[quote]
[I]Editor's note: There’s no doubt that WikiLeaks and its figurehead-on-the-run Julian Assange are among the hottest items for discussion on the planet right now.[/I]
[I]Feelings are running high, and many in this country take the view that the Australian Government ought do more to assist its vilified, beleaguered citizen.[/I]
[I]Assange has become a cause celebre, as evidenced by the signatories to this open letter, a who’s who of sorts, from Noam Chomsky to Helen Garner...[/I]
[B]We wrote the letter below because we believe that Julian Assange is entitled to all the protections enshrined in the rule of law – and that the Australian Government has an obligation to ensure he receives them.[/B]
[B]The signatures here have been collected in the course of a day-and-a-half, primarily from people in publishing, law and politics. The signatories hold divergent views about WikiLeaks and its operations. But they are united in a determination to see Mr Assange treated fairly.[/B]
[B]We know that many others would have liked to sign. But given the urgency of the situation, we though it expedient to publish now rather than collect more names.[/B]
[B]If, however, you agree with the sentiments expressed, we encourage you to leave your name in the comments section.[/B]
Dear Prime Minister,
We note with concern the increasingly violent rhetoric directed towards Julian Assange of WikiLeaks.
“We should treat Mr Assange the same way as other high-value terrorist targets: Kill him,” writes conservative columnist Jeffrey T Kuhner in the [I]Washington Times[/I].
William Kristol, former chief of staff to vice president Dan Quayle, asks, “Why can’t we use our various assets to harass, snatch or neutralize Julian Assange and his collaborators, wherever they are?”
“Why isn’t Julian Assange dead?” writes the prominent US pundit Jonah Goldberg.
“The CIA should have already killed Julian Assange,” says John Hawkins on the [I]Right Wing News[/I] site.
Sarah Palin, a likely presidential candidate, compares Assange to an Al Qaeda leader; Rick Santorum, former Pennsylvania senator and potential presidential contender, accuses Assange of “terrorism”.
And so on and so forth.
Such calls cannot be dismissed as bluster. Over the last decade, we have seen the normalisation of extrajudicial measures once unthinkable, from ‘extraordinary rendition’ (kidnapping) to ‘enhanced interrogation’ (torture).
In that context, we now have grave concerns for Mr Assange’s wellbeing.
Irrespective of the political controversies surrounding WikiLeaks, Mr Assange remains entitled to conduct his affairs in safety, and to receive procedural fairness in any legal proceedings against him.
As is well known, Mr Assange is an Australian citizen.
We therefore call upon you to condemn, on behalf of the Australian Government, calls for physical harm to be inflicted upon Mr Assange, and to state publicly that you will ensure Mr Assange receives the rights and protections to which he is entitled, irrespective of whether the unlawful threats against him come from individuals or states.
We urge you to confirm publicly Australia’s commitment to freedom of political communication; to refrain from cancelling Mr Assange's passport, in the absence of clear proof that such a step is warranted; to provide assistance and advocacy to Mr Assange; and do everything in your power to ensure that any legal proceedings taken against him comply fully with the principles of law and procedural fairness.
A statement by you to this effect should not be controversial – it is a simple commitment to democratic principles and the rule of law.
We believe this case represents something of a watershed, with implications that extend beyond Mr Assange and WikiLeaks. In many parts of the globe, death threats routinely silence those who would publish or disseminate controversial material. If these incitements to violence against Mr Assange, a recipient of Amnesty International’s Media Award, are allowed to stand, a disturbing new precedent will have been established in the English-speaking world.
In this crucial time, a strong statement by you and your Government can make an important difference.
We look forward to your response.[/quote]Source
[URL]http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/41914.html[/URL]
Nifty news hopefully the AUS government does something good for once.
AUS government is shit
Seems a fair request. Regardless of what his crimes are, he doesn't deserve death, as some people are calling for.
[QUOTE=dude2193;26542056]AUS government is shit[/QUOTE]
Its funny cause you're Australian. :v:
[QUOTE=Dr_Funk;26542069]Seems a fair request. Regardless of what his crimes are, he doesn't deserve death, as some people are calling for.[/QUOTE]
Dick waving doesn't deserve any punishment.
thatsthejoke.jpg
If he comes back to Australia, I will track him down and personally shake his hand. That will be my mission.
[QUOTE=QueenElizebeth;26542365]If he comes back to Australia, I will track him down and personally shake his hand. That will be my mission.[/QUOTE]
Fuck that, I'll volunteer to be his personal bodyguard free of charge.
[QUOTE=QueenElizebeth;26542365]If he comes back to Australia, I will track him down and personally shake his hand. That will be my mission.[/QUOTE]
I would hug him.
Fuck, bloody julias.
Every time i read Julian Assange as Julia Gillard
"Julia Gillard arrested!"
WHAT.
[QUOTE=1239the;26542389]Fuck that, I'll volunteer to be his personal bodyguard free of charge.[/QUOTE]
I guess we'll never see you again
[QUOTE=1239the;26542389]Fuck that, I'll volunteer to be his personal bodyguard free of charge.[/QUOTE]
He may as well be dead in that case.
[QUOTE=JaegerMonster;26542981]He may as well be dead in that case.[/QUOTE]
It's Australia.
The fucking crocodiles and kangaroos would rally an army and kill any Interpol that tries to get him.
[QUOTE=superdinoman;26542080]Dick waving doesn't deserve any punishment.[/QUOTE]
so when i do it, it's indecent exposure and 500 hours of community service, but when julian assange does it it's legal?
[B]In other news:[/B]
Australia bans open letters
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