2011-12-03 #WikiLeaks News: Urgent Action for Julian Assange; Updates on Bradley Manning case; December Events Calendar
This is a "WikiLeaks News Update", a news update of stories relating directly to WikiLeaks and also freedom of information, transparency, cybersecurity, and freedom of expression.
It is urgent to take action to prevent Julian Assange’s extradition to Sweden, which would increase the possibility of an extradition to and indefinite detention in the United States.
Please contact your MP today.
Julian Assange’s next hearing will be on December 5 (Monday), as an historic debate on extradition reform in the UK takes place. This debate could affect the likelihood of a Supreme Court appeal against his extradition. In order for this to happen, the High Court of London must first consider his appeal to be of general public importance, as such, your support truly is crucial. Please take action today!
If you can be in London, be sure to also make it to the Demo planned outside the Royal Courts of Justice on Monday, starting at 8:30AM.
- WikiLeaks new release, the Spy Files, consisting of hundreds of documents on Surveillance Companies currently providing democratic governments and dictatorships alike with private information on the average citizen, can be found at spyfiles.org. Additionally, WikiLeaks urges everyone to crowd source the documents, using the hashtag #wlfind. More documents are yet to be published. A video of the Spy Files press conference can be found on youtube.
- Bradley Manning’s case has seen two important new developments this week: his treatment was condemned by 64 Members of the European Parliament (who request a UN torture investigator be allowed to visit Bradley Manning, declaring in a letter: “We are troubled by reports that Mr Manning has been subjected to prolonged solitary confinement and other abusive treatment tantamount to torture.”) and it was revealed the US Government is withholding favorable evidence for his defense: proof no harm against national security was found during a Defense Intelligence Agency investigation.
- Lawyers for Jacob Appelbaum, Birgitta Jonsdottir and Rop Gonggrijp will again appeal the ruling on the Twitter/WikiLeaks case. Notice of appeal document can be found here (pdf).
- A brief summary of Julian Assange’s talk at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit can be read here.
WikiLeaks Events in the month of December
Click to enlarge. The event list below the calendar has been updated.
December 1: WikiLeaks hosted an important press conference in Central London, where cooperation between Mass Surveillance Industry and Governments was exposed.
December 3: Julian Assange spoke on the topic “Democracy and Wikileaks: The Trickledown Effect” at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.
December 5: Public hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice (London) to determine whether Julian Assange’s appeal will proceed to the Supreme Court. A Demo planned outside the Courts, starting at 8:30AM.
December 7: Julian Assange will have spent a year under house arrest without charge.
December 8: Kristinn Hrafnsson and founder of the Center for Investigative Journalism Gavin MacFadyen will host a WikiLeaks related panel in Bratislava.
December 16: A pretrial hearing for Bradley Manning is scheduled to begin at Fort Meade (Maryland) and is expected to last five days. Supporters will gather outside the Court.
December 17: Global Vigil for Bradley Manning on his 24th Birthday:
Saturday, December 17 · 12:00am - 11:30pm
[For more details, see Vigil for Bradley Manning on his 24th Birthday's facebook page.]
Send small gifts and birthday cards to the following address
Bradley Manning 89289
830 Sabalu Road
Fort Leavenworth, KS 6602
Action Campaigns
WikiLeaks
- If you live in Australia: click here to complain to the ACCC (Australian Competition & Consumer Commission) about the Banking Blockade against WikiLeaks.
Julian Assange
361 days under house arrest without charge.
- new Contact your MP ahead of the December 5 historical debate on extradition, so that Julian Assange’s appeal may have an increased chance to proceed to the Supreme Court.
- new Be sure to attend the rally outside the Royal Courts of Justice if you are able to be in London this Monday.
- Liberté Info seeks volunteers to conduct an action-based campaign in defense of Julian Assange.
- Contribute to the Julian Assange Defense Fund.
- Send at least one of the several call to action draft letters addressed to European organizations and Members of the European Parliament requesting action over the unjust treatment of Julian Assange.
Bradley Manning
556 days detained without trial.
- Learn how you can attend the Rally, Vigil and March for Bradley Manning scheduled on the first day of his pretrial hearing, December 16 at bradleymanning.org
- And on his 24th birthday, December 17:
write or send small gifts to Bradley Manning, contribute to his defense with a donation or participate in the Global Vigil planned to mark this occasion.
Rudolf Elmer
- Liberté Info started a campaign to make whistleblower Rudolf Elmer’s trial an international issue. The campaign page is constantly updated with new developments on his case. Readers are encouraged to share.