Kiwi Activist Given Rare Access to Monitor Assange’s Final UK Hearing

  • : Aotearoa 4 Assange
  • : 20/02/2024

  • Statement: Spokesperson: Aotearoa 4 Assange, Matt Ó Branáin.

    Tomorrow, February 20 in London, Australian Journalist Julian Assange faces perhaps his final chance to avoid extradition to the U.S.

    I am a Free Assange activist from New Zealand, who has been following the case almost full time for 4.5 years, and campaigning through Europe and the UK since October 2022, since I inspired a human chain of 8,000 around the British Parliament to free Julian.

    Tomorrow I will be outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London as Julian faces his last chance to avoid extradition to the U.S. I will be staging a Photo Action outside along with Italian artist Davide Dormino, inviting the public to stand on a chair and make a photograph to share.

    What has surprised me is I have been granted last-minute access to monitor the hearings remotely, a privilege not granted to many journalists, excluding almost anyone outside England and Wales, and major media organisations in Australia and the U.S. including Fox News.

    Julian faces a 175 year sentence for activities described as ‘common journalistic practices’ by the editors of the five major international Newspapers he collaborated with on the 2010 publications he is indicted for.

    The charges are unprecedented. The U.S. seeks to prosecute him for publishing leaked evidence of war crimes in Iraq, which are credited with ending the illegal invasion. If ending a war with truthful journalism is a crime, what chance do we have of preventing further atrocities? Why has this case dragged on so long when every major Human Rights group has called for his freedom? Why has a case of this magnitude not yet provoked more outcry from the media and the public?

    In Australia at least it has reached a crescendo. The Australian Parliament last week voted with a two thirds majority to demand the U.S. and UK free Julian. Polls show as much as 90% of the public think he should be freed.
    With such a clear mandate, it would seem profoundly unwise for the US and UK to risk snubbing such a clear request from such a vital ally?

    The shared values of our long-standing partnership with the U.S. and UK are what is on trial. Because what do we need the might of the U.S. Army to defend us from exactly, if not from those that jail our journalists for revealing their war crimes?

    —

    Attached image:

    Matt Ó Branáin.

    Spokesperson: Aotearoa 4 Assange

  • IMG_2079
  • : Matt Ó Branáin
  • : Spokesperson: Aotearoa 4 Assange
  • : Matt.O.Branain@protonmail.com
  • : 447849825761
  • : https://www.a4a.nz/

Media Giants Call on Biden to Drop Charges Against Assange

  • : Aotearoa 4 Assange
  • : 29/11/2022

  • Five of the world’s leading news outlets have sent an open letter to US President Joe Biden asking him to drop the charges against Australian Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

    The letter states the charges against him set a ‘dangerous precedent’, relating to receiving and publishing classified material that revealed war crimes, torture, and environmental crimes. Assange is currently in a maximum security prison in London, and hundreds of doctors warn he could ‘die in jail in the coming months’.

    The New York Times used a photo of the Human Chain around British Parliament on October 8th, that New Zealander Matt Ó Branáin inspired. Ó Branáin welcomed the statement from the top Media brass saying ‘Joe Biden cannot run from this any longer. It would be a huge mistake to allow this disastrous prosecution to fall under his legacy. Free Speech is integral to the US identity and international respect.’

    Ó Branáin renewed calls for Jacinda Ardern to intervene diplomatically with Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak, saying ‘the case imperils not only Global Press Freedom, but New Zealand journalists working or travelling abroad, the integrity and safety of our troops, and the broader New Zealand public’s right to know. Staying silent on this is complicity, and will not age well, especially if he dies in prison. The public awareness of the significance of this case is growing every day.’

    The letter signed by five major media outlets states:

    ‘This indictment sets a dangerous precedent . . . Holding governments accountable is part of the core mission of a free press in a democracy. Obtaining and disclosing sensitive information when necessary in the public interest is a core part of the daily work of journalists. If that work is criminalised, our public discourse and our democracies are made significantly weaker. . . It is time for the U.S. government to end its prosecution of Julian Assange for publishing secrets.’

    Publishing is not a crime.

