Written by: Ruhi Rizvi

Julian Assange is currently serving a 50-week sentence in Belmarsh Prison on charges of jumping bail and acquiring asylum at Ecuadorian embassy since 2012, where he spent 7 years before being arrested and taken into police custody on 11th April 2019 under UK law. He was later presented to the Westminster court where charges were read out to him.

Since the debacle of Assange having leaked Pentagon’s confidential information to the public, he became one of the most wanted figures on this planet.

Assange‘s trial commenced on Feb. 20, 2020. He faces 18 charges of attempting and acting in breaches of the Espionage Act, for his role in leaking classified information exposing US war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, which carries a sentence of 175 years. Judge Vanessa Baraitser has asked the court to reconvene in the middle of May, where witnesses will be cross examined.

The hearing lasted four days combining Julian Assange’s case with that of the prosecution of Chelsea Manning, activist whistle-blower (recently released from prison in Virginia US) had provided Assange with the said information.

“The 10-year-case was carefully prepared by the US Obama administration and an indictment pursued by the Trump administration. Nothing new had been put forward but was heavily defended by Assange’s defence Team”, Jennifer Robinson, Human Rights attorney and advisor to Assange told ‘Democracy Now’.

The case heard number of arguments which were put forward by the defence team, these include: the Espionage Act is unprecedented act in use against a publisher, which in itself is political offense that should be barred under the terms of the US/UK extradition treaty, it poses a grave threat to press freedom for journalists across the world. It must be noted that this act seeks to extradite and prosecute journalists who choose to publish the truth about the US.

In Assange’s first court appearance, it was evident that he had been tortured. He was unable to recall his own name when questioned. In February, John Shipton, Assange’s father, reported of a “10-year-long [campaign of] malice and torture by the authorities,” also witnessed by the UN working group on arbitrary detention led by Rep Neils Milsner. Whilst in the Ecuadorian embassy, Assange was aware of the FBI and Spanish authorities keeping him under surveillance.

Assange’s health has deteriorated significantly in past months. Doctors who assessed him in the Ecuadorian embassy became extremely concerned about his general wellbeing, but more so, his mental health. He was diagnosed with severe depression and described as ‘frail looking’. In November 2019, 60 physicians signed an appeal letter written to Priti Patel, the Secretary of State for the Home Department. They said that Wikileaks founder may not survive until February 2020, meaning that he must receive urgent medical attention. Priti Patel is dubbed as a politician who has a consistent record of voting against basic human rights.

Guardian News reported that since his arrest, “Julian Assange had been handcuffed 11 times and was stripped naked 18 times.” Again, in February 2020, a group of 117 doctors and psychologists called for ”an end to torture and medical neglect of Julian Assange” and further stated that, “the medical profession cannot afford to standby, on the side of torture and the wrong side of history.”

Over a period of some months, there are clear signs which suggest Assange’s health is continuing to deteriorate. His lawyer has warned that extradition to US will have grave consequences and is a suicide risk.

The U.K government has announced that 4000 low-risk prisoners will be temporarily released and many will be given early reprieve of their sentences. Globally across many countries, governments have initiated similar prisoner release measures, in a bid to enable prevention and protection against this disease but to also preserve life where possible. Human rights must prevail under the circumstances, and should not be violated. Anyone who is symptomatic or a carrier of the COVID-19 virus in a prison establishment, can spread the disease among the rest of the inmates. What that would look like, one can only imagine.

The Ministry of Justice said, "low-risk offenders would be electronically tagged and temporarily released on licence in stages, but could be recalled at the first sign of concern."

While the whole world remains on high alert, focusing on minimizing death rates by raising awareness of this deadly virus, most establishments are closed indefinitely to protect the public. However, it’s observed, pertaining to the case of Assange and political prisoners in other Western supported countries, the laws are extremely stringent when it comes down to release.

Unfortunately, Assange has not been granted this privilege. With his current medical condition, he is being set up to die in prison.