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) October 8, 2022
On the same day in Washington D.C., similar events were held where supporters of the trailblazing Australian publisher gathered to express demands for the drop of charges against him. Similar events occurred around the country in cities like Minneapolis, Seattle, Tulsa, Denver, and the Bay Area of San Francisco.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Chris Hedges, CIA torture whistleblower John Kiriakou, and the co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s, Ben Cohen were some of the people in attendance in D.C. Roger Waters of Pink Floyd called on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to free Assange at an event in D.C. in August.
“Julian Assange was long a target of course. When WikiLeaks published the documents known as Vault 7, which exposed the hacking tools the CIA uses to monitor our phones, television and even cars, he – & journalism itself – was condemned to crucifixion” writer Chris Hedges said.
Primary source documentarian, Ford Fischer, was at the event organized by Assange supporters and captured Kiriakou’s message to the crowd.
"Everybody at the CIA is a liar. Everybody," said CIA whistleblower @JohnKiriakou, who served prison time for exposing waterboarding.
He calls it another lie that Assange would receive a fair trial. "A fair trial is impossible."
"It's up to us to be there for Julian Assange." pic.twitter.com/UMNjJbR2aU
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) October 9, 2022
“The CIA told us that there was no torture program. That was a lie. The CIA told us that there was no archipelago of secret prisons all over the world. …. They told us there was no international rendition; or kidnapping program; where we go overseas and just snatch people off the streets or out of their homes. That was a lie. The CIA tells us today that they cannot even confirm the existence of a drone program. They’re lying,” Kiriakou said to the crowd. “Mike Pompeo said on the campaign trail that if and when Julian Assange is extradited to the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA), he will receive a fair trial. That is a lie.”
In June, Judge Santiago Padraz of Spain’s National Court sent a request to the U.S. Government that called former U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, to testify as a witness over the September 2021 whistleblower report that the CIA planned contingency plans for the assassination of Julian Assange. One of them included the scenario of a Jason Bourne-Esque firefight on the streets of London. In the wake of the CIA assassination story, The International Federation of Journalists issued a press release that called for his immediate release and a full investigation into the assassination plots.
On August 25th, Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCHR) at the time, met with Stella Assange and Julian’s lawyers from Spain, Baltasar Garzon and Aitor Martinez, at the Palais Wilson in Geneva, Switzerland. In the days leading up to Stella’s meeting with the UN High Commissioner, Julian had suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA), a precursor to a full stroke.
UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, has reiterated his assessment that after analysis of his situation, his contention is that Assange’s current experience is paramount to torture.
Let us not forget that the star witness for the FBI in their case against Assange, Sigurdur Ingi Thordarson, a citizen of Iceland, not only is a convicted pedophile but was recruited for the specific goal of the entrapment of Julian Assange.
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have shortlisted Assange for the European Parliament 2022 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
The Head of Government of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, named Julain Assange a Distinguished Guest and delivered the Keys to the City to Assange’s family, who were in Mexico at the invitation of the Presidency in September. In July, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) advised President Joe Biden publicly on his disagreement with Assange’s arrest and reiterated an offer of asylum to the persecuted journalist. AMLO also previously referred to Assange as “the best journalist of our time.”
In June 2022, the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) trade union President, Karen Percy, wrote a letter to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in which she urged them to press the U.S. to drop the criminal espionage charges against Assange.
A new documentary highlights the experience of Assange’s father.
Ithaka is a feature documentary directed by Ben Lawrence which will cover the determined public advocacy by Julian’s father, John Shipton, on his behalf, in the face of legal battles and media spotlight. The documentary will premiere at the annual New York City-based film festival, DOC NYC, on November 13th in Manhattan.
As Assange deteriorates, Americans have to deal with the gaslighting attempts and hypocrisy by State Department Spokesman Ned Price.
Julian Assange would like a word. pic.twitter.com/lMc2O9DwBt
— Comrade Misty is Putin’s Buddy (@SarcasmStardust) October 26, 2022
