ASSANGE EXTRADITION: Politicians Call on UK to Release Assange
June 12, 2020
A group of members of the European Parliaments, and former members of
Congress and local legislatures have written to Britains secretary of state
for justice urging that Julian Assange be released from Belmarsh prison on
compassionate grounds.
The text of the letter signed by former British MP Chris Williamson, former
U.S. Mike Gravel and former Congressman Ron Paul among other political
leaders:
June 1, 2020
FAO The Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP
Lord Chancellor & Secretary of State for Justice
CC The Hon Bob Neill MP
UK Commons Justice Committee Chair
Dear Sir,
REQUEST FOR COMPASSIONATE RELEASE OF JULIAN ASSANGE
As current and former elected representatives in democracies committed to
human rights, the presumption of innocence and the rule of law, we wish to
support the urgent appeal sent to you by Australian MPs Andrew Wilkie and
George Christensen, who wrote:
We ask that you urgently reconsider providing Mr Assange with release from
Belmarsh Prison to monitored home detention, as he fits all of the grounds
noted for such early release by leading organisations as the World Health
Organisation, the United Nations and the UK Prison Officers Association.
These organisations have been unanimous in calling for the release of all
non-violent COVID-19 prisoners, and we ask that you give compassionate
consideration to the following:
Mr Assange is a non-violent remand prisoner with no history of harm to the
community. He is not convicted and is thus entitled to the presumption of
innocence.
Doctors of Mr Assange warn he is at high risk from dying if he contracts
COVID-19 as he has a pre-existing chronic lung condition.
We are advised that COVID-19 is rapidly spreading throughout UK prisons, and
that there are infections [and at least one death] at Belmarsh Prison.
We understand that the prison is short staffed and normal activity regimes
are suspended.
Mr Assange is in poor mental health due to spending so much time in solitary
confinement over recent years, and prison COVID-19 lockdown measures are
further undermining his mental health.
We ask that you give further consideration to the very reasonable request by
Mr Assanges lawyers that this non-violent Australian prisoner be released
into home detention with a 24-hour ankle monitor.
With the director of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention warning
of a second wave of coronavirus during influenza season, we stress that even
those vulnerable prisoners, such as Julian Assange, who survive the current
crisis remain at risk.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Arthur Chesterfield-Evans, former Member of the Legislative Council of
NSW, Australia
Clare Daly, Member of the European Parliament, Republic of Ireland
Andrew Feinstein, former Member of the African National Congress, South
Africa
Mike Gravel, former US Senator, United States
Heike Hänsel, Member of the German Bundestag, Germany
Eva Joly, former Member of the European Parliament, France
Ogmundur Jonasson, former Member of the Icelandic Parliament, Iceland
Ron Paul, former US Congressman, United States
Yanis Varoufakis, Member of the Greek Parliament, Greece
Mick Wallace, Member of the European Parliament, Republic of Ireland
Chris Williamson, former Member of Parliament, United Kingdom
Signatories from the European Parliament:
Stelios Kouloglou Group of the European United Left Nordic Green Left
Greece
Dimitrios Papadimoulis-Group of the European United Left Nordic Green Left
Greece
Marketa Gregorova Czech Pirate Party Czech Republic
Yana Toom Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Estonia
Marisa Matias Group of the European United Left Nordic Green Left
portugal
Maria Arena Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats
Belgium
Carles Puigdemont Non Attached Spain
Antoni Comin Non attached Spain
Clara Ponsati Non attached Spain
Dietmar Koster Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats
Germany
Kostantinos Arvanitis Group of the European United Left Nordic Green Left
Greece
Eleonora Evi Non attached member Italy
Martin Sonnenborn Non attached member Germany
Helmut Scholz Group of the European United Left Nordic Green Left
Germany
Clare Daly Group of the European United Left Nordic Green Left Ireland
Mick Wallace Group of the European United Left Nordic Green Left
Ireland
Katerina Konecna-Group of the European United Left -Czechia
Jose Gusmao Group of the European United Left Nordic Green Left
Portugal
Eugenia Rodriguez Palop group of the European United left Spain
Klaus Buchner Greens Germany
Idoia Ruiz Villanueva European United Left Spain
Manuel Bompard Group of the European United Left Nordic Green Left
France
Damien Careme Greens France
Marc Johan Botenga Group of the European United Left Nordic Green Left
Belgium
Cornelia Ernst Group of the European United Left Nordic Green Left
Germany
Diana Riba Greens Spain
Derk Jan Eppink European Conservatives and Reformists Group Netherlands
Rob Roos European Conservatives and Reformists Group Netherlands
Rob Rooken-European Conservatives and Reformists Group Netherlands
Petros Kokkalis-Group of the European United Left Nordic Green Left
Greece
Patrick Breyer Greens Germany
Alviina Alametsä Greens -Finland
Martin Buschmann Non attached German
Sira Rego Group of the European United Left Nordic Green Left- Spain
Manu Pineda Group of the European United Left Nordic Green Left Spain
Ismail Ertug Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats
Germany
