by Tasmania 4 Assange

Supporters of Julian Assange organised rallies in Launceston and Hobart on May 19 and May 20 in the lead up to the British High Court’s decision on whether to grant him leave to appeal his extradition to the United States.

The court has ruled for grounds to appeal; however, Assange remains in legal limbo in 2 by 3 metre cell, 23 hours a day, under solitary confinement, in London’s Belmarsh Prison.

Speakers at the Hobart and Launceston rallies included Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, independent Federal MP Andrew Wilkie, Liberal MP Bridget Archer, Assange Campaign advisor Greg Barns SC and Greens Senator Nick McKim.

They were joined by long time human rights activist Peter Jones and public Interest Lawyer Vanessa Bleyer.

Speakers laid bare Julian Assange’s ongoing ordeal and emphasised that regardless of what the court decides, the case must be abandoned.

A minute’s silence was observed at the Launceston rally, while a recording of Belmarsh’s horror soundscape was played.

Speaking in Launceston, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson compared Assange’s case to that of military whistleblower David McBride saying that “David McBride was sentenced this week for nearly five years. He exposed war crimes, but the war criminals – and we know some of them are war criminals because a civil court has determined that – they still haven’t been thrown in jail and the same goes for Julian.”

In Hobart, Andrew Wilkie explained how this case sets a dangerous precedent “that the US will have global extraterritoriality of its laws is such a breakdown of our understanding of justice and the rule of law.”

Alongside Mr Wilkie, Senator Whish-Wilson was a founding member of the Cross Parliamentary Group to Bring Assange Home of which Tasmanian Liberal MP Bridget Archer is also a member. Last year this group sent an unlikely delegation of MPs to the US to petition the US to drop the charges against Assange. This has inspired an equally unlikely assortment of congress people and senators in the US to start their own cross parliamentary group to advocate for Assange.

Archer noted “the tide is turning in [Assange’s] case” offering that people who previously have shown no interest are “increasingly uncomfortable with the level of cruelty that has been inflicted on Julian”. She said, “we have to keep up the fight and keep up the pressure on anybody who is in the position to do something”.

Whish-Wilson commended Liberal MP Bridget Archer for standing up for Assange during the Scott Morrison government and noted “we have come a long way since the days of Scott Morrison, but we still have a way to go”.

Morrison held the view that Assange should “face the music” and be extradited to the US. He was also known for his friendship with former CIA director and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a driving force to indict Assange under the former Donald Trump Administration.

Pompeo is accused of ordering “sketches to kidnap or kill” Assange. Morrison has recently accepted an advisory position in AUKUS investor DYNE Maritime, alongside Pompeo.

Public interest Lawyer Vanessa Bleyer said, “this is not a legal case, this is a political case” with Greg Barns adding “there is no public interest in continuing this matter”. Assange has suffered deprivation of his liberty for 12 years with the past 5 years spent in maximum-security prison only on remand.

Mr Wilkie said, “the matter should have been resolved years ago” with Senator Nick McKim saying that “the time for quiet diplomacy is passed, it is time for loud diplomacy, to communicate our demand, not request, that Julian Assange be set free”.

Senator McKim further warned that “if journalists go to jail for reporting in the public interest there is literally no way people like us can find out the truth”.

There will be screenings of The Trust Fall – Julian Assange showing one time only at Launceston and Hobart Village Cinemas 29 May at 18.30.