British Veterans call on our government to respect the rights of journalists and whistle-blowers and refuse to extradite Julian Assange to the US.
We oppose the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States and are deeply concerned that journalism and whistleblowing is being criminalised by the US and actively supported by British authorities. The indefinite detention of Chelsea Manning and the persecution of Reality Winner and John Kiriakou have demonstrated that a whistle blower will not receive a fair trial in the US court system. We believe the authorities are seeking a show trial for the purpose of revenge and to intimidate journalists.
The release of the Iraq War Logs and The Afghan War Diaries revealed the true human cost of our wars in the Middle East. Wikileaks acted in the public interest by releasing these documents and Julian Assange, as a journalist, was right to publish in association with newspapers including The Guardian, The New York Times, Le Monde, and Der Spiegel. Without these documents, the public would have remained ignorant about the true number of civilian casualties and deaths, the torture and abuse of detainees, the killing of two Reuters journalists by US military personnel in helicopter gunships, the killing of Iraqi soldiers trying to surrender, and the abuses and civilian deaths caused by private military contractors.
VFP UK feel that the personal insults the judge made at Westminster Magistrates Court about Assange highlight a lack of fair and unbiased treatment.
We call on our government to refuse the extradition of Julian Assange to the US, and to respect the rights of whistle blowers and journalists.
Statement made and issued Fri 12 April 2019.
Veterans For Peace UK 
Excellent statement.
Thank you VFP UK.
The power of Government authouritys these days is truly frightening . Julian Assange is just one powerful example of the abuse citizens have to put up with foreign and domestic. Julian Assange was working in the public interest therefore the British and American Governments are working outside the Rule of law which apart from the long list of crimes reported by wikileaks by the American and British Governments Breaking The Rule of law is the biggest crime they are guilty of in a so called Democracy of the U.S.A. and U.K …. LONG LIVE THE SPIRIT OF TELLING THE TRUTH FREE JULIAN ASSANGE NOW !!!
How come there’s no petition attached to this statement?
On reading your statement regarding Julian Assange it gave me huge satisfaction that I recently became a member of V.F.P. , we live in dangerous times where sadly the donkeys still seem to hold sway. Keep up the sterling work, lets put the donkeys out to grass.
Well said and well done VFP UK for taking a stand on this.
Thank you for you valid support for
Mr Julian Assange during his immoral treatment and captivity by the UK government.
Your actions will be strengthening the human being right, to be informed with knowledge, by others.
I would take a step back from anyone that wanted JA prosecuted,
Free Assange
We are living in very dangerous times. We simply cannot allow the system to gag us, any of us. The truth must be available to all, otherwise it’s 1984. For real.
Very well said. Whilst Assange should answer to the allegations of sexual offences, no-one should be allowed to use them to facilitate his extradition to the US.
If he is extradited to Sweden, it must be only on condition that he will not subsequently be handed over to the Americans
Thank You, VFP.
The vultures are gathering and the crows are a crowing, isn’t it ironic how things get twisted , When evil deeds are called honourable and honest truth is persecuted and derided. A sad day for freedom of speech and a sad day for us all truth lovers what ever their political or religious leanings.. Wail and lament but most of all stand up a be counted on the side right and freedom.——– Well said Corbyn, Snowdon and Abbot, shame Trump, Moreno and Judge Snow.
I hope we Veterans for Peace will speak with one voice in support of those who dare to tell the truth. If the newly invented ‘Hate Crime’ has any meaning at all, it should be used to charge those who direct such venom against Julian Assange.
Such was the malice of the UK Government, his ‘asylum’ in the Equadorian Embassy turned into seven years imprisonment. Yet the venom of his detractors is such they want to impose more. They are also guilty of Contempt of Court, in talking as if the ridiculous allegations against him in Sweden are proven.
Yet they say not a word against the mass murderers & war criminals of the Blair & Bush Regimes, who gave the helicopter gunship psychopaths carte blanche to indulge themselves.
Make no mistake, Assange & Bradley/Chelsea Manning ARE Heroes!
The idea that Assange (or any other whistle-blower) will find
‘Justice’ in USA (or her tame poodles, Britain & Sweden) brings a hollow laugh from those who know what goes on in the courts,
As a whistle-blower myself, I speak from experience. I too am a fugitive. NOT from Justice – but from IN-justice. Having fought for my country in WW2, at the age of 86 (now 93) I was forced to flee the land of my birth for safety in the Republic of Ireland.
Well said!!!
Ironic how the perpetrators of evil deeds may go unpunished while those who expose them don’t. It’s all hypocritical, twisted nonsense.
I totally agree with all of you. In my opinion the MoD and DoD are only scared that there might be more stories that could be told regarding their lies and corruption that we have all experienced and seen many times in the past.
Amen.. I agree whole heartedly with the statement presented . We are I some troubling times when it has become a crime to speak out against evil and wickedness.
Yet another example of ‘ The New World Order ‘ = no freedom of any kind 💀
Free speech is paramount more than ever in today’s Fascist climate! No to extradition!
Yes, the UK government is kow-towing to the White House, and am glad you refer to Chelsea Manning and others. We know here how whistle-blowers in the NHS etc are treated.It’s a stitch-up and does ,again, raise the question of who makes and applies the laws. Answer: the Establishment, which sees itself perfect and ordained by God to rule.
It is not only the UK government kowtowing to the WH, the Australian government does exactly the same and has been excruciatingly silent regarding Julian Assange. As an Aussie I am ashamed of the way the Australian government while providing superficial consular advise to JA have done nothing to ensure JA was or will be freed from this witch hunt and would rather allow one of its citizens to be persecuted by the US than to stand up and support him.
David Hicks was another prime example of our government betraying one of their own.
It very much appears that the Australian government gives more assistance to convicted drug smugglers than to a journalist who has disclosed information in the public interest and exposed government protected war criminals.
Thank you this statement which I wholeheartedly agree with. I was unaware of any personal insults made by the judge and will be seeking out the nature of them.
To often and sadly as I have personally witnessed the real truth can be deliberately hidden from the public and the courts by so called JUSTICE authorities, Then clearly biased Court cases are then being done without FULL disclosure from authorities who can hide behind non disclosure fences to get innocent people wrongly charged or CLEAR CRIMINALS to get off SCOT FREE. eg https://www.change.org/p/interview-suspects-foundation-digger-chainsaw-assault-8th-august-2011
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http://www.peace-parade.net
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Ms Sabine von Törne
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Well said and thanks for tak8ng this stand.
taking
Obvious to anyone following the facts, perhaps Julian isn’t a best friend one would choose, but he’s doing the work of Peace, of human rights & human decency… just as Ed Snowden did & all courageous whistleblowers who came before. Stakes are high. Remember Mordechai Vanunu is still under silencing orders – if the Military Lords hate you, persecute you, want you dead, you’re doing the peoples work.
Thank you.
There will be a protest for Julian Assange on Sunday 14th April at 12 noon outside Belmarsh Prison. The nearest train station is Woolwich Arsenal from which you can catch the 244 or 380 bus to Belmarsh, or Plumstead from which you can walk to Belmarsh.
I commend you all
Do not extradite Julian Assange