The editors of the whistle-blowing journalism publication WikiLeaks met with Colombia’s new left-wing President Gustavo Petro on November 22.
Petro stated that he “supports the worldwide struggle for the freedom of the journalist Julian Assange,” the Australian founder of WikiLeaks, who has been incarcerated in a maximum-security British prison since 2019, awaiting extradition to the United States.
“I will ask President Biden with other Latin American presidents so they don’t put charges on a journalist only for saying the truth,” vowed Petro, Colombia’s first-ever leftist head of state.
Me reuní con los voceros de Wikikeaks, para apoyar la lucha mundial por la libertad del periodista Julian Assange.
Le soliciaré al presidente Biden con otros presidentes latinoamericanos que no se pongan cargos a un periodista solo por decir la verdad pic.twitter.com/kWyoXrHhyV
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) November 22, 2022
Petro was joined in the meeting in the Casa de Nariño presidential office in Bogotá by WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson, WikiLeaks ambassador Joseph A. Farrell, and Colombia’s Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva Durán.
Hrafnsson tweeted that it was a “good meeting,” adding that both Petro and Leyva “confirmed their support for urging the US Biden admin to drop the charges against #Assange recognising the grave threat against press freedom if he is extradited.”
Good meeting today with Colombian president Gustavo Petro and his FM Alvaro Durán. Both confirmed their support for urging the US Biden admin to drop the charges against #Assange recognising the grave threat against press freedom if he is extradited. @petrogustavo pic.twitter.com/hsMt2n3eCO
— Kristinn Hrafnsson (@khrafnsson) November 21, 2022
Assange faces up to 175 years in prison in the United States, on politically motivated charges.
When Assange was trapped in Ecuador’s embassy in London, the CIA spied on him 24/7. Journalist and lawyers targeted in this operation have sued the CIA.
The top United Nations expert on torture, Special Rapporteur Nils Melzer, visited Assange in the UK’s notorious Belmarsh prison in 2019, and reported that he is suffering from torture and horrific health conditions that could threaten his life.
“While the US Government prosecutes Mr. Assange for publishing information about serious human rights violations, including torture and murder, the officials responsible for these crimes continue to enjoy impunity,” Melzer said.
The UN expert said Assange suffers from “all the symptoms typical for prolonged exposure to psychological torture.”
“However, what we have seen from the UK Government is outright contempt for Mr. Assange’s rights and integrity,” Melzer lamented. “Despite the medical urgency of my appeal, and the seriousness of the alleged violations, the UK has not undertaken any measures of investigation, prevention and redress required under international law.”
In calling for freeing Assange, Petro has joined numerous other leftist leaders in Latin America, including Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, and Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega. All have praised the WikiLeaks journalist for exposing US war crimes.
