Dear Supporter,
Once again, a mail with some campaign news, updates and notice of upcoming events.
Last month saw vigorous support for Julian with John and Gabriel's invite by the president of Mexico to attend the Mexican independence day celebrations as special guests, with legislative moves in South Australia, to United Nations International Peace Day rallies gaining coverage on SBS, to legal applications with extended delays in the UK and more.
1. Whistleblowers & WikiLeaks Week
The first week of October offers action afoot in Melbourne culminating on Saturday 8 October in the formation of a Human Chain along the Yarra River banks in Southbank.
Registration is requested so the organisers can gauge approximate size and plan for the visual extravaganza. Speakers after the Human Chain include David McBride and John and Gabriel Shipton on Princes Bridge.
Please continue to complete the registration by clicking this button:
A screening of David McBride's film plus Q&A panel with David McBride and John Shipton is on Thursday 6 October at Cinema Nova, Carlton. Tickets are available at Try Booking.
WikiLeaks 16th birthday is being celebrated with a BBQ outside the ABC offices in Southbank on Monday 3 October. ABC are offering the film Ithaka free-to-air, both livestream and via iview, which has been tremendous support for Julian.
Delegations are visiting key Labor Members of Parliament on Wednesday (5 Oct), Mark Dreyfus in Mordialloc (Isaacs) and on Thursday (7 Oct), Richard Marles in Geelong (Corio). The plan is to ask each MP to publicly release details of actions taken by the government to secure more proportionate and humane conditions of custody for Julian Assange.
Please add your voice to the delegations and this request by sending emails:
In Canberra, there is a gathering at British High Commission on Commonwealth Ave on Saturday 8 October, 11am.
In Adelaide, there is a gathering at Senator Penny Wong's office every Tuesday from 4:30 pm.
Campaign events are being regularly posted on assangefreedom.network/event or follow and share support for various actions on our Facebook page.
2. The Shipton's On The Road Again
John and Gabriel Shipton were invited by the president of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (often referred to by his initials AMLO) as a special guests for Mexico's Independence Day. The great symbolism of giving a Key to Mexico City to Julian Assange and very strong mention in AMLO's Independence Day speech should not to be underestimated. All the day after meeting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Mexico City.
Mexico has a population of 130 million people with another 30 million Mexican people living in the US. With an annual trade of around 600 billion US dollars, Mexico is the the second largest US trading partner.
Other outspoken Latin American supporters are President Alberto Fernandez (Argentina) and ex-Presidents Lula Da Silva (Brazil), Evo Morales (Colombia) and Rafael Correa (Ecuador).
Julian noted, "Perhaps no region in the world demonstrates the full spectrum of the US imperial interference as vividly as Latin America."
3. Legal Action in the UK Courts
In late August Julian's UK legal team filed perfected grounds of appeal. Key points include:
The prosecution has been granted extra time to consider the request, which conveniently times the US response after their midterm elections.
Nils Melzer points out that, while Julian is effectively gagged and indefinitely electronically bound in disproportionate and inhumane custodial conditions, these procedural delays are part of the long game - confinement without the risk of trial. Hence our imperative request that our Labor Government 'publicly release details of actions by the government to secure more proportionate and humane conditions of custody for Julian Assange'.
4. Quiet Diplomacy vs. No Diplomacy
I wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister, on the behalf of all Australian Assange supporters.
We were very encouraged by your election commitment that the "ongoing pursuit of Mr Assange" served no evident "purpose" and that "enough is enough". I wish to take up your offer to "change the way politics operates in this country and actually answer questions", and to provide some "transparency" of process long denied by the previous Government.
Our question, then, is what progress in your ninety-nine days of government has been made to ensure that Mr Assange's mental and physical health are prioritised which means his release from Belmarsh prison.
At 130 days of office, the open letter to the Prime Minister remains unanswered.
5. Petition to US Ambassador
Caroline Kennedy, daughter to the past US president John F. Kennedy, has recently been appointed US Ambassador to Australia. James Ricketson has written a letter of support for Julian noting her fathers commitment to Free Speech and our right to know.
We now have a petition asking Caroline Kennedy to pass on our request to the US president Joe Biden to end Julian's prosecution.
Please take a moment to add your signature:
6. South Australia Parliament Vote
SA Best member Frank Pangallo moved a motion in the South Australian Legislative authorising the Speaker to send a letter to President Biden calling for the release of Julian Assange.
A rally to support Julian was held on the steps of the parliament in Adelaide Wednesday 28 September before the vote with the enthusiastic crowd being addressed by David McBride, Rex Patrick and SA politicians.
Unfortunately, apparently on the instructions of a senior federal member, the Labor Party voted against the motion as did the Liberals. Five independents supported the motion. It was disappointing to see what was a reasonable motion being rejected by the Labor Party in this manner.
7. Truth Not War Rallies
September saw UN Peace Day Rallies in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide with support for Julian. There was media coverage with SBS and Ruptly.
Amber Petty MC at Melbourne thoughtfully commented, "What in your mind was the trigger that changed public opinion for wars in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and any other wars? What public outrage came just before the end of apartheid in South Africa and the release of political prisoners such as Nelson Mandela? It was public rallies like this one today."
8. The Film - Ithaka
Congratulations to Ben Lawrence on the nomination of Ithaka for the 2022 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Award for Best Documentary
Ithaka is still available on ABC Iview
On September 29 John Shipton is attending the Q&A and screening in Switzerland organised by the Geneva Press Club.
Work has commenced on a Spanish version.
9. The Book - The Trial of Julian Assange
Recently John Shipton sent emails offering the book to all the 277 Senators and Members of Parliament. After two weeks we are heartened by ten acceptances, half from the coalition and the rest across most other parties and independents.
Also, half the acceptances were from members that have not publicly offered support for Julian Assange. The best we can ask is any person to become acquainted with the facts and then make up their own mind on any issue. Nils Melzer's book is an independent assessment and cuts through the web of disinformation supporting Julian's persecution.
10. Volunteer Opportunities
Do you want to help spread the word of Julian's human rights, press freedom and democracy? Or, know anyone who might?
Assange Campaign Inc. is a volunteer-driven organisation and we are looking for 2-3 people to support our small team with three key projects.
Check out the current opportunities at www.assangecampaign.org.au/volunteer-opportunities-at-assange-campaign, and please share with family and friends.
Thank you again for your support for human rights, press freedom and democracy.
Free Assange Now.
Many Regards
Matthew Bretherton
"If wars can be started by lies, peace can be started by the truth." Julian Assange