The extradition hearing for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was postponed on Friday by a British court.
U.S. authorities are hoping to extradite Assange and remove him from the Belmarsh penitentiary in London into federal custody so he can be charged with 17 counts under the Espionage Act for revealing federal war crimes and corporate criminality.
Assange’s status is going to remain in limbo for months, or maybe even years, as the 50-year-old information liberator’s health continues to wane as he is confined to cruel conditions behind bars.
Liberty Conservative News has reported on Assange’s mistreatment while under detention as the state tries to make an example of this effective advocate for whistleblowers and independent journalism:
“WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has paid a great cost for revealing truth to the world, and his father fears that it may end up costing him his life.
John Shipton told reporters in Geneva on Friday that he believes his son may ultimately perish behind bars. He came to this conclusion after seeing Assange in a disheveled state during a recent visit to the Belmarsh prison in London where he is being held.
“Julian may die in jail over a nine-year persecution for revealing the truth of war crimes,” Shipton said. “It is beyond obscene.”
“This is not the bitter disappointment of a father, this is simply fact,” he added.
International authorities are also severely concerned about Assange, whose health has taken a turn for the worse since he was hauled out of the Ecuadorean embassy in Britain.
“Unless the UK urgently changes course and alleviates his inhumane situation, Mr. Assange’s continued exposure to arbitrariness and abuse may soon end up costing his life,” said Nils Melzer, the UN special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, in a statement.
The UK court recently rejected Assange’s appeal to delay his extradition hearing due to his mounting health problems.”
Assange is one of the bravest men of our age, and, if digital freedom is to remain intact for generations to come, we will all owe him an incredible debt for what he has sacrificed.