    The editors and publishers of:

    The New York Times
    The Guardian
    Le Monde
    DER SPIEGEL
    El Pais’

  • matt-chain
  • : Matt Ó Branáin
  • : National Co-ordinator of Aotearoa 4 Assange
  • : matt.o.branain@A4A.nz
  • : 4915231631792
  • : https://www.a4a.nz/
  • https://www.facebook.com/groups/a4assange | https://twitter.com/A4Assange | https://www.instagram.com/aotearoa4assange/ | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Lgvm4ob5_kUS6NIaEXwvg

Kiwi Inspires Global Free Assange Human Chain Events

  • : Aotearoa 4 Assange
  • : 3/10/22

  • Auckland activist Matt Ó Branáin has inspired a worldwide movement of Human Chains on October 8th to free jailed Australian journalist Julian Assange.

    Ó Branáin proposed the idea of a Human Chain to #HugBelmarsh prison, which gained international support, and was retweeted by Julian’s wife Stella Assange. Due to some difficulties surrounding the prison, it has turned into a #FreeAssangeHumanChain of 5,000 surrounding British Parliament.
    Now 16 cities around the world will hold Free Assange Human Chains, including Washington DC, Ottowa, Wellington and Paris all on October 8th.

    Ó Branáin says ‘I feel simultaneously humbled and in awe of what a difference any of us can make, when we inspire others to unite. There’s nothing we can’t do when we stand together.’

    Julian Assange is currently in solitary confinement in a UK Supermax Prison, despite not serving a sentence. Top forensic psychologists, a UN expert, and hundreds of doctors say Julian Assange is being ‘tortured’ and is likely to die in the next few months if he is not freed.

    ‘This is the most crucial Human Rights battle of this Century, because the Right to Know is the master key to protecting all our rights. Every credible authority from the UN to Amnesty International is saying Julian’s imprisonment, and the US charges against him undermine Global Press Freedom. If it’s a crime to tell the truth we can’t solve anything. ‘

    Ó Branáin has launched a campaign asking kiwis to help him go and represent Aotearoa at the Chain in London. He will write the names of all who support him on raranga flax ribbons he will take to the event.
    ‘I know from talking to kiwis everywhere, nobody wants an Aussie journalist to die in prison for telling the truth. We gotta get him out. I’m asking kiwis to get behind me so I can represent them.’

    Matt is a teacher, media-designer and musician, who became intensely engaged on the Assange case when he read the findings of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer. For two years Matt has devoted the majority of his time to campaigning on this. He formed Aotearoa 4 Assange, and he recently committed to wearing what he calls ‘Gitmo Chic’ every day till Julian is free. An orange Guantanamo Bay style prisoner suit, and sign. ‘It’s been starting conversations everywhere I go. Kiwis are not at all happy when they hear an Aussie journalist is being tortured to death for telling the truth.’

    ‘Our Government, and Jacinda Ardern, need to urgently engage in diplomatic representations with our allies the UK and US, to ensure Julian’s release. All our rights are imperilled by his imprisonment, and by the US charges against him. There isn’t a bigger threat to the Western Democratic system than this case.’

    ‘Jacinda Ardern, has criticised misinformation at the UN, but where does she stand on truthful reporting?’

    • #FreeAssangeHumanChain around UK
      Parliament, London, 1pm October 8th, 1pm
    • #FreeAssangeHumanChain at the Beehive, Wellington, 12pm October 8th.
  • Matt chain
  • : https://youtu.be/33TOSTEXzlc
  • : Matt Ó Branáin
  • : National Co-ordinator of Aotearoa 4 Assange
  • : matt.o.branain@a4a.nz
  • : 64204382863
  • : https://www.a4a.nz/
  • https://www.facebook.com/groups/a4assange | https://www.instagram.com/aotearoa4assange/ | https://twitter.com/A4Assange | https://www.instagram.com/matt.o.branain/ | https://twitter.com/MattOBranain

A Dark day for Global Press Freedom – Patel Signs Assange’s Extradition

  • : Aotearoa 4 Assange
  • : 18/06/2022

  • Today was a dark day for global press freedom. The UK Home secretary Priti Patel has signed the extradition to send Australian journalist Julian Assange to the US, the same country who reportedly plotted to assassinate him, and has charged him for publishing leaked evidence of their war crimes.

    The Guardian’s Editorial says the decision ‘ought to worry anyone who cares about journalism and democracy’.

