Bipartisan Effort to Protect Freedom of the Press
A resolution has been introduced in Congress by Representative Paul Gosar, a Republican from Arizona, and Representative Jared Huffman, a Democrat from California, calling for the United States government to drop all charges against Julian Assange and to end its extradition requests. The resolution highlights the importance of freedom of the press and the potential dangers of prosecuting journalists for publishing information.
Charges and Background
Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is currently facing 17 charges under the Espionage Act for allegedly receiving, possessing, and communicating classified information. These charges were brought by the Trump administration in connection with the publication of leaked documents that detailed war crimes, torture, and other misconduct by the U.S. government. Assange has been held at London’s high-security Belmarsh Prison since April 2019.
Protection of Journalistic Activities
The resolution emphasizes that journalistic activities, including the obtainment and publication of information, are protected under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It argues that prosecuting Assange would set a dangerous precedent and could lead to the imprisonment of journalists for engaging in protected activities. The resolution also highlights the importance of public transparency and the role that a free press plays in safeguarding democracy.
Bipartisan Support for Assange
This resolution is not the first bipartisan effort to protect Julian Assange. Several lawmakers in the U.S. and Assange’s home country of Australia have previously called for the charges to be dropped. Last month, a letter signed by more than a dozen U.S. lawmakers was sent to President Biden urging him to end the prosecution against Assange. In 2020, a similar resolution was introduced by Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, and former Representative Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat from Hawaii.
Concerns Over Press Freedom
The charges against Assange have raised concerns among press freedom advocates, who argue that they could criminalize journalism. No publisher had been charged under the Espionage Act until Assange, leading many to view his case as a dangerous precedent. While U.S. prosecutors claim that WikiLeaks’ publication of classified material put lives at risk, there is no evidence to support this claim.
Call for Dropping the Charges
The resolution introduced by Representatives Gosar and Huffman calls for the federal government to drop all charges against Julian Assange and to allow him to return home to his native Australia if he wishes to do so. It emphasizes the need to protect freedom of the press and the importance of public transparency.
As the debate over Julian Assange’s fate continues, this resolution represents another step in the ongoing effort to defend press freedom and ensure that journalists are not prosecuted for carrying out their essential role in a democratic society.
