The fate of journalism as we know it is now at stake, after Washington indicted Julian Assange under the Espionage Act, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden tweeted in reaction to 17 new charges against the WikiLeaks founder.

“The Department of Justice just declared war – not on Wikileaks, but on journalism itself,” Snowden tweeted Thursday, adding “this is no longer about Julian Assange: This case will decide the future of media.”

The Department of Justice just declared war––not on Wikileaks, but on journalism itself. This is no longer about Julian Assange: This case will decide the future of media. https://t.co/a5WHmTCDpg — Edward Snowden (@Snowden) May 23, 2019

The Thursday charges threaten to put Assange behind bars for over 170 years, if he is convicted.

Also on rt.com Up to 175 yrs in prison: US slaps Julian Assange with 17 more charges under Espionage Act

WikiLeaks has too reacted by slamming the move as “madness” and declaring “the end of national security journalism” and even the First Amendment itself.

This is madness. It is the end of national security journalism and the first amendment. https://t.co/wlhsmsenFw — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) May 23, 2019

Assange was arrested by British authorities in April after spending almost seven years under political asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Washington is seeking the journalist’s extradition, having previously unsealed an indictment against Assange alleging conspiracy to hack Pentagon computers in 2010.

Like this story? Share it with a friend!