A Sad Day for Western Democracy

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has made her decision. This morning, she ordered Julian Assange’s extradition to the United States.

“A Sad Day for Western Democracy”

The co-chairs of The Assange Defense Committee – Noam Chomsky, Daniel Ellsberg, and Alice Walker – released the following statement in response to Patel’s decision:

“It is a sad day for western democracy. The UK’s decision to extradite Julian Assange to the nation that plotted to assassinate him – the nation that wants to imprison him for 175 years for publishing truthful information in the public interest – is an abomination.

We expect the world's most despised autocrats to persecute journalists, publishers, and whistleblowers. We expect totalitarian regimes to gaslight their people and crack down on those who challenge the government. Shouldn’t we expect western democracies to behave better?

The U.S. government argues that its venerated Constitution does not protect journalism the government dislikes, and that publishing truthful information in the public interest is a subversive, criminal act. This argument is a threat not only to journalism, but to democracy itself.

The UK has shown its complicity in this farce, by agreeing to extradite a foreigner based on politically motivated charges that collapse under the slightest scrutiny.”

- Noam Chomsky, Daniel Ellsberg, and Alice Walker

Speak Out! Rally and Press Conference in NYC TODAY!

Julian’s legal team assures us they will pursue every avenue of appeal in the UK and the EU. But we have to keep up the pressure in the United States. Julian’s father and brother are in New York City today, and will hold a press conference at 12:30 p.m. at the British consulate.