    Every major Human Rights group has called for Assange’s release. The International Federation of Journalists, representing over 600,000 journalists tweeted: “The UK decision to allow the extradition of Assange is vindictive and a real blow to media freedom. He has simply exposed issues that were in the public interest and Patel’s failure to acknowledge this is shameful and sets a terrible precedent.”

    A4A states the New Zealand Government can no longer remain silent on this case. A4A’s Matt Ó Branáin asked: “What will our government’s position be when it’s a New Zealand investigative journalist being imprisoned or extradited? What will this total lack of accountability mean the next time the US asks us to send our troops to die in another war?.”

    The Guardian warns this ‘potentially opens the door for journalists anywhere in the world to be extradited to the US for exposing information deemed classified by Washington. We cannot allow a legal precedent to be set that the US can throw anyone, anywhere in jail for revealing state crimes.

    Aotearoa 4 Assange’s Matt Ó Branáin said: “We reiterate our call for PM Jacinda Ardern to stand with Australian PM Albanese’s calls for our allies the UK and US to bring an end to this, and bring Assange home.”

  • : Matt Ó Branáin
  • : Aotearoa 4 Assange Spokesperson
  • : matt.o.branain@a4a.nz
  • : 64204382863
  • : https://www.a4a.nz

‘Kia kaha’: PM Ardern Requested to Join PM Albanese in His Calls to Bring Julian Assange Home

  • : Aotearoa 4 Assange
  • :

  • A group of lawyers, politicians, journalists and activists known as Aotearoa 4 Assange have written to PM Jacinda Ardern asking her to ‘stand strong’ with new Aussie PM Anthony Albanese, to ‘secure the freedom’ of Australian journalist Julian Assange. According to the letter Assange’s life is in peril and so are the ‘foundations of global democracy’.

    A4A spokesperson Matt Ó Branáin says ‘the election of Albanese is a seismic shift’ for the campaign to free Assange, who is currently imprisoned in the UK and fighting extradition to the US. Unlike his predecessor Scott Morrison, Albanese is a member of the Bring Julian Assange Home Parliamentary Group consisting of at least 30 MPs. Albanese has reportedly said ‘enough is enough…I can’t see what’s served by keeping [Assange] incarcerated’.

    Green MP and Human Rights lawyer Golriz Ghahraman tweeted ‘the threat to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange’s freedom is a threat to press freedom around the world.’

    Assange has been detained in ‘solitary confinement’ for the last 3 years in the UK and a UN Special Rapporteur has said he is being ‘psychologically tortured.’ A letter from hundreds of doctors says he is likely to die soon if not freed.

    The US charges ‘criminalise publishing leaked evidence of US state crimes’. International Human Rights groups, including Amnesty International and the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights have said the case is a threat to global press freedom.

    The letter argues that there is ‘no chance of justice’ if he is extradited to the US as Assange’s ‘legally privileged consultations with his lawyers were spied on’ and the Espionage Act ‘prohibits any public interest defence’.

    Ó Branáin says ‘no one can credibly say justice has been seen in the UK extradition trial’. Amnesty International said the UK extradition trial was a ‘circus’. IBAHRI said ‘with this extradition trial, we are witnessing the serious undermining of due processes and the rule of law.’ Applications to monitor the trial from Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders were declined. A4A’s letter says ‘this is a political case, and political intervention is required’.

    UN Special Rapproteur on Torture Nils Melzer says if Assange is extradited to the US he would be detained in ‘conditions that amount to torture’. Ghahraman states that although the UK Magistrate Court has now ordered extradition to be signed ‘the Home Sec must decline’. ‘The UK has an obligation to avoid extradition to a place where he faces ill treatment and torture’. A4A called on Ardern to ‘make representations’ to Ms Patel not to sign the extradition order.

    Rt. Hon Helen Clark said ‘you do wonder when the hatchet can be buried with Assange, and not buried in his head by the way?. . . ‘The real issue really is the activities they were exposing, not their actions of exposure.’

    Ó Branáin says ‘Australia and New Zealand should call on our allies the US and UK, to end this perilous persecution of a South Pacific journalist, and bring Julian home.’

