The petition demanding the UK Government immediately move Julian Assange out of Belmarsh prison continues to amass support from around the world, now exceeding 9000 signatures. Keeping Julian in Belmarsh is aimed at not only breaking him physically but stopping him from participating in his own defense.
This was graphically detailed by Jennifer Robinson description of how hard it is for her to visit Julian Assange in Belmarsh Prison. She made the following comments at a forum on October 19th in Australia which were reprinted in the wsws.org:
“I have to go into a room [at London’s Belmarsh prison], lock away my things, put away my phone and my laptop,”
“I’m only allowed to take in papers. I go into a holding area where we have to take our fingerprints. They take our keys. We then go in, walk across a courtyard into the entrance way of the prison, more finger prints, body scanning, going through doors where you have to wait for the beep to go. You walk in, you go into a sealed area before you can enter the prison. Once I’m inside I have to go through a complete body scan. Prison guards rifle through my papers to make sure there’s no contraband.
“I then have to go through another gateway, I cross another cold courtyard on the inside of the prison gates, where they take my fingerprints again. Then I actually get to an area where there’s a cafe, and of course because of austerity measures it’s manned by volunteers who work for Good Samaritans, volunteering their time to serve us things from the cafe, where I might get him [Assange] a cup of coffee and a Kit-Kat. It takes me 45 minutes from the entrance of the prison to another security desk, where I have to allow the prison guards to search my papers again. I pass people accused of violent crimes, some of them terrorism, many of them standing up against the glass, watching me as I walk past, and I come into a consultation room, and there sits Julian Assange.”
Robinson added: “Having worked on this case since 2010 I have been constantly resisting the normalisation of his treatment.”
These details add to the weight to this petition which included the following quotes:
Julian Assange in court October 21st: “I don’t understand how this is equitable. This superpower had 10 years to prepare for this case, and I can’t access my writings. It’s very difficult where I am to do anything, but these people have unlimited resources.”
Gareth Pierce representing Assange on November 18th in court:
“The most important of the impediments that we are facing is Mr Assange’s ability to access what he needs to work on his own case.”
John Pilger in a recent article also revealed
“He is still denied a laptop and software with which to prepare his case against extradition. He still cannot call his American lawyer, or his family in Australia.”
Julian Assange is a non-violent political prisoner being held on remand. It is outrageous for the UK state, at the behest of the US, to be sabotaging his right to defend himself by holding him in punitive conditions at Belmarsh which amount to torture. Julian is being held at Britain’s most notorious prison amongst the most hardened and disturbed of criminals.
In addition, as demanded in the open letter to the UK Home Secretary,now signed by over 80 doctors internationally, Julian must be transferred to a hospital setting immediately for treatment. However, if and when he is deemed fit to return to prison he must not be returned to maximum security at Belmarsh where his torture will continue whilst he is held on remand.
This compounds the injustice of him being charged at all! It is patently absurd on the face of it for Julian to be staring down 175 years for espionage in the US for the “crime” of exposing US war crimes! Journalism is not a crime. No amount of gloss can hide the truth that this is a political show trial to a fig leaf to a US “extraordinary rendition” of a journalist.
Whilst the central demand of all who sign this petition is for Julian Assange to be freed unconditionally, we cannot stay silent whilst he is tortured at Belmarsh, potentially for the next 2-3 years as the extradition hearings and appeals proceed. His life and ability to defend himself are at stake!
Julian’s lawyers are also planning to raise Julian’s conditions at Belmarsh in a future judicial proceeding. On October 21st, Wikileaks released a Press Release which included a link to a legal note that was submitted to the court at Julian’s hearing on that day. It was from the office of Gareth Pierce, Birnberg Peirce and Partners LLP. The note contained the following paragraph:
“The issue of the significant impediments to Mr Assange’s ability to engage in essential preparatory work in his case is the subject of separate proceedings which raise the principle of the right of access to the courts, frustrated when the defendant cannot have access to the means to see and prepare his own case. There is also the free standing urgent demand - for adequate care for an individual about whom there are substantial and significant concerns for his health.”
Julian’s next court date in the build up to his February extradition hearing is December 19th at the Westminster Court in London. If in the UK, please be there to protest and bear witness.
Please keep sharing the petition and joining the fight to Free Assange in other ways. We have now gained 9300 signatures since Nov 20th.
#FreeAssange #BelmashiskillingAsange #NoExtradition