WORLD_ Marchers support Assange ahead of London extradition hearing

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Marchers support Assange ahead of London extradition hearing

Australian Julian Assange, wanted in the US to face spy charges, has attracted a stellar cast of advocates in London.

AP
News Corp Australia Network  
February 23, 20204:06am

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Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Picture: GettySource:Getty Images



Hundreds of supporters of Australian Julian Assange marched through London to pressure the UK government to refuse to extradite the WikiLeaks founder to the US to face spying charges.

Famous Britons, including Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde and fashion designer Vivienne Westwood joined the protest crowd.

An extradition hearing for Assange is due to begin in a London court on Monday.




Fashion designer Vivienne Westwood joins protesters outside Australia House in London. Picture: AFP Source:AFP




Assange supporters gather in London. Picture: AFP Source:AFP



WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson told a rally outside Parliament that the prosecution of Assange represented “a dark force against (those) who want justice, transparency and truth.”

US prosecutors have charged the 48-year-old Australian computer expert with espionage over WikiLeaks’ publication of hundreds of thousands of confidential government documents.

If found guilty, he could be sentenced to up to 175 years in prison.




American singer and songwriter Chrissie Hynde. Picture: AP Source:AP



American authorities say Assange conspired with US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to hack into a Pentagon computer and release secret diplomatic cables and military files on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Assange argues he acted as a journalist and is therefore entitled to First Amendment protection. He also maintains the documents exposed wrongdoing and protected many people.




Former Pink Floyd bass player Roger Waters maintains the rage. Picture: AP Source:AP


Civil liberties groups and journalism organisations, including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders, have urged America to drop the charges, saying they set a chilling precedent for freedom of the press.

More than 40 jurists from the UK, the US, France and other countries published a letter Saturday asking the British government to reject the extradition request.

They accused the US of “extraterritorial overreach” in seeking to prosecute an Australian who was based in the UK.

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READ MORE: https://www.news.com.au/world/europe/marchers-support-assange-ahead-of-london-extradition-hearing/news-story/bf897e35be58d3c78790de8f7bc33390


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