On 13/3/2020 I submitted a complaint about misreporting in the Julian Assange case. It should have been dealt within 10 working days. Eight months later, on the 19/11/20 the correction I had requested was effected.
I explained that their article with title “Chelsea Manning case: Judge orders release from prison” published here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-51865165 stated:
“Australian-born Assange faces a charge of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion in the US.”
This was not accurate, as additional 17 charges under the Espionage Act were added in a superseding inditement which could result in a prison term of up to 170 years. In total the 18 charges could result in 175 years imprisonment. I provided the relevant resource to back up the correction with facts: [https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-charged-18-count-superseding-indictment]
I explained the consequences of the mis-reporting. Part of the legal challenge at Magistrates Court against Julian Assange’s US Extradition included arguments that the Extradition request was sought for political crimes such as Espionage. The US/UK extradition agreement prohibits extradition for political crimes. The omission of such charges from the article kept the British public ignorant of the substance of this case before British courts and its significance not only in relation to Julian Assange but also in the context of press freedom and freedom of expression.
Finally in the interest of accuracy I asked them to please correct the record by reporting all 18 charges and inserting the correct hyperlink which I appended above.
I referred them you to my previous complaint CAS-5763548-R1M1D8 for exactly the same misreporting which I noted took the BBC 12 weeks to correct.
Here is what they wrote in their reply:
It appears you never received a response and although we have been dealing with unprecedented numbers of complaints, and have since faced operational challenges because of the global pandemic, we would like to apologise for the very long and regrettable delay in writing back to you.
We have now amended the article’s final line to refer to the superseding indictment.
Thank you once again for getting in touch.
We continue our efforts to correct the record in the Julian Assange Case!
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This Pandemic is a Fraud and it’s being used to excuse all manner of crimes and sleights of hand, just as the phrase “For Security Reasons” when Terrorism was in the media theatre.
ONS Statistics show that 96% of Covid-19 deaths have occurred among the Over 55 age group, which constitutes (an identifieble) 20% of the population. Whole population measures (Lockdowns, facemasks, travel bans etc.) are therefore grossly inefficient, destructive and entirely unnecessary. The correct approach, given that we have been too inept to apply Track and Trace at the outset, when numbers of cases were small and T&T might have been practical, is to isolate and protect the vulnerable 20% of the population. This could have been done very effectively at an almost insignificant fraction of the cost of current whole population measures.
The over 55 age group not only was neglected but elderly infected patients were often denied treatment based on utilitarian justification. Still worse, in an act of culpable malpractice,, elderly COVID-19-infected patients were sent back into care homes, infecting others and inflaming the death rate.
When things are so obviously and extremely incompetent it is rational to look for possible ulterior motivations to act in such a way. The first line of reasoning is obvious: Follow the Money.