Free Speech Under Fire
Why Julian Assange's prosecution makes us fearful for the future of journalism.
