Julian Assange 'Supposed' to Get Internet/Phone Rights Restored Today (But Hasn't Yet), Ecuador Imposing Draconian Protocols

The Ecuadorian embassy in London was supposed to partly restore internet access to Assange today, as has been reported online. But it didn't happen yet. There will be severe limitations on what he can say when it does happen.

_{Cancillería del Ecuador/wikimedia, CC BY-SA 2.0}

Julian Assange has been in living inside Equador's embassy in London for over 6 years, since 2012 when he lost a legal battle against being extradited to Sweden to face rape allegations. Assange founded WikiLeaks in 2006, and became internationally famous in 2010 when WikiLeaks published the leaked documents from Chelsea Manning.

That same year (what a coincidence), Sweden issued an arrest warrant for rape and sexual assault, which he has emphatically denied. It's highly likely these charges were fabricated in order to silence him with a prison sentence. The U.K. police arrested him shortly afterwards, but released him on bail. He was soon granted asylum in Equador's London embassy after entering on June 19, 2012, in order to prevent from being arrested and extradited to Sweden for likely imprisonment, or to the U.S. for questioning/interrogation about WikiLeaks and his role in the release of classified documents.

In March of 2018, his phone and internet access was revoked by the Equadorian government, as they say he breached an agreement with them to not "issue messages that might interfere with other states". Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno ordered his isolation on March 28, saying Assange gave "opinions on the politics of friendly nations like Spain or the United States." There were also fears that he would be handed over to the British government a few months ago.

He's been in isolation for 7 months, with only his legal team allowed to visit during this time. WikiLeaks announced that talks President Moreno and UN officials (the UN high commissioner for refugees Filippo Grandi and UN special rapporteur for freedom of expression David Kaye) on Friday were supposed to end the "isolation regime", and alleviate the ban on Assange's communications.

Kristin Hrafnsson, Editor-in-chief of Wikileaks, said:

It is positive that, through UN intervention, Ecuador has partly ended the isolation of Mr Assange although it is of grave concern that his freedom to express his opinions is still limited.

The UN has already declared Mr Assange a victim of arbitrary detention.

This unacceptable situation must end.

The UK Government must abide by the UN’s ruling and guarantee that he can leave the embassy without the threat of extradition to the United States.

A WikiLeaks statement said:

Mr Assange had critically reported on the Trump administration’s involvement in Yemen and Spanish police brutality. High level representations were made by the Trump administration and the Spanish government over Mr Assange, who was given political refugee status by Ecuador in 2012 over US attempts to prosecute him.

The Trump administrations stepped up efforts to prosecute Mr Assange after WikiLeaks published the largest leak in the history of the CIA last year.

The US has announced that it now considers Ecuador a ‘strategic ally’ and helped it secure a billion dollars in previously withheld loans.

For almost seven months, Ecuador has kept Mr Assange in a regime that has been likened to solitary confinement by Human Rights Watch. Ecuador has prevented Mr Assange from receiving visitors other than his lawyers. It installed three sets of signal jammers in the embassy, to prevent Mr Assange from communicating using mobile phones or internet.

The extrajudicial seven-month isolation of Mr Assange has interfered with his fundamental rights and the rights of his family. It has also prevented Mr Assange from working and giving public talks.

Ecuador has also prevented all journalists from speaking to him during this time. Ecuador’s President until last year, Rafael Correa, has denounced Mr Assange’s treatment as ‘torture’ stating ‘the government is basically attacking Julian’s mental health’.

Ecuador has informed Mr Assange that the government intends to continue Moreno’s policy of restricting him from expressing his opinions under threat of expulsion.

Assange has yet to speak publicly, and leaked documents in Spanish outline the draconian protocols Assange must follow or risk being expelled from the Embassy.

Protocols involve rules for visitors. They must request authorization by providing "full names, nationality, copies of identification, reason for the visit, their profession and workplace, email accounts and links to their social media, and serial numbers for any phones or tablets they wish to keep with them during the visit." Anyone who tries to get access can be denied authorization, or their access canceled at any time if they are granted access as a frequent visitor.

Protocols for communication involve paying WiFi costs. He can only use his own devices (tablets, phones or computers) except with written permission from Ecuador. Brand names, model and serial numbers for devices must be provided. His freedom of speech will be restricted, as he will be prohibited from talking about anything considered political, or endanger relations between Equador and other states.

Finally he has medical protocols to follow. He must undergo quarterly medical evaluations at his own expense. The document says: "In case of a medical emergency or at the express request of Mr. Assange, the Head of the Mission will authorize your transfer, as soon as possible, to receive care from physicians outside the Embassy".

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD), has declared Assange to be arbitrarily and unlawfully detained by the U.K., which the U.K. refuses to acknowledge.

Will Assange agree to the terms and get his limited ability to communicate with the outside world back? Time will tell. I think he would prefer any communication, than no communication. I don't think he will break the protocols and risk being thrown to the wolves.

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References:

• Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is BACK ONLINE after 7-month communications BAN
• Julian Assange’s communications partly restored by Ecuadorian government
• Ecuador Restores Julian Assange's Internet, Phone And Visitation Privileges
• LEAKED: Here Are the Demands Ecuador Has Given Julian Assange in Order to End His Isolation

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