(TheRedWire.com) – Julian Assange is the founder of WikiLeaks and is currently being held in the Belmarsh prison in London, England, awaiting a hearing regarding potential extradition to the United States. He faces 17 criminal counts in federal court, including violation of the Espionage Act. If convicted on all of them, he could face up to 175 years in prison.
Some United Kingdom Members of Parliament (MPs) have formally requested an online video conference with Assange regarding his “journalistic work” and concerns raised by Amnesty International (AI). His extradition and prosecution could have a dire impact on the idea of a free press. They also questioned whether complying with the American request would violate the terms of the extradition treaty between the two countries as it applies to political prisoners.
In January, Julian Assange could be sent to the US & jailed for 175 years.
His extradition case has important implications for UK press freedoms & human rights.
A cross-party group of MPs has written to the Justice Secretary asking for a meeting between MPs and Julian Assange. pic.twitter.com/M8YJbL0dxc
— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) December 17, 2020
Project Veritas claims they have audio recordings purportedly between Assange and a State Department attorney under then-Secretary Hillary Clinton offering to help them contain the spread of the information being disseminated by a WikiLeaks employee. The new evidence has led to calls for President Donald Trump to issue a full pardon, which, so far, he has yet to address.
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