Norsk PEN og presse-Norge ber den britiske regjeringen stanse utleveringen av Julian Assange til USA
Norsk PEN, Norsk Journalistlag, Norsk Presseforbund og Redaktørforeningen har overlevert et brev til den britisk ambassaden i Norge. Vår beskjed til den britiske regjeringen er at de ikke må utlevere Julian Assange til USA.
Dear Ambassador,
We, the undersigned press freedom and free expression organisations, are writing to express our deepest regret following the order from the Westminister Magistrate’s Court on April 20th to extradite Julian Assange to the United States.
We strongly urge the UK Home Secretary Priti Patel to reject the US Government’s extradition request.
Facing extradition, we are deeply concerned about Mr. Assange’s mental health condition. The undersigned organisations reiterate the risk for loss of life, as acknowledged by the District Court ruling and overturned by the High Court and the Supreme Court in March 2022. The Home Secretary can now decide whether the UK Government is willing to extradite Mr. Assange and risk the consequences for the defendants mental and physical health.
Beyond Mr. Assange’s health conditions, we will underline once more the wide ranging consequences on a global societal level. On a principled basis we denounce the extradition of an Australian citizen to the US from a third country, with a disproportionate penalisation as a result. In times of war the UK Government cannot be accomplice to restricting press freedom and freedom of speech.
Sincerely,
Kjersti Løken Stavrum
Chair, PEN Norway
Elin Floberghagen,
General Secretary, Norwegian Press Association
Dag Idar Tryggestad,
Chair, Norwegian Union of Journalists
Reidun Kjelling Nybø,
General Secratary, Association of Norwegian Editors
