Stella Moris Assange: "They want to jail Julian so that they can jail any journalist"

According to the wife of the co-founder of WikiLeaks, in solitary confinemennt for over four years in a UK maximum security prison, this bullying technique is deliberately being used to frighten journalists and editors everywhere in the world.  (Strike one to educate one hundred, one might add, quoting Chairman Mao.)

And, unfortunately, the intimidation is already showing its effects, added the 39-year-old lawyer and human rights activist, who was born and raised in South Africa. Journalists have told her they work under the fear of being "julian-assanged." And she spoke of U.S. newspapers that have stopped doing investigative journalism altogether because their sources – the people inside the system who, in the past, used to leak the wrongdoings they came across – are now silent. Especially revealing is the confession of an editor who told her frankly that he is no longer willing to publish explosive revelations that could get him into trouble.

All that is, increasingly, the climate in newsrooms today.

And that is why we must fight for Julian's freedom, Stella added: his freedom goes hand in hand with the Freedom of the Press, Freedom of Expression and our Right to Know what is done in our name.

The wife of the WikiLeaks co-founder ended her speech just as she had opened it, with an appeal to the host country of the press conference, Switzerland, to take a stand for her husband's release.

Multiple questions from journalists in the room and online followed.

Two in particular, from the Pressenza correspondent, are significant at this crucial time when Assange could be extradited to the United States at any moment. They are the following:

1. "Stella, activists, who support your husband, call "Day X " the day that the British High Court will announce whether it will grant Julian a further hearing . If it does not, his last chance in the UK will vanish. Activists are therefore planning a mass demonstration outside the High Court on "Day X" and will be hanging yellow "Free Assange" ribbons outside embassies in countries around the world. But this is just "Day X": there is also "Day Y," which is the day the police van actually arrives at Belmarsh Prison to take Julian to the airport. What can activists do to forcefully show their disapproval of that act? Do you have any suggestions?"
2. "The second question concerns Julian's future. It is clear that the United States and the United Kingdom do not want to give Julian his freedom back, because they do not want him to revive WikiLeaks and start making explosive revelations once again. So is there any compromise solution between, on the one hand, unconditional freedom for him and, on the other hand, his agreeing not to revive WikiLeaks? For example, would Julian agree to live in Australia, in a small isolated location with you and the family – but without an Internet connection, so that he could no longer "do any more damage" (from the perspective of the U.S. and Britain)?"

It is possible to see the video of the entire press conference, lasting one hour and 20 minutes, as well as the short video of Stella's answers to the two questions mentioned above (7 minutes long); just click on this link http://boylan.it/assange/7 . You will also find, at that link, the transcript of the short 7-minute video and its translation into Italian for the Italian readers of Pressenza.

For further details: info@boylan.it