Talk:Julian Assange

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Julian Assange faces extradition from the UK to the United States after he was arrested and forcibly removed from the Ecuadorian embassy in London almost seven years after he sought refuge there. The WikiLeaks founder was brought before Westminster Magistrates' Court this afternoon where he was found guilty of breaching bail conditions in 2012. He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court at a later date. Assange faces up to 12 months in prison on the charge. He will next appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 2 May by video-link in relation to the extradition case.

Known Indictments and investigations

Alleged investigations/charges

2012
  • US said to designate Assange 'enemy' of the state. Military who 'communicate' with WikiLeaks could face death penalty. - Rik Myslewski, The Register, September 28, 2012
  • US calls Assange 'enemy of state' - Philip Dorling, The Sydney Morning Herald, September 27, 2012
    The documents, some originally classified "Secret/NoForn" - not releasable to non-US nationals - record a probe by the air force's Office of Special Investigations into a cyber systems analyst based in Britain who allegedly expressed support for WikiLeaks and attended pro-Assange demonstrations in London. The suspected offence was "communicating with the enemy, 104-D", an article in the US Uniform Code of Military Justice that prohibits military personnel from "communicating, corresponding or holding intercourse with the enemy". The analyst's access to classified information was suspended. However, the investigators closed the case without laying charges. The analyst denied leaking information.
  • 904. ARTICLE 104. AIDING THE ENEMY , US Uniform Code of Military Justice
    --Resup (talk) 07:32, 21 April 2019 (UTC)

“Vault 7“ leak, 2017

USC
Joshua Schulte

Statute of limitations

Statute of limitations for most federal crimes is 5 years; as 'anything', with exceptions. A theory is floated that "terrorism" exception is applied (National Review, Apr. 11, 2019). That may or may not be not necessary depending of the meaning of the "fugitive" article , 18 U.S. § 3290 --Resup (talk) 20:09, 13 April 2019 (UTC)

UK - US Extradition Treaty

Part 2 of the Act: Extradition to category 2 territories (non-European Arrest Warrant territories) removed the requirement on the USA to provide prima facie evidence in extraditions from the UK, requiring instead only reasonable suspicion.


External opinions

Professionals
Journalists
Politicians
  • Are US/UK Trying To Kill Assange? -Ron Paul Liberty Report, May 30. 2019
    RP: ...we do not have moral system of justice, we do not have constitutional system of justice, and it is just totally out of control....
    --Resup (talk) 19:08, 31 May 2019 (UTC)

Interviews

Court statements

Discussion

Julian Assange has been taken to HMP Belmarsh which is a Category A Prison. Category A: “Those whose escape would be highly dangerous to the public or national security. Offences that may result in consideration for Category A or Restricted Status include: , Attempted murder, Manslaughter, Wounding with intent, Rape, Indecent assault, Robbery or conspiracy to rob (with firearms), Firearms offences, Importing or supplying Class A controlled drug, Possessing or supplying explosives, Offences connected with terrorism and Offences under the Official Secrets Act”. Category A prisoners are further segregated into Standard Risk, High Risk, and Exceptional Risk, based on their likelihood of escaping. www.justice.gov.uk/...40-2011-categorisation-adult-males.doc Seems the categorisation decision has little to do with the actual charges brought in the UK against Assange, but on assement on wider 'risk' factors: (i) escape/abscond or (ii) risk of harm to the public in the event of an escape or abscond (iii) the safety of others within the prison (iv) the good order of the prison

-- Diagonal

My guess, (reality =) offensives equivalent to those under the Official Secrets Act, committed in USA; + (nominally) 'escape risk' + (past-and-maybe-future allegedly) 'rape' --Resup (talk) 12:35, 16 April 2019 (UTC)

My guess, its more to do with managing the consequence of having such high profile anti establishment figure in a prison. Lockdowned in Belmarsh its easier to control other prisoners reactions, his interactions with other prisoners, harder for tidbits of info to get out on the grapevine etc, than it would be at a regular facility. Looks to me hard to justify on grounds of skipping bail (just my unqualified guess). But it is just where national security part of prison system is and where they can get at him. --Diagonal (talk) 14:34, 16 April 2019 (UTC)
Also, trying their best to prevent vindictive publications ... --Resup (talk) 15:44, 16 April 2019 (UTC)

Letters,

@GordonDimmack I received a letter from Julian Assange + RT, May 24/25, 2019 --Resup (talk) 23:53, 26 May 2019 (UTC)

Reports from prisoners

Dana Rohrabacher

  • Julian Assange: Trump 'offered pardon for Russia denial' - BBC, February 19, 2020
    A lawyer for Julian Assange has alleged that President Donald Trump offered to pardon the Wikileaks founder, if he said Russia was not involved in leaking emails during the 2016 US election.
    His barrister, Edward Fitzgerald QC, told Westminster Magistrates Court there was evidence that former Congressman Rohrabacher made the pardon offer.
  • My Meeting with Julian Assange - rohrabacher.com , February 19, 2020
    At no time did I talk to President Trump about Julian Assange. Likewise, I was not directed by Trump or anyone else connected with him to meet with Julian Assange. I was on my own fact finding mission at personal expense to find out information I thought was important to our country. I was shocked to find out that no other member of Congress had taken the time in their official or unofficial capacity to interview Julian Assange. At no time did I offer Julian Assange anything from the President because I had not spoken with the President about this issue at all. However, when speaking with Julian Assange, I told him that if he could provide me information and evidence about who actually gave him the DNC emails, I would then call on President Trump to pardon him. At no time did I offer a deal made by the President, nor did I say I was representing the President. Upon my return, I spoke briefly with Gen. Kelly. I told him that Julian Assange would provide information about the purloined DNC emails in exchange for a pardon. No one followed up with me including Gen. Kelly and that was the last discussion I had on this subject with anyone representing Trump or in his Administration.

Brilliant reporting by BBC, or brilliant barrister ? (Not.) --Resup (talk) 22:33, 19 February 2020 (UTC)

US successfully appeals prior extradition refusal

Medical treatment

After seeing the news of Julian's stroke. I figure it may well be connected to psychiatric medication that he has been receiving. I don't know if the details of his psychiatric treatment have been revealed but presumably it involves an anti-psychotic. He is reported as experiencing hallucinations.

Prof Kopelman said he is taking medication to treat depression and psychosis and has suffered physical symptoms, including a loss of appetite and problems with sleep.

Neurolpetics such as Risperdal have been linked to increased risk of cerebrovascular accidents - such as a 'transient ischemic attack' as reportedly suffered by Julian Assange. --Diagonal (talk) 15:06, 12 December 2021 (UTC)

Looks like the study was of quite elderly population, with quite high % of hypertension and non-medication events too. In his case, could be a number of things, being through all that for years including. --Resup (talk) 22:34, 13 December 2021 (UTC)

Abilify another potential drug he could have been receiving:

Cerebrovascular Adverse Events, Including Stroke: Increased incidence of cerebrovascular adverse events (e.g., stroke, transient ischemic attack), including fatalities, have been reported in clinical trials of elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with oral aripiprazole.

Perhaps Haloperidol would be a more likely choice in a high secure prison setting. It is quite immobilizing. --Diagonal (talk) 16:56, 13 December 2021 (UTC)

A much greater risk of ischemic stroke was observed in patients who used chlorpromazine and haloperidol compared to risperidone. [1]

Chris Hedges reported that Assange is on the anti-psychotic Quetiapine:

* Association of quetiapine with ischemic brain stem stroke: a case report and discussion - Selma BozkurtZincir, Betul F. Ozdilek, Serkan Zincir, Sage Journals, May 4, 2015

Oct 27, 2021. The day he suffered the stroke:

  • Fitzgerald told the court at the start of the proceedings that Assange was too unwell to attend because of a higher dosage of new medication. Sydney Morning Herald
  • On October 27, the first day of US government's appeal hearing, Julian Assange suffered a stroke. He was unwell, and the prison still made him go to the prison video room. Several journalists—including me—following court's video feed saw him and reported on how unwell he looked. Kevin Gostala on Twitter

Analysis

His steady physical and psychological deterioration has led to hallucinations and depression. He takes antidepressant medication and the antipsychotic quetiapine.