STRASBOURG, France, Oct. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gave testimony before the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. The Council then heard comments from members today, October 2, 2024, on Mr. Assange’s testimony, and on the report by Rapporteur Thórhildur Sunna Ævarsdóttir.
Read Sunna’s report here: https://pace.coe.int/en/files/33734/html
Watch today’s Council of Europe’s session here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYyd9ucUSEA
Assange’s testimony marks the first time he has spoken in public since his detainment in 2019. The Council then took a vote and in a decision of 88 votes in favour, 13 against and 20 abstentions, the Council of Europe today voted to adopt the Resolution based on the report "The detention and conviction of Julian Assange and their chilling effects on human rights" by rapporteur Ms Thórhildur Sunna Ævarsdóttir. They confirmed that Julian Assange was held as a political prisoner. Assange’s reputation and innocence have been recognized world-wide.
ThinkCareBelieve asserts that this is an historic event because Julian Assange is widely considered the greatest journalist of our time and we all share the fight to speak and publish the truth freely. What has happened in to Assange is of worldwide concern and we must support journalists to be watchdogs for governments and politicians to keep them honest. We as a worldwide community need journalists to feel safe to do their jobs and not be intimidated into self-censoring due to the chilling effect that has occurred due to the Assange Case. We have to stand up as a people to support journalists who are willing to do investigative journalism and publish the truth along with evidence of the facts of the story. This is an important moment in history and we must stand together for what is right.
ThinkCareBelieve believes that when we take a look at the ideals and practices for which Julian Assange stands, we can see him as a man of integrity with a moral and social intelligence that shines through his work. Assange’s speeches educated the public on how to empower themselves, predicting the time we are experiencing now. Assange changed journalism forever by employing the practice of “Scientific Journalism” which printed the source documentation alongside the articles for verification of facts. He also pioneered the secure dropbox for whistleblowers to securely upload tips and information. Something so new and unconventional at the time, but is commonly used today.
