Visiting Chile, as he has done in multiple nations, Kristinn Hrafnsson has been a staunch defender of press freedom throughout his career as a journalist. So much so that he left his position at Iceland’s national radio in 2010 to work independently and collaborate with Wikileaks and its founder, Julian Assange.
This week he participated in the activities of World Press Freedom Day, commemorated in Chile by UNESCO and government agencies. Even part of the entourage in which Hrafnsson is traveling is Jennifer Robinson, Julian Assange’s lawyer, who participated as a panelist in the first day’s activities.
The focus of his presence in Chile is to communicate what is happening with the founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, detained in England, in Belmarsh prison awaiting an extradition trial to the United States.
“We are here to raise awareness about the plight of Julian Assange and to rally support for the fight for his freedom and for the United States to drop the charges against him,” says Hrafnsson.
– Why is the platform of this event important to expose the situation of Julian Assange?
– All major organizations recognize the serious consequences this case could have for the future of journalism. And in that way we are transmitting the message. We thought it would be ideal to attend this event on global press freedom, here in Santiago, the UNESCO event, and talk to people and try to get people, journalists, journalists’ associations, NGOs, lawyers and government officials to support our demand. Furthermore, it is a demand that is now also being raised by the Australian government, on behalf of its compatriot, Julian Assange. This demand on our part is so important that even Joe Biden has acknowledged that he is considering dropping the charges against Julian Assange. So, we believe that this was an ideal place to come and it has been a very good experience and we have had a very good reception among the people.
– How has the international campaign for Assange’s freedom been in the region?
– I should mention that in the last year and a half, at Wikileaks we have traveled to many Latin American countries. Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia, where they have received us with enthusiasm and support. Everything at the highest level. Many presidents met with us and consequently added their voice to the demand for Julian’s freedom. So we hope to also add Chile to the map of nations and governments that have joined the support.
– How do you perceive the reception of the case in Chile?
– In general there is a very, very supportive reaction among those we have met. Julian’s lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, was part of our panel at the UNESCO event and spoke about the importance of the case and it was very well received. We have requested meetings with government officials and expect that to happen in the coming days. That we can have meetings with Government representatives and urge them to speak on Julián’s behalf in every possible way. Either individually or as a whole. In coordination with other world leaders in the region and above all in support of the Australian government’s request that the case be dropped.
– After so many years resisting extradition, what is the status of Julián Assange right now?
– I saw him just the same day I left London, May 1, in Belmarsh prison. He is not in good health. He’s exhausted, he’s already spent five years in this horrible maximum security prison in London. And before that, of course, he was locked up in the Ecuadorian embassy for seven years, also in England. Additionally, two years under house arrest. So he has been under control during this period as a form of deprivation of liberty. And of course that takes its toll on anyone. And people can imagine the effect that having to fight for 14 years has on an individual. And not being able to work freely. That, of course, hurts the person.
– What is happening today with Wikileaks?
– Well, if you are referring specifically to our website, of course, it has gone in slow motion. It has been tremendously difficult because all of our resources and our efforts and our small team are now putting all their effort into the fight for Julian’s freedom. But the legacy of Wikileaks is strong and has had a very important effect on the direction of journalism in our times. And that is, of course, what we want people to remember.
– Have you had the opportunity in these few hours that you are in our country to observe the panorama of freedom of expression in Chile? How do you see the future security of the journalist?
– I have not had the opportunity to delve into the situation of freedom of expression in this country specifically. I know there are problems here, as in almost all countries in the world. And there are challenges and consequences that journalists have to face and we must do it together in unity and strength. But specifically, after being here only two days, I can’t say I have an overview of the current situation. I did recognize when the President in an opening speech at the ceremony for the start of activities around World Press Freedom Day that there was an interruption in President Boric’s speech. When he was making his keynote speech, he was interrupted to protest a case from May 2022, in which a journalist was murdered while covering the May Day demonstrations. And of course, things like that are of great concern and show that journalists are not safe anywhere in the world. And in fact, that is the dark tone of this conference, that the situation, the safety of journalists, is getting worse and worse.
Of course, the first thing on our mind is the terrible death toll of journalists in Gaza. But around the world journalists are being attacked, imprisoned and persecuted. That is a cause for great concern.
This Wednesday, May 8, Kristinn Hrafnsson will be a speaker at the National Library of the talk “The case of Julian Assange in Chile” at 12:00 in the Ercilla Room. Also participating will be André Grimbaltt, PhD in Communication Sciences; Eduardo Salas, Human Rights Lawyer; Jennifer Robinson, human rights lawyer and expert in freedom of expression; and himself, as Editor-in-Chief of Wikileaks.
