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Central Coast residents wishing to join the campaign to stop the extradition to the US of Australian journalist and WikiLeaks publisher, Julian Assange, can now join the Central Coast for Julian Assange group.
By Jacquelene Pearson
A new Central Coast for Julian Assange facebook page has been set up following a meeting of concerned locals during the long weekend.
The meeting followed last Tuesday’s news that UK High Court Judge, Justice Jonathan Swift had rejected all eight grounds for Assange’s appeal against his US extradition.
If extradited to the United States Julian Assange would face 18 charges for releasing classified documents which were subsequently published by major mainstream newspapers. Most of the leaked documents came from Chelsea Manning, the former US military intelligence analyst.
If convicted Assange would be sentenced to 175 years in prison – a definite life sentence.
Assange has one legal avenue remaining in the UK and his team had only five days to prepare a final appeal which will be held in a public hearing by two different High Court judges.
It is unknown how quickly after lodging the appeal that public hearing would be held.
Another avenue for fighting the extradition would be via the European Court of Human Rights.
As explained in The Point’s interview with Julian Assange’s brother, Gabriel Shipton, last week, the exact actions being taken by the Australian Government through its formal diplomatic channels are not transparent to the public.
The family and friends of Julian Assange encourage concerned residents to form local groups. Their website lists many different types of actions that can be undertaken to help the campaign.
Assange is now considered to be dangerously close to extradition. If you would like to find out more about Central Coast for Julian Assange, visit the facebook page and the campaign website.
