UN Torture Expert: “collective persecution” of Julian Assange must end now

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, has published a scathing condemnation of the “deliberate and concerted abuse inflicted for years” on Julian Assange, calling on the UK government not to extradite him to the United States, where Melzer fears Assange “would be exposed to a real risk of serious violations of his human rights.”

“The evidence is overwhelming and clear,” the expert said. “Mr. Assange has been deliberately exposed, for a period of several years, to progressively severe forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the cumulative effects of which can only be described as psychological torture.”

Melzer, who visited Assange in Belmarsh prison following concerns for his health, sent official letters to the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Ecuador, urging each government “to refrain from further disseminating, instigating or tolerating statements or other activities prejudicial to Assange’s human rights and dignity and to take measures to provide him with appropriate redress and rehabilitation for past harm.”

Discussing his concerns in more detail with the Sydney Morning Herald, Melzer said that Australia shares the blame for Assange’s abusive treatment:

Australia is a glaring absence in this case. They’re just not around, as if Assange was not an Australian citizen. That is not the correct way of dealing with that.

Melzer also spoke with Democracy Now!

UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the report is “wrong,” and that Melzer “should allow British courts to make their judgements without his interference or inflammatory accusations.”

Melzer responded:

With all due respect, Sir: Mr Assange was about as „free to leave“ as a someone sitting on a rubberboat in a sharkpool. As detailed in my formal letter to you, so far, UK courts have not shown the impartiality and objectivity required by the rule of law. — Nils Melzer (@NilsMelzer) May 31, 2019

Melzer’s full statements from the UN’s release: