The petition demanding the UK Prison service immediately transfer Assange out of the harsh maximum security regime of Belmarsh Prison to a minimum security facility commensurate with his status of non-violent political prisoner on remand - has now received over 11,000 signatures.
Adding even more weight to this demand is the recent article written by journalist John Pilger, friend of Assange and one of the four Courage Foundation Trustees. The article "JOHN PILGER: Visiting Britain’s Political Prisoner", outlined in detail the series of security checks that he had to get through, just to talk to Julian, which included sniffer dogs, biometric screening and other security procedures.
Over sixty- five doctors have stated that Julian’s life is in danger unless he gets urgent medical care in a hospital. In contrast, Pilger described the woeful state of the so-called “treatment” available to Julian in Belmarsh:
"For 22 hours a day, Julian is confined in “healthcare”. It’s not really a prison hospital, but a place where he can be isolated, medicated and spied on. They spy on him every 30 minutes: eyes through the door. They would call this “suicide watch”.
In the adjoining cells are convicted murderers, and further along is a mentally ill man who screams through the night. “This is my One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” he said. “Therapy” is an occasional game of Monopoly. His one assured social gathering is the weekly service in the chapel. The priest, a kind man, has become a friend. The other day, a prisoner was attacked in the chapel; a fist smashed his head from behind while hymns were being sung."
Pilger then went on to describe his time with Julian during the visit:
"When we greet each other, I can feel his ribs. His arm has no muscle. He has lost perhaps 10 to 15 kilos since April. When I first saw him here in May, what was most shocking was how much older he looked.
“I think I’m going out of my mind,” he said then.
I said to him, “No you’re not. Look how you frighten them, how powerful you are.” Julian’s intellect, resilience and wicked sense of humor – all unknown to the low life who defame him — are, I believe, protecting him. He is wounded badly, but he is not going out of his mind."
In a crucial piece of information, Pilger wrote:
"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."
This is why we must keep sharing and building not just this petition but protest in other ways to elevate the demand that Julian be moved out of Belmarsh now! As Julian and his lawyers have continued to insist, keeping Julian in Belmarsh is not only a form of torture but is stopping Julian from defending himself. How can Julian defend himself without accessing his documents or being able to even speak to US lawyers!
Pilger finished his article with the words:
"Now the guards shouted at the rest of us that it was time to go. With the women and children and grandmothers, I began the long journey through the maze of sealed areas and yellow lines and biometric stops to the main gate. As I left the visitor’s room, I looked back, as I always do. Julian sat alone, his fist clenched and held high."
If Julian can maintain this defiant stance in the face of all that has happened to him so far, if he can withstand the punitive conditions inflicted on him by Governor Rob Davis at the Belmarsh Petition, then we must maintain our determination and defiance in the struggle to free him!
Whilst our ultimate demand is to have Julian freed unconditionally without facing any risk of extradition to the US, we cannot say silent as he is tortured day-to-day in Belmarsh. Please help promote this petition to the UK Minister of State Lucy Frazer and the CEO of the Prison Service Jo Farrar. Promote the campaign to free Assange in your workplace, school or community!
Julian’s has two upcoming court dates at the Westminster Court in London, as his show trial in the UK progresses in the build up to his February extradition hearing.
The first is on December 13th, which will be the next mandatory administrative hearing. These are hearings that must occur at least every 28 days- as, in the UK someone cannot be kept in custody on remand for longer than this period without a judge approving their detention.
The second is on December 19th, which will be a case management hearing to review evidence submitted and the progress of the case.
If you are in the UK, I encourage you to be at the court at 9AM on both of these days to show the worlds media and Julian that he is supported, to show the UK courts they are being watched and to show that we will contest every step of the outrageous abuse of judicial power to prosecute a journalist.
We have got the petition to 11,000 signatures in just over 2 weeks. Keep sharing to add even more voices to our demand to the UK government that Julian must be taken out of Belmarsh now!
#BelmarshiskillingAssange #FreeAssange #Noextraditon