  • Matt-O-Branain---A4A
  • : Matt Ó Branáin
  • : National Co-ordinator of Aotearoa 4 Assange
  • : matt.o.branain@a4a.nz
  • : 64204382863
  • : https://www.a4a.nz/
  • https://www.facebook.com/groups/a4assange | https://twitter.com/A4Assange | https://www.instagram.com/aotearoa4assange/ | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Lgvm4ob5_kUS6NIaEXwvg

Julian Assange Permitted to Marry in Belmarsh Prison

  • : Aotearoa 4 Assange
  • : 14/03/2022

  • Julian Assange Permitted to Marry in Belmarsh Prison

    Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been given permission to marry his fiancée Stella Morris in the maximum security Belmarsh prison in London on March 23rd. Stella is a member of his legal team and mother of his two young children. The couple had to fight for their right to marry, even bringing legal action against the UK Government.

    Julian and Stella will be dressed by Vivienne Westwood. Julian will wear a kilt, honouring his Scottish ancestry. The couple are said to be very excited despite the severe restrictions imposed on the ceremony. They will be permitted only four guests and have been denied the request to marry in the prison’s Chapel, despite the fact that Julian regularly worships their.

    Stella told the Daily Mail that the right to marry is ‘written into law’ in the UK. ‘Of course, the circumstances are not ideal but I am relieved that reason has prevailed and I hope there will be no further interference with our marriage. Julian is not charged with any crime in this country, he is not serving a sentence, his imprisonment serves no purpose at all other than to prolong and make his suffering worse. I hope the injustice of this situation is swiftly brought to an end so that we can enjoy marriage outside of the walls of Belmarsh when he is freed.’

    Assange is being held in the notorious Belmarsh prison despite not being convicted of anything. He is awaiting the outcome of a US extradition request to face charges of ‘espionage’ for publishing evidence of war crimes and torture. Press freedom groups warn this unprecedented prosecution would criminalise fundamental journalistic practices.

    Assange recently suffered a minor stroke, and doctors warn this will likely lead to a fatal stroke if his conditions are not improved quickly. He is detained in solitary confinement 23 hours per day, which fits the definition of torture under international law. The Australian Government has been criticised for ‘sitting on their hands’ over one of their citizens. The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer said The Australian Government as ‘failed to support Julian Assange, and is complicit in his psychological torture.’

    Helen Clark recently said ‘You do wonder when the hatchet can be buried with Assange? And not buried in his head by the way. But at some point, could people move on? I do think that the information that’s been disclosed by whistle-blowers down through the ages has been very important in broader publics getting to know what is really going on behind the scenes. And should people pay this kind of price for that? I don’t think so… The real issue really is the activities they were exposing, not their actions of exposure.’

    Aoteroa 4 Assange is calling on the New Zealand Government to stand for Assange to protect human rights, the public’s right to know and peace.

  • stella rainbow 2
  • : https://twitter.com/i/status/1462562408749170689
  • : Matt Ó Branáin
  • : National Co-ordinator of Aotearoa 4 Assange
  • : matt.o.branain@A4A.nz
  • : 64204382863
  • : http://a4a.nz
  • https://www.facebook.com/groups/a4assange | https://twitter.com/A4Assange | https://www.instagram.com/aotearoa4assange/

Assange raises NZ$80 million through collaboration with crypto artist Pak

  • : Aotearoa 4 Assange
  • : 11/02/2022

  • Jailed journalist Julian Assange has recieved a massive boost to his campaign to regain his freedom, raising a record-breaking NZ$80 million in less than a week on the Juice box crypto platform.
    Renowned crypto-artist Pak collaborated with Assange, to produce NFT artworks which have been used solely to raise money for Assange’s defence and other press freedom and humanitarian causes.

    The artwork came in two parts. A 1/1 edition titled ‘Clock’ which counts the days which Assange has spent behind bars, and an open edition titled ‘Censored’ which allows buyers to craft their own unique message which gets ‘censored’ with a line through it.

    Assange is fighting against extradition to the US for publishing secret documents which exposed state crimes. This is an unprecedented case that Amnesty International and other human rights groups are warning threatens global press freedom and freedom of information .

    Tens of thousands of people have joined AssangeDAO to raise the 16593.05 ethereum used to win the art auction in support of Assange. AssangeDAO moderator JB said in a statement ‘this is tens of thousands of people coming together to show real strength – the Power of the People. In less than one week, we have shown that decentralised and distributed peoples can band together to fight injustice.’

