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    Re: Why are US govt lawyers trying to assist Assange's access to lawyers? Archived Message

    Posted by margo on January 13, 2020, 6:17 pm, in reply to "Why are US govt lawyers trying to assist Assange's access to lawyers?"

    Assange was due to be in court tomorrow (14th). On Friday, Westminster Court suddenly changed the appearance to today, giving supporters and lawyers not much time to rally for the new date. Supporters say the change was not registered on the court list, as it's properly supposed to be. Yet another procedural abuse.

    Daily Mail buries the substantive issues of today's court hearing under the headline: "Assange complains prison van journey to court was uncomfortable" - an angle seemingly crafted to make people dislike Assange and see him as a wimp and petty complainer. No evidence he said anything of the sort, because he was only allowed to give a few specific answers from behind a glass wall.

    The substantive issue is that his lawyers complained to the judge today that HMP Belmarsh continually restricts the time Assange gets to meet with his lawyers.
    Since Assange last appeared in court (last year) his lawyers have managed to have only two hours with him to sign off multiple bundles of documents scheduled for the four-to-five-week trial, starting in 6 weeks time.
    Judge Vanessa Baraitser (overseen by Judge Emma Arbuthnot, who has multiple conflicts of interest and who has still not formally recused herself) today grudgingly granted Pierce and Assange one hour in a private room at Westminster Court to look at documents, because Monday was a very busy day with lots of cases and no private rooms. (So why did they change the court day at the last minute, from quieter Tuesday to busier Monday?)

    Citizen journalist Stephanie Marsilia tweets:
    Previous Message


    @smarsilia

    "Daily Mail UK buries the lede: Assange lawyer, Gareth Pierce, is given one hour with Julian Assange to sign court documents outlining illegal prison conditions at #Belmarsh.
    "One hour."

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