ASSAGE: HAS REVEALED WAR CRIMES IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST. Word of one of the most important whistleblowers in history
The trial of Julian Assage in the United Kingdom continues, with the risk of being granted extradition to the USA, where the former leader of Wikileaks risks a very heavy prison sentence for having revealed the war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan committed from the troops to the stars and stripes, but important historical figures line up alongside him, while many hope for a grace from Trump.
Daniel Ellsberg – whose Pentagon Papers leak revealed US illegal bombing during the Vietnam War – said Julian Assange would not get a fair trial if he were extradited to the United States, all while comparing his own. case and that of the Australian.
Testifying at Assange's extradition hearing on Wednesday, Ellsberg said the WikiLeaks co-founder would be denied the chance to defend himself if sent to the United States for trial, noting that, as in his case, Assange would not be allowed. to discuss his publications were of "public interest".
"I observe the closest similarities to the position I faced, in which the exposure of lawlessness and criminal acts institutionally and by individuals was bound to be crushed by the administration executing such lawlessness," Ellsberg told the court.
WikiLeaks revelations – such as the grisly 'Collateral Murder' video, showing an American gunboat shooting Iraqi reporters – have revealed evidence of war crimes, the famous whistleblower continued, arguing that Americans had a right to know what. had made their government in their name.
"I was perfectly aware that what was depicted in that video deserved the term murder, a war crime," he said of the "Collateral Murder" footage, adding in his written testimony that the video confronted citizens with the "reality of our war". "
In cross-examination, a lawyer acting on behalf of the Washington government, James Lewis, argued that Assange was not being prosecuted specifically for the infamous video, but rather for publishing, among other things, the military's classified rules of engagement. in Iraq. Ellsberg responded that disclosure of the rules was necessary to prove the war crimes committed in the video, adding that instead of punishing the soldiers involved, the government was now prosecuting the man who disclosed evidence of their wrongdoing.
Lewis also disputed Ellsberg's confrontation with his 1971 Pentagon Papers leak – in which he ran 7,000 pages of confidential Vietnam War documents to the press – noting that Ellsberg had withheld information from the disclosure. However, Elder Ellsberg claimed that he had not blacked out a single name of a CIA informant or secret agent and that, unlike him, Assange had hidden some names and even turned to the Departments of Defense and State. to ask for help in making further informational articles, help which he was obviously denied.
“Then it's all the governments' fault,” government lawyer Lewis retorted.
"Yes, they have a heavy responsibility," Ellsberg replied, adding that government officials acted in a "Very cynical" way, even in the face of offers of assistance from Assage, who offered to help them search for cases of violations of rules of war.
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The article ASSAGE: REVEALED WAR CRIMES IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST. Word of one of the most important whistleblowers in history comes from ScenariEconomici.it .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/assage-ha-rivelato-crimini-di-guerra-nellinteresse-pubblico-parola-di-uno-dei-piu-importanti-whistleblower-della-storia/ on Thu, 17 Sep 2020 07:00:40 +0000.