2012-06-17 WikiLeaks News Update: Assange appeal rejected; Worldwide rallies planned; Updated events

WikiLeaks News:

• Chinese journalist Wei Ling Chua wrote an article entitled "Julian Assange: The Price of Being a Western Dissident" which discusses the many attacks that WikiLeaks and its founder have received from Western politicians.

• For Cyber Safety Week, Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam published an article about "Who Watches the Watchers", which discusses surveillance, including revelations from WikiLeaks' Spy Files.

• The Alyona Show discussed the U.S. plans to deploy 3,000 troops in Africa next year, information that came out partially through WikiLeaks cables. Watch the video below.
  

• Somerset Bean has created new badge designs for supporting WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, and Bradley Manning.

• The Wikipedia article for OpenLeaks is in the process of being deleted, as the website is yet to activate after its promised January 2011 launch date.

Julian Assange News:

• WL Central is collecting birthday greetings for Julian Assange's 41st birthday on July 3. We will publish all the messages. You can send them to us at ja41@wlcentral.org or via Twitter using the hashtag #JA41.

• The UK Supreme Court rejected Julian Assange's appeal to reopen his case. This means his extradition is upheld and will take place between June 29 and July 8. Mr Assange may further appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
  • For more information see the UK Supreme Court's statement and rulings, Justice for Assange - Supreme Court Appeal, and the press release from the Swedish Prosecution Authority.
  • UK Government security contractors came to Julian Assange's house arrest location "demanding to fit [a] new tagging device "because [the] battery is low signal"" around 11PM on June 14, the same day his appeal was rejected.
  • Sweden has not paid for any of the legal proceedings in Julian Assange's case; most of it is paid by Mr Assange, but UK taxpayers are the ones paying for Sweden.
  • According to official sentencing equivalents of the UK, Julian Assange has been incarcerated for over 286 days without charge.

• Swedish feminist Helene Bergman wrote an article about Swedish state feminism in relation to Julian Assange's case.

• U.S. Attorney Kevin Zeese was on RT discussing Julian Assange's case and his potential extradition to the U.S. RT also published an article on the same topic. Watch the video below.
  

• RT interviewed journalist Afshin Rattansi about Julian Assange's extradition.

• Next week's episode of "The World Tomorrow" will feature Pakistani presidential candidate favorite Imran Khan. The episode airs Tuesday, June 19 at 12:30PM London time on RT.

• WL Central reviewed the new e-book "A Brief History of Swedish Sex". Also see our Q&A with its author, Oscar Swartz.

• Support rallies for Julian Assange are being planned worldwide:
  • A rally for Julian Assange will be held at the DFAT in Sydney, June 21 at 5PM. Another rally is planned for July 1.
  • An overnight vigil for Julian Assange is being held at Occupy Frankfurt (Germany) starting at 9:00PM on June 23.
  • "Global 4 Julian Assange Day" is being planned for July 14.
  • Rap News will be performing live at the rally for Julian Assange at State Liberty, Melbourne on July 1.

Bradley Manning News:

• The Bradley Manning Support Network issued a news update which covers the U.S. Government rejecting a transparency lawsuit, a Nobel Peace Prize petition, and international solidarity actions.

• "Manning Mondays" are being held at the Brecht Forum in New York on June 18 and 25, 7PM. The first event will discuss "Bradley Manning, Military Resistance, and the Left" and the second is on "Manning, Motions, and Media".

• A new play about Bradley Manning entitled "Desert" will be showing at The Bike Shed Theatre in Exeter from 21-23 June.

• There is an official contingent for Bradley Manning in San Francisco Pride on June 24, 9:30AM.

Upcoming Dates & Events:

June 18: Updated version of "WikiLeaks - The Forgotten Man" airs on ABC1, 8:30PM.

June 18: "Manning Mondays" at Brecht Forum, New York, 7:30PM.

June 19: "The World Tomorrow" featuring Imran Khan airs on RT, 12:30PM London time.

June 21: Rally for Julian Assange, DFAT, Sydney, 5PM.

June 21-23: Bradley Manning play "Desert" showing at The Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter.

June 23: Overnight vigil for Julian Assange at Occupy Frankfurt, 9PM.

June 25: Bradley Manning 39A hearing.

June 25: "Manning Mondays" at Brecht Forum, New York, 7:30PM.

June 25: London vigil for Bradley Manning at the US Embassy, 3PM.

June 27: "Don't Shoot the Messenger" panel with Christine Assange, Scott Ludlam, David Hicks, Bernard Keane, Humphrey McQueen & more. Coombs Theatre, A.N.U., Australia at 7PM.

June 29-July 8: Time frame for Julian Assange's extradition to Sweden.

July 1: Worldwide rallies for Julian Assange.

June 3: Julian Assange's 41st birthday.

July 14: Global 4 Julian Assange day.

July 16-20: Bradley Manning motion hearings.

August 27-31: Bradley Manning motion hearings.

September 19-20: Bradley Manning motion hearings.

November 2012 ~ January 2013: Bradley Manning's court martial.