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The trial of Assange
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phallus dei
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Re: The trial of Assange
Mar 04, 2020, 00:00
Thanks, Zariadris. You're no slouch in the writing department, either :-)
It's refreshing to have a civil conversation where we "agree to disagree" but still maintain basic respect for one another. Such courtesy is indeed lacking these days.

In closing, I'd just like to bring up two issues to consider. First, Wikileaks wasn't only focused on the crimes of Western governments. They also exposed incidents in China, Africa, the Middle East, and Russia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_material_published_by_WikiLeaks

Naturally, residing in the West, we're going to hear mostly about those releases that strike close to home. But a quick look at their publications list reveals that Wikileaks and Assange were driven by a much greater calling than a personal vendetta against Hillary Clinton.

Second, even if the Mueller Report was true (and as I mentioned, there are plenty of reasons to at least be suspicious of its findings), how can that justify the way Assange has been treated? Nils Melzer, a UN human rights official, has described Assange's treatment as a form of torture:
https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25249

Surely, at the very least, Assange - like anyone else - deserves the right to a fair trial, the right to take an active role in preparing his defense, and the right to not be unduly harassed while in prison.

At the end of the day, I do fear that Assange will either conveniently "commit suicide," or be subject to lifetime imprisonment. Such an outcome may give a momentary burst of joy to the anti-Trumpers, but the lasting effects will be dangerous for us all. Those glorious days when it looked like the internet might foster the "free exchange of ideas" - and keep our governments in check - are sadly gone.
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Re: The trial of Assange (Zariadris)
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