  • : Matt Ó Branáin
  • : National Co-ordinator of Aotearoa 4 Assange
  • : matt.o.branain@a4a.nz
  • : 0204382863
  • : https://A4A.nz
  • https://www.facebook.com/groups/a4assange | https://twitter.com/A4Assange | https://www.instagram.com/aotearoa4assange/

OP-ED: Asylum for Assange – How the NZ government can lead the way home for the world’s highest profile political prisoner

  • : Aotearoa 4 Assange
  • :

  • OP-ED by Greg Barns SC and Craig Tuck – Human Rights lawyers from Australia and New Zealand.

    Julian Assange is facing politically motivated criminal charges, laid by the Trump Administration. These charges reflect an abuse of process, designed to silence Assange, and to gag media freedom. Assange’s case has profound implications for the right of the public to know the truth about government wrongdoing – particularly abroad.  In late October a court in London heard argument in an appeal by the US against a decision in January this year by Judge Vanessa Baraitser not extradite Assange.

    New Zealand – as a responsible member of the international community – must stand on the side of fairness and transparency by offering Assange asylum.

    While the legal process continues Assange is being kept in limbo: held in Belmarsh prison while he awaits a decision as to whether he will be deported from the UK to the United States where he faces 175 years in prison for alleged breaches of espionage laws. The evidence against him concerns the publication in 2010 and 2011 of materials (including a chilling video showing US troops killing civilians in Iraq) about the US and its allies’ tactics and war crimes there and in Afghanistan. We now know that in 2017 CIA wanted to “take him out”, or kill him, according to revelations published by Yahoo News.

    The essence of the case can be summarised this way: Assange, an Australian citizen, is being prosecuted by the United States for speaking truth to power (by providing a window into nefarious activities of the military industrial complex). His motivation was the pursuit of transparency, justice, and ultimately peace.

    These pursuits are central to the job of any journalist. In publishing this material, Julian Assange was doing his job – as a journalist and as a citizen. However, he has been cast adrift by the Australian government, despite it professing to be committed to values like freedom of speech and a free media. This refusal by Canberra to speak frankly to its number one friend in Washington and demand the end of the persecution of its citizen Assange provides an opportunity for New Zealand. The opportunity to uphold the human rights values which are at stake here and use its renowned independence and sense of principle to support Assange.

    New Zealand has built its reputation as being at the forefront of human rights advancement, dignity and responsible citizenship – it is trusted internationally as being fair (and kind). It is in many respects a diplomatic powerhouse able to achieve agreements and navigate contentious political waters when others can’t.

    Assange has always stated “The goal is justice, the method is transparency . . . . If wars can be started by lies, peace can be started by truth.” This is a totally consistent position with New Zealand’s stance on peaceful diplomacy, from Nuclear Free NZ, to the successful ‘Soldiers Without Guns’ peace mission in Bougainville.

    The other reason for New Zealand involving itself in the Assange case is because of the extraordinarily dangerous precedent this case sets for journalists anywhere in the world. By way of background, the Obama administration initially declined to prosecute Assange due to what it called the “New York Times problem”—the dilemma of indicting Assange for the very same kind of investigative journalism that mainstream media practices. However under President Trump the Justice Department indicted Assange under espionage legislation.

    No media outlet or journalist has ever been successfully prosecuted under the espionage laws Act for publishing truthful information in the public interest, which is protected by the First Amendment.

    But the message from the US to all journalists and citizens, no matter where in the world they are, is if you publish material which Washington wishes to keep secret then you can be the subject of an extradition request.

    The Assange case is not simply a bilateral issue between the US and UK or the US and Australia. It is about critical democratic values being put at risk by a dominant world power. On this basis it is time for New Zealand, with its respected voice on human rights to make a stand.

    New Zealand has long established relationships with the US, UK and Australia. The persecution and plots of assassination against a South Pacific journalist for revealing war crimes, demands a clear response. New Zealand can use its position as a small principled nation to stand for its values and offer Julian Assange asylum.

    —

    NOTE: This OP-ED is released for general non-exclusive publication and is authorised by Greg Barns SC and Craig Tuck – Human Rights lawyers from Australia and New Zealand.

  • Assange - DEA
  • : Greg Barnes SC
  • : Human Rights Lawyer
  • : republicone@outlook.com
  • : 61419691846
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