Watch Assange's address to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe live here tomorrow Oct 1, 8:30am CEST

26/09/2024 Legal Affairs and Human Rights Julian Assange

Julian Assange is to attend a parliamentary hearing in Strasbourg on Tuesday 1 October 2024 which will look at his detention and conviction and their chilling effect on human rights, ahead of a full plenary debate on this topic by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) the following day. Both events will be livestreamed.

The hearing is organised by the Assembly’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights in the framework of a report on this topic by Thorhildur Sunna Ævarsdóttir (Iceland, SOC). In a recent draft resolution, based on her report, the committee expressed deep concern at Mr Assange’s harsh treatment, warned of its “chilling effect” and called on the United States, a Council of Europe observer state, to investigate the alleged war crimes and human rights violations disclosed by him and Wikileaks.

The committee said it considers that the “disproportionately severe charges” brought against him by the US authorities, as well as the heavy penalties foreseen under the Espionage Act for engaging in acts of journalism, fall within the requirements set out in a 2012 Assembly resolution on the definition of a political prisoner.

The following day, on Wednesday 2 October, the Assembly – which brings together parliamentarians from the 46 Council of Europe member states – is due to debate and vote on the committee’s draft resolution.

Practical information

The hearing, which is open to the press, takes place on Tuesday 1 October in Room 1 of the Palais de l’Europe, from 8.30 a.m. to 10 a.m. CEST. It will be streamed live in English on the Assembly’s YouTube channel here (scrollable mid-stream, with instant replay). A live feed of the hearing in broadcast quality can be obtained via the EBU. Alternatively, broadcast-quality footage can also be obtained, around an hour after the hearing ends, on request, from audiovisual.coordination@coe.int. Media wishing to attend in person, where space allows, should submit requests for accreditation here, and are invited to signal their wish to attend to pace.com@coe.int before midday on Monday 30 September.

The plenary debate is due to take place in the Assembly’s debating chamber on Wednesday 2 October from 10 a.m. CEST with a final vote expected around midday. The debate can be followed via the main webstream in several languages or via the Assembly’s YouTube channel in English (scrollable mid-stream, with instant replay). Mr Assange is expected to be present in the viewing gallery.

  • cupping@thelemmy.club
    ·
    2 months ago

    Thanks for sharing this! I can't believe it's been that long since we last heard from Assange. Should be an interesting watch—it sounds like they're covering some heavy but important topics. It's also great that these events are being livestreamed; accessibility is key. Anyone else planning to tune in? Sort of feels like you're watching history unfold, right? (Minus the popcorn)

    • SLfgb@feddit.nl
      hexagon
      ·
      2 months ago

      Unfortunately I'll be at work at the time but I will be watching it soon after, I'm sure! It feels like a profound moment for humanity, that he can speak freely again. Many people are going to be watching live and hang on his every word. The pressure must be enormous. I'm very interested what he has to say.

  • NoNotLikeThat@lemm.ee
    ·
    2 months ago

    I'm not familiar with all details of his case, but I know enough about him to be able to confidently call him aremoved sack of shit.

    • bazingabrain
      ·
      edit-2
      2 months ago

      some cowardous libshit lemmy mod removed my comment so i'll say it again, you are a moron, and you need to log off.

    • SLfgb@feddit.nl
      hexagon
      ·
      2 months ago

      If you'll please just read this interview with someone who has looked into the case in Sweden in great detail.

      • NoNotLikeThat@lemm.ee
        ·
        2 months ago

        Do you have a non pay-walled link? Like I mentioned, I'm not familiar with the details, and Wikipedia makes it sound like he actually is a molester.

        • SLfgb@feddit.nl
          hexagon
          ·
          2 months ago

          Are you having trouble with republik.ch? It doesn't have a paywall to my knowledge! But if you prefer, you can head on archive.org without any popups: https://web.archive.org/web/20240910100941/https://www.republik.ch/2020/01/31/nils-melzer-about-wikileaks-founder-julian-assange

          Wikipedia is not a reliable source. Anyone can and does edit it. Heck, I know I have.

          • NoNotLikeThat@lemm.ee
            ·
            2 months ago

            Archive works, thanks, I'll read it after work. The first link had a popup demanding money after the first paragraph.

            • SLfgb@feddit.nl
              hexagon
              ·
              2 months ago

              Yea, I see what you mean, and if you don't know German you'll likely not notice the 'not now' option in the pop-up that lets you keep reading. Kind of annoying but I promise the page is technically not paywalled.

    • frauddogg [they/them, null/void]
      ·
      2 months ago

      I'm not at all familiar with you, but I've read enough of your backlog to be able to confidently call you a settler-colonial piece of shit who capes for nazis. Doesn't feel so good, does it, Becky?

      • frauddogg [they/them, null/void]
        ·
        edit-2
        2 months ago

        Nah bazinga was right, fuck was this removed for than just a violation of somebody's fragile-assed vibes? Libshit. Bullying and social sanction works.

        • bazingabrain
          ·
          edit-2
          2 months ago

          fuck you, ignorant sob.

        • frauddogg [they/them, null/void]
          ·
          edit-2
          2 months ago

          With every last iota of settler smuggery out of you, it just convinces me more and more that either you've called the cops on a Black person for existing in your general vicinity before, or you would.

    • SLfgb@feddit.nl
      hexagon
      ·
      2 months ago

      Only a Clinton shill who doesn't know those emails contain all the dirt the DNC had collected on the Trump campaign would say that.

      A New York court ruled this publication, which btw showed the DNC had rigged the primaries / stolen the primaries from Bernie, and pushed media to always talk about Trump in the mistaken Clinton would easily win against him, was First Amendment protected by the highest order.

      • grimfuture@lemmy.ml
        ·
        1 month ago

        That is an ignorant assumption. I was very involved in that primary and I know all about the Clinton BS. I am still a huge Bernie fan, however, Assange did not release the RNC files because he is scared of Putin. I bought into his "all information should be free" until he bent the knee to Putin. https://www.politifact.com/article/2019/mar/18/wikileaks-russias-useful-idiot-its-agent-influence/