Stella Moris Assange: ‘Julian Assange’s case has set a new global standard in freedom of the press’
Voxeurop: We’re in the final phase of Julian Assange’s extradition procedure. What are the next steps?
Stella Moris Assange: There are still some appeals in the UK process available to us, once the Home Secretary Priti Patel approves the extradition – if she does so. Then we can appeal to the High Court, and potentially to the Supreme Court. But ultimately, the most likely scenario is that it ends up before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which can issue a binding decision that will block the extradition. This is why it is so important for the European Continent to understand what is at stake: Once it reaches the ECHR, the case will create jurisprudence that will affect the scope of press freedom for journalists within the European space. The importance of this case could not be greater: It’s wrong to think that it only affects Julian Assange, or Wikileaks, or the US. The US prosecution has effectively criminalised journalistic activity. There is a political persecution against Julian, and in this process, a new standard has been set by which journalists everywhere are at risk, not just because they might risk being extradited to the United States, but also because it has created a new global standard.
The US has long been a defender of free speech, but it is now furthering the most dangerous attack on free speech, both legal and political, through this case that reaches beyond its borders and into foreign jurisdictions. Foreign countries will take advantage of this and apply the same principles. So if you can go after journalists anywhere, you just need a cooperative government, and there are plenty of countries who persecute dissidents and want to persecute journalists, and have cooperative allies within the European space. It’s a terrible case for press freedom and for what it means in Europe. It also sends the signal that not only will there never be justice for the victims of crimes committed by states, and anyone who acts with a conscience in exposing those war crimes will be hounded and punished by the perpetrator of those war crimes. It is a complete inversion of everything that democratic countries say they stand for.