Julian Assange reside information: WikiLeaks founder lands on US island of Saipan for district courtroom sentencing

Here’s a video of the second Julian Assange arrived at courtroom in Saipan alongside Australia’s ambassador to the US and former prime minister, Kevin Rudd:

Amy Remeikis

On former US vice-president Mike Pence’s views that Julian Assange needs to be “prosecuted to the full extent of the law”, Richard Marles mentioned:

I don’t suppose it serves to go over Mr Assange’s actions many, a few years in the past, apart from to look at that since then, Mr Assange has been incarcerated for a lot of, a few years.

And that’s actually the purpose that we’re making right here.

No matter has occurred previously, Mr Assange has served a substantial period of time in jail and naturally, he was confined for a substantial time frame previous to that.

Amy Remeikis

Does Richard Marles consider it was political stress that led to this present day?

He advised ABC RN Breakfast simply earlier:

Once more, I don’t suppose it helps to take a position on that. All I can say is that we’ve been advocating on Mr Assanges’ behalf as we might do in relation to any Australian who’s incarcerated abroad who wants the advocacy of the Australian Authorities.

That’s what governments do world wide.

And Mr Assange has circumstances irrespective of 1’s view of what he did beforehand, he had been incarcerated for a protracted time frame, there was no mounted decision to that incarceration that was basically unfair.

That’s what we sought to resolve and, and that’s been the center of our advocacy.

And in that context, we’re very happy that we’re attending to this present day.

Amy Remeikis

Richard Marles ‘pleased we are seeing movement’ on Julian Assange case

Australia’s defence minister, Richard Marles, spoke with ABC RN Breakfast earlier concerning the Julian Assange case and mentioned:

We’ve been facilitating Mr Assange’s actions. And in order Mr Assange seems in US courtroom this morning in Saipan, and it’s my understanding that our ambassador the USA, Kevin Rudd, is there, as is the Excessive Commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith, who’s has been facilitating Mr Assange’s journey.

Clearly, we’re restricted in what we will say. Now, that is that is earlier than the USA courts actually as we’re talking, and we have to let that course of take its course, however we’re clearly very happy that we’re seeing motion and determination to Mr Assange’s circumstances as a result of he was incarcerated for a protracted time frame.

And there wanted to be decision and we’ve been very a lot advocating on his behalf, since we’ve come to authorities with each the governments of the USA and the UK and we’re happy we’ve obtained to this present day.

Helen Davidson

An replace from the bottom in Saipan

Julian Assange has arrived at courtroom in Saipan, accompanied by the ambassador to the UK, Stephen Smith, and Kevin Rudd, the previous Australian prime minister and now ambassador to the US.

There’s a hoard of media outdoors the courtroom right here, each native and international.

Assange didn’t cease to talk to any regardless of the questions being shouted at him, together with whether or not he most well-liked the climate in Saipan to London.

– with Kimberly Esmores

As we beforehand talked about, Julian Assange will seem in a United States district courtroom in Saipan at 9am native time right now.

Saipan is the most important island and capital of the Mariana islands, a US commonwealth within the Western Pacific.

Like territories similar to Guam or Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands are a part of the US with out the complete standing of a state.

The roughly 51,000 residents are US residents however can’t vote in presidential elections. Crucially, some, like Saipan, additionally host US district courts.

The placement of the courtroom is as a result of Assange is against travelling to the continental US, and its proximity to his native Australia – roughly 3,000km.

– with Reuters

As Daniel Hurst reported final night time, Australia’s most senior diplomat within the UK additionally flew with Julian Assange to Saipan.

The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, confirmed the high-level consular assist for Assange whereas telling parliament yesterday: “We want him brought home to Australia.”

The excessive commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith, had travelled with Assange in another country, Albanese mentioned, including that Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, was “also providing important assistance”.

And right here is a few footage shared by WikiLeaks:

Listed below are some images from the second Julian Assange arrived at a US district courtroom in Saipan, alongside former prime minister and present Australian ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd.

The ABC has simply broadcast reside footage from Saipan, exhibiting Julian Assange arriving at courtroom alongside Australia’s ambassador to the US and former prime minister, Kevin Rudd.

As we resume our reside protection of Julian Assange, right here is the state of play:

Julian Assange has landed on the island of Saipan, within the Northern Mariana Islands. The WikiLeaks founder was launched from Belmarsh jail in London on Monday.

• Assange, 52, is scheduled to be sentenced in a US district courtroom in Saipan at 9am native time on Wednesday (11pm GMT on Tuesday). Guardian correspondent Helen Davidson is on the bottom in Saipan and can convey all the most recent information from the Assange courtroom listening to because it occurs.

• He’s anticipated to just accept a cost underneath the US Espionage Act in entrance of a US federal choose. Beneath the deal, which should be accredited by a choose, Assange is more likely to be credited for the 5 years he has already served and face no new jail time.

• Supporters have celebrated his launch. The devoted band of supporters have spent years on the case, a few of them over greater than a decade.

• Consultants have warned that the plea deal struck between the WikiLeaks founder and the US authorities might set a harmful precedent. Many press freedom advocates have argued that criminally charging Assange represents a risk to free speech.

• There was a blended response to the information of the plea deal throughout the US political spectrum. James Clapper, director of US nationwide intelligence in 2010 when Assange and his WikiLeaks organisation revealed secret US intelligence paperwork with a consortium of newspaper, mentioned Assange had “paid his dues”. Former US vice-president Mike Pence, nevertheless, described Assange’s plea deal as “a miscarriage of justice and dishonors the service and sacrifice of the men and women of our armed forces and their families”.

• WikiLeaks mentioned Assange had left Belmarsh jail on Monday morning, after 1,901 days of captivity there. He had spent the time, the organisation mentioned, “in a 2×3 metre cell, isolated 23 hours a day”.

• Assange was set to be reunited along with his spouse, Stella, and their two youngsters. Stella Assange, a human rights lawyer, spoke of her elation that he has been launched and can quickly be a “free man”. She mentioned she had not but knowledgeable their two boys, aged 5 and 7, of the plans for worry of the data leaking.