WikiLeaks mobilizes international support in Chile in the face of critical Assange extradition hearing

The WikiLeaks delegation, led by Kristinn Hrafnsson, arrived in Chile within the framework of World Press Freedom Day organized by UNESCO. The event, which brings together journalists from around the world in forums and talks, is “an ideal forum to debate and mobilize support before Julian Assange’s next extradition hearing, scheduled for May 20,” the delegation said in a statement. release.

In this hearing it will be determined whether or not Assange will be extradited to the United States, a country where he is accused of charges that could sentence him to up to 175 years in prison under the Espionage Act of 1917.

On this visit to Chile, Hrafnsson – accompanied by Jennifer Robinson, lead lawyer in Assange’s defense, and Joseph Farrell, WikiLeaks ambassador – will meet with parliamentarians and Chilean authorities to review the facts. Furthermore, they report in a statement that they maintain “the hope that President Gabriel Boric can receive them, which would represent significant support in a global context.”

“We are at a critical turning point both for Julian and for the future of freedom of expression in the world,” said Kristinn Hrafnsson. Furthermore, he added that he hopes that “President Boric will join the voice of progressive leaders such as Gustavo Petro, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Luis Arce, and Alberto and Cristina Fernández, who in 2022 expressed their support for Assange , urging Australia to be more proactive in its defense”: In that sense, he stated that “your support would be crucial to ensure that fundamental rights are respected and fair precedents are established for the treatment of journalists and whistleblowers around the world.”

The WikiLeaks delegation maintains that this effort “occurs in a context where the lack of clear guarantees from the United States, particularly regarding the non-application of the death penalty, has intensified international concern. These concerns underscore the need for a global commitment to justice and respect for human rights in transnational legal processes.”