The controversy surrounding Julian Assange depends daily and his case goes to a US extradition hearing in London on Monday. Many Australians are demanding that the UK Government immediately release the Australian Journalist and publisher.
The Brisbane Assange Action Queensland is a community group formed by Queenslanders fighting for the WikiLeaks journalist’s immediate release.
They will stage a protest at the British Consulate in Brisbane today (Monday, February 24), with speakers and performers from 12-2pm.
A letter of demand for Mr Assange’s immediate release, will be issued to the UK Consular General Ms Joanne Freeman at the protest.
Speaking at the protest will be former Queensland Senator Andrew Bartlett, Queensland veteran civil rights activist Ciaron O’Reilly, activist and filmmaker Dean Jefferys and civil rights advocate Father Pan Jordon. Along with performances from Kel On Earth and Artist Q.
Mr O’Reilly says that as Assange is taken in chains from Belmarsh prison on Monday to an extradition court in London, local protesters will make their way to the British Consulate in Brisbane to demand his immediate release. ‘Julian Assange was born a Queenslander and we are going to do our best to make sure he doesn’t die a political prisoner in the United States.
‘Julian is one of the most significant journalists and publishers of our time,’ he said. ‘The UK Government must defend a free press, journalists and whistleblowers.’
For many years Mr O’Reilly has kept watch and organised protests outside the Ecuadorian Embassy and recently Belmarsh Prison in London to support his friend. Mr O’Reilly has been protesting outside the British Consulate in Brisbane for the last two weeks.
Former Senator for Queensland Andrew Bartlett said it’s time for every Queensland Member of Parliament to speak out in support of Julian Assange’s basic rights, and the essential principle of supporting journalists and publishers who are brave enough to expose the activities and misdeeds of governments.
‘When I was in the Senate last year, it was deeply disappointing to see so few politicians willing to stand up and be counted by speaking out in support of Julian Assange.
‘Currently, George Christensen is the only Queensland MP to be part of the Julian Assange Support Group. Why are the rest still staying in the background and keeping their heads down?” said Mr Bartlett.
Dean Jefferys says Assange’s only crime is that he exposed government lies and war crimes in Iraq where over a million people needlessly died.
Jefferys, who says he worked in Iraq at International Peace Camps in 1991 and 2001, says that he met many Iraqi parents who lost their children in what he calls the ‘bogus war’.
‘Americas justification to go to war with Iraq was that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction,’ says Jefferys. ‘Everyone now knows that was an elaborate, fabricated lie, yet the US, Australian and UK governments have put revenge of a whistle blower over justice, rule of law, a free press and real democracy.’
Mr Jefferys says our politicians, including Prime Ministers, Morrison, Gillard and Turnbull have have all betrayed Julian Assange and by doing so have endangered free press worldwide and may cause our Aussie Hero to die in an American jail.
‘This is unacceptable and Australian and UK politicians have to stand up for its citizens and what is right and not just be the lapdogs for America,’ said Mr Jefferys.
The Brisbane Assange Action Queensland and other supporters will converge on the UK Consulate in Brisbane, 100 Eagle St, at midday today.
Julian Assange is an Australian hero who should be lauded. The Australian government’s complicity in Assange’s ugly fate demonstrates they defend protection of dishonesty above the rights of the citizens they are sworn to protect. The message is, don’t uncover corruption, or corruption will bury you.
Julian Assange is, and will always be, a hero !
I have personally nominated him for Australian of the year, three times. As far as I can see he has been the only Australian journalist with enough guts to call out the criminal war crimes committed by our governments, past and present.
However, to frame this as an issue of press freedom is to trivialise the real crime here, of punishing an Australian citizen, at home or abroad, from exposing the crimes of governments and multi-nationals !
The invasion of Iraq Is a war crime , all who serve there are war-criminals and all those who fail to speak out about this or the fact that we are controlling these murderous drones from Pine Gap are complicate. Yet we stand aside and ignore torture of those who expose these atrocities.
G”)
Julian Assange, was/is being made a scapegoat by STUPID Americans, that are SO scared to let the rest of the world know that are NOTHING special EXCEPT for Trump.
I am praying that the Female judge takes into account, that all this time poor Julian needs as a basic human need to be around friends and family in a social setting. I hope she says he is FREE to go and states that he would not get a FAIR trial in America and Julian can return back to Australia,
Which would make it hard for ANY Australian government now or in the future to allow the yanks to take him.
FREE Julian Assange NOW!
The brutality faced by Julian Assange is
a shocking lowdown played out by the
lowest life-form; human beings.
Great turnout for Brisbane protest – especially people from N Rivers…
U K consulate building owner Sarina Russo showed up – along with a dozen cops – she claimed to “support Assange”
Disappointing Silence in media coverage Brisbane.
No Brisbane coverage; nothing new there.
Our government’s own ‘media mongrel’
just so happens to own all the news out
-lets; TV & hardcopy.
Thank you for reporting this news and thank you for protesting. I am overseas sitting wondering why nothing has been done by the Australian Government to protest Julian Assange’s incarceration. What a weak and lily-livered government we have been saddled with! Whilst Trump pardons friends and criminals, Assange remains villified and pursued for speaking the truth.
Ken…….. there are still many of us doing
the pine-gap-yap that hasn’t let up since
the early 1980s & the handmade ‘peace
rug’ stitched by a world of women. As
the saying goes… Wage Peace! Let’s
hope the judge is a friend of Russo’s.
What is the time and place in Brisbane for the 8th Oct 2022 to protest for Assange please?