The Lifeboat News
[ Message Archive | The Lifeboat News ]

    Chinese artist AiWeiWei and father John Shipton visit Assange at Belmarsh Archived Message

    Posted by margo on June 11, 2019, 6:47 pm

    Guardian ignores this human interest story revolving around the kind of media freedom debates with which a progressive liberal paper should concern itself.

    The DailyMail runs it:

    ------ - - - -

    extracts

    DailyMail -- JULIAN ASSANGE was today visited by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and his father in prison as the US sent Britain a formal request to extradite him in a bid to put him on trial for leaking military secrets.

    [...]
    Justice Department officials sent the official request on Thursday, meeting a 60-day deadline after the WikiLeaks founder was arrested on April 11, government sources told the Washington Post.
    [...]

    Weiwei, who was detained without charge in China for 81 days in 2011 during a crackdown on political activists, is believed to have previously visited Assange in 2015 when he was holed up inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

    The 47-year-old's father John Shipton arrived at the prison today with Ai Weiwei this afternoon.

    After visiting his son, Mr Shipton said: 'It was just very moving to see Julian, particularly in those circumstances, coming out of sick bay and having lost 10kg weight.'

    He said: 'I think he'll be alright.'

    Mr Shipton said he shared a hug with his son, adding: 'It was a bit moving, not a hug that you want to end.'

    Asked if his son was emotional, he said: 'I was a bit overwhelmed myself. I wasn't checking on the others. I think those things are infectious.'

    Mr Shipton said his son's weight has now 'stabilised' and he expects he will be moving out of the sick bay and back into the prison population.

    'The big problem there is that Julian has no access to the means to prepare his case. And his case, I think, has another two months before its full hearing.

    'He needs more access to the means to prepare his defence against this terrible extradition order.'

    Mr Shipton said during the prison visit his son asked him to move from Melbourne in Australia to the UK.

    'He just said could I move over to the UK and I said 'yes, I'll be here in August',' he said, adding: 'I'm delighted.'

    Assange's father John Shipton said it was 'very moving' to see his son at HMP Belmarsh today
    +8

    Mr Shipton, who last spent time with his son at Christmas in the Ecuadorean Embassy, said he could see a 'considerable change' in him and said his speech is 'considered'.

    He said he and his son had dinner together at Christmas in the embassy surrounded by photos of family.

    'He's a very emotional person, very loyal to his family,' he said.

    Mr Shipton said Assange remains 'optimistic' and 'spirited', adding that he is looking forward to the end of his sentence when he goes on remand which will allow more visits and access to papers.

    'We did talk about Julian being an icon of what the press is undergoing, and journalism is undergoing, free speech is undergoing and the ability to criticise government is undergoing all through the rest of the world,' he said.

    Earlier this month, a Swedish court rejected a request from prosecutors for the Australian to be detained in his absence.

    Prosecutors had said they would issue a European Arrest Warrant if the request had been granted, but Uppsala District Court rejected the request.

    An investigation has been reopened into an allegation of rape in Sweden, which Assange has always denied. He also faces an extradition request from the US on allegations of spying.

    A case management hearing for that matter is due to take place on Friday at Westminster Magistrates' Court, and Assange is expected to appear via video link from prison.... /article continues

    LINK https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7129091/Chinese-artist-Ai-Weiwei-visits-Julian-Assange-prison.html

    Video from RUPTLY - not BBC/SKY etc who aren't interested, seemingly, in this case that's attracted world-wide interest



    Message Thread: