Three thousand signatures in four days! The rapid growth of this petition reflects the level of outrage and concern that exists around the world about the punitive conditions the UK are inflicting on Julian Assange at Belmarsh Prison in London.
Belmarsh is a Category A high security prison, which is meant for “male prisoners who, if they were to escape, pose the most threat to the public, the police or national security.” It is outrageous to suggest this applies to a non-violent political prisoner jailed only on remand on specious charges related to his legitimate activities as a journalist and publisher in his former role as editor in chief of Wikileaks.
Obviously the main focus of our campaign must be to free Julian Assange and defeat the US attempts to extradite him on concocted espionage charges, the hearing for which is scheduled for February 2020. However the campaign to Free Assange is not separate from the fight against the isolation and psychological torture being inflicted on him at Belmarsh Prison. The fight to free a political prisoner includes the fight for their human rights during their time in prison. In the case of Julian Assange these conditions are threatening his very survival. The harsh truth is that the conditions at Belmarsh risk killing Assange. It is worth repeating the UN Special Rapporteur on torture, Nils Melzer’s words:
“Unless the UK urgently changes course and alleviates his inhumane situation, Mr. Assange’s continued exposure to arbitrariness and abuse may soon end up costing his life."
The political task of saving Julian from extradition to the US therefore must involve fighting to save his life in the UK by fighting to get him into a low security prison which is less detrimental to his health and where he can access the resources and people necessary for him to conduct his own defence.
Actions to take:
1) Please share the petition through your networks. Lets keep the momentum building!
2) Raise the plight of Julian Assange, a non-violent political prisoner who should be moved out of high security prison, in your community, associations and workplaces!
3) Join or start “Free Assange Committee” in your area to fight for this demand and to Free Julian. We need protesters on the streets all over the world building an international movement of ordinary people. This is the only social force that can ultimately stop the Trump Administration jailing Julian for ever. Campaign advice from Julian Assange’s letters from Belmarsh is summarised here.
4) If in London, join other activists outside the Westminster Magistrate’s court on December 19th at 9AM to protest and bear witness as a case management hearing occurs in the extradition process (to review the progress of the case, including evidence submitted).
5) This petition is being targeted at Lucy Frazer (Minister of State of Justice), Dr Jo Farrar CEO of HMPPS (UK Prison service) and Sue McAllister (Prison and Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales). Change.org will send these “decision makers’ regular updates on the progress of the petition’s growth. Also, everyone who has signed this petition is encouraged to also send a polite email or tweet to them explaining why you signed the petition and why they must act on it as a matter of urgency!
Contact details for “decision makers”
Lucy Frazer - Minister of State at Ministry of Justice
Email: Lucy.Frazer@justice.gsi.gov.uk
Twitter: @lucyfrazermp
Dr Jo Farrar – CEO of HMPSS
Email: ceohmpps@noms.gsi.gov.uk
Twitter: @CEOofHMPPS
Sue McAllister - Prisons and Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales
Email: mail@ppo.gov.uk
Twitter: @sue1mcallister
(Reminder - please keep your emails impassioned but polite.)
Finally, thanks for adding your name to this demand by signing the petition! Moving forward please take the time to:
SHARE THE PETITION - TAKE ACTION AND LETS GET JULIAN ASSANGE OUT OF HIGH SECURITY PRISON SO HE CAN SURVIVE, DEFEND HIMSELF AND GIVE US ALL TIME TO FIGHT FOR HIS FREEDOM!
#FREE JULIAN ASSANGE! #BELMARSHISKILLINGASSANGE #NOEXTRADITION