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Government threat to Assange
Wiseupforbradleymanning campaign
DATELINE: 16/8/12
Just to say, that if you haven't been following the news on Julian, a decision has been reached on his asylum bid which will be announced by Ecuador at 1.00pm (BST) Thursday (today). In the meantime the UK Govt have taken the extreme and extraordinary step of issuing Ecuador with a letter 'warning' (read threatening) that they might choose to enter the Embassy without invitation in order to arrest Julian. This would obviously be unprecedented and have serious diplomatic implications.
It seems to be that legally, in order to do this, they would have to give seven days notice to Ecuador that they were revoking their right to a diplomatic presence/their diplomatic status in the UK, which shows just how extreme it is.Understandably the Ecuadorean Foreign Minister has reacted angrily to this with a press release in which he said (amongst other things) that Ecuador is not a British Colony.
The situation is being widely reported - the Guardian, Independent, Mirror, Mail, Telegraph, Financial Times, BBC and ITV have all covered it and it is being described as a threat to 'storm' or 'raid' the Embassy. People are somewhat shocked and at least some people may begin to see that there is 'more to this than meets the eye', so it may rebound on the Foreign Office in terms of public opinion.
As well as the call out to the Ecuadorean Embassy, people are planning to demonstrate Thurs in various cities in Australia, and at the UK Embassy in Quito, Ecuador, and probably other places.
There is an increased presence of police (in TRG vans - between 2 and 4 vans with12 officers each) at the Embassy and they have cordoned off (with tape) the side street in which there is a side entrance into the Embassy.
There are supporters of Julian there over night and MORE PEOPLE ARE NEEDED to join them at 3, Hans Crescent London SW1.
As well as the Wikileaks statement, which Genny has posted, Kevin Gosztola at The Dissenter Firedoglake is very informative at: http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2012/08/15/ecuador-foreign-minister-alleges-uk-has-threatened-to-storm-embassy-to-arrest-julian-assange/
and: http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2012/08/15/coming-decision-to-be-announced-on-julian-assanges-asylum-request-live-blog/
GO TO THE ECUADOREAN EMBASSY TO SUPPORT IF YOU CAN.
PHONE THE FCO/WILLIAM HAGUE (foreign secretary) AND COMPLAIN 020 7008 1500
Last modified: Thursday, August 16, 2012
Your comments:
My thoughts on this rather well said: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/owen-jones-there-should-be-no-immunity-for-julian-assange-from-these-allegations-8053869.html
Posted by: claire: 17 Aug, 2012 22:57:08In the meantime, Australian citizens have entered a building in Melbourne to protest against his treatment! Maybe Britain's FCO should have considered repercussions before being so boisterous!
Posted by: Crocodile Dundee: 17 Aug, 2012 02:50:55
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More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
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Previous stories
Free Speech & Censorship
Freedom of Information coverage must be modernised says Campaign
Welcome for select committee's rejection of FOI charges and restrictions on release of policy discussions
Call for register of all lobbyists
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