WikiLeaks founder and journalist Julian Assange will appear in person at Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday, October 21, ahead of a full extradition hearing in February.
At Monday’s case management hearing, Assange’s legal team is expected to outline initial arguments against a US extradition request that includes 17 indictments under the Espionage Act.
The World Socialist Web Site urges the widest support for Monday’s demonstration outside the court from 9 a.m. (see details below). We will report live outside the court via the Socialist Equality Party (UK) Facebook page.
The charges against Assange criminalise core journalistic activity and are a frontal assault on the democratic right to free speech and freedom of the press. The US government and its allies—including the UK and Australia—want to silence Assange for exposing US war crimes, illegal mass surveillance and state corruption. The Trump administration’s brutal and illegal persecution and torture of Assange is aimed against the entire working class.
On Thursday, journalist John Pilger visited Assange in prison. He tweeted the following message about Monday’s hearing: “I saw Julian #Assange today in Belmarsh prison. Denied the tools to prepare his defence against extradition to America, his resilience endures. On Monday he appears at Westminster Magistrates Court where his epic fight begins. It’s the fight of democracy. Join us.”
According to the Courage Foundation, which works closely with Assange’s legal team: “At the 21st October hearing, many aspects of the future of his extradition challenge will be made clear. The context will be the timetable of future proceedings and a review of the progression of defence arguments and evidence.”
The fate of Julian Assange, who faces 175-years in an American dungeon, rests now more than ever on the active support of the international working class.
Details of protest:
Westminster Magistrates Court
Monday, October 21, 9 a.m.
181 Marylebone Road
London, NW1 5BR
Nearest Tubes: Marylebone, Edgware Road, Baker Street Facebook event