'Julian's situation increasingly desperate' - Assange's partner outside court hearing

Record ID: 1631766

  • Title: 'Julian's situation increasingly desperate' - Assange's partner outside court hearing
  • Date: 11th August 2021
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (AUGUST 11, 2021) (REUTERS) SUPPORTERS OF WIKILEAKS FOUNDER JULIAN ASSANGE PROTESTING OUTSIDE ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE SIGN READING (English): '10 YEARS ENOUGH FREE ASSANGE NOW' PROTESTERS, INCLUDING ONE DRESSED AS GRIM REAPER, GATHERED OUTSIDE COURT PROTESTER DRESSED AS GRIM REAPER HOLDING SIGN READING (English): 'RIP BRITISH JUSTICE' (SOUNDBITE) (English) PARTNER OF JULIAN ASSANGE, STELLA MORRIS, SAYING: "For every day that this colossal injustice is allowed to continue, Julian's situation grows increasingly desperate. He won the case against the U.S. government seven months ago but he remains in Belmarsh prison. What is this if not punishment by process? Yesterday Julian and I were permitted to embrace for the first time in 17 months. Throughout my visit in Belmarsh, I held his warm hand. Julian has been denied the love and affection of his family for so long. Julian and the kids will never get this time back. This shouldn't be happening. The U.S. government is exploiting the inherently unfair arrangement between the U.S. and the UK. They're exploiting the inherently unfair extradition arrangements with this country in order to prolong, to arbitrarily prolong his imprisonment. The imprisonment of an innocent man accused of practising journalism. Julian's asked me to thank everyone for coming and for continuing to fight for his freedom. Thank you." VARIOUS OF MORRIS ENTERING COURT FORMER LEADER OF LABOUR PARTY JEREMY CORBYN SPEAKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER LABOUR PARTY LEADER, JEREMY CORBYN, SAYING: "I hope the court today gives a very clear signal that they will not allow the appeal by the United States and Julian Assange will be allowed to go free. (Journalist asking why he's at the protest). I'm a member of parliament, I'm elected by my constituents to represent them in the British parliament but it's also about standing up for justice and freedom all around the world." VARIOUS OF CORBYN ADDRESSING PROTESTERS VARIOUS OF PROTESTER DRESSED WITH LIKENESS OF STATUE OF LIBERTY, HOLDING SIGN READING (English): 'FREE ASSANGE, FREE PRESS' ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE / PROTESTERS STANDING OUTSIDE COURT WOMAN WEARING FACE MASK WITH TEXT READING (English): 'FREE ASSANGE'
  • Embargoed: 25th August 2021 12:21
  • Keywords: Julian Assange Stella Morris USA appeal court
  • Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
  • City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Europe,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
  • Reuters ID: LVA001EPU5LXJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Julian Assange faces an "increasingly desperate" situation, the WikiLeaks founder's partner, Stella Morris, said outside London's high court on Wednesday (August 11).
    Morris made the remarks ahead of a U.S. appeal of a ruling by a British judge not to extradite him.
    Washington has sought the extradition of Assange over his role in one of the biggest ever leaks of classified information, accusing him of putting lives in danger by releasing vast troves of confidential U.S. military records and diplomatic cables.
    British judge Vanessa Baraitser said in January that although she accepted the U.S. legal arguments in the case, she said Assange's mental health issues meant he would be at risk of suicide if extradited, leading to her rejecting the request.
    Morris said she was allowed to have physical contact with Assange for the first time in more than a year on Tuesday (August 10).
    Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also addressed supporters of Assange protesting outside the court. He said he hoped the court would reject the appeal.
    (Production: Gerry Mey, Lucy Marks)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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