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From ... in Censorship —

Let’s talk about…Assange’s Final Extradition Hearing

Let’s talk about…Assange’s Final Extradition Hearing

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange returns to the courtroom this week in a last-ditch effort to avoid extradition to the United States.

Assange himself, we are told, is too unwell to attend court in person (Assange has become the poster boy for legal proceedings in absentia), but his lawyers will be arguing that he faces a “flagrant denial of justice” if he is sent state-side.

A fact so obvious you would think it should be a given.

But then obvious facts – and basic justice – have never been permitted much of a voice in this case.

Assange – who was once nothing but a figure of scorn and hatred in the UK press – is actually getting some mainstream defence this time around. Alan Rusbridger, writing in the Independent, claims its time to set him free.

The Guardian has been the by far most vitriolic anti-Assange paper for over a decade, but their editorial declares:

The Guardian view on Julian Assange: why he should not be extradited

It could be argued that so-called “liberal” papers have to take Assange’s side to protect their “liberal” image…but that wasn’t true before, so why would it be now?

That goes along with big name NGOs like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty fighting Assange’s corner (although, how could these alleged defenders of freedom possibly justify not defending him at this stage?  They sort of have to make a show of doing so or risk becoming even more of a sad joke than they already are).

It raises an interesting question: Is it remotely possible Assange will avoid extradition? Maybe get set free?

And, if so, what happens next?

Does he retire from public life? Does he get held up as evidence “the system works”? Does he take up a more active role in the alt media world again?

The reported death of Alexei Navalny in Russia throws an interesting perspective on this case, throwing all sorts of potential narratives into the air.

If he is extradited, the pro-Russia side can say “you can’t talk about Navalny, look at Assange”, but on the other hand letting Assange walk would enable the West to say “look how we treat our political prisoners compared to Russia”.

There’s potential propaganda wins for either side here, and the verdict will likely be an indicator of the planned direction.

Julian’s wife Stella is readily and frequently comparing the two men:

She’s probably right to be concerned.

Is the narrative to have Assange die in prison as well? They’re capable of engineering this no doubt, but would they dare go so far in this instance?

The artworld better hope not, because some nutcase has threated to burn 40 million pounds of classics if Assange dies.

But what do you think?

  • Is the Assange case being used to normalise absentee trials?
  • Will Assange be extradited?
  • If so, what happens next?
  • Will Assange become “the West’s Navalny” and die in prison?
  • If Assange is set free, what does he do next?

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