Lewisham West and Penge CLP
GM 4th October 2019
Motions proposed for emergency consideration
- Julian Assange
Reason for urgency – dire state of Mr Assange’s health
This Party notes the Espionage Act charges against WikiLeaks publisher and journalist Julian Assange.
The charges as applied in this case represent Trump taking this opportunity to criminalise essential civic & journalistic engagement, that of soliciting disclosures of information and protecting inside sources.
We note that The United Nations special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, visited Julian in May, accompanied by two medical experts and stated:
“in addition to physical ailments, Mr. Assange showed all symptoms typical for prolonged exposure to psychological torture, including extreme stress, chronic anxiety and intense psychological trauma.”
Melzner observes in 2010
“Wikileaks started publishing evidence of war crimes and torture committed by US forces”
Since then “there has been a relentless and unrestrained campaign of public mobbing, intimidation and defamation could face additional charges that carry the death penalty.”
This party notes Belmarsh prison has been systematically denying Assange access to justice by restricting all the means through which he could prepare his defence; access to legal documents, access to lawyers. These restrictions contradict all legislation regarding the rights of the prisoner.
| Motion
This Party demands that the UK government block Assange’s extradition to the United States, and immediately release him. We also call for the immediate release of courageous whistle-blower Chelsea Manning who has been re-jailed for refusing to testify against Assange We ask party officers and representatives to promote this motion’s passage publicly, encourage members to follow Greenwich and Lewisham Assange Campaign on Facebook and on Twitter and attend the vigils they organise at the prison. Moved by Will Miles Seconded by Ewa Sidorenko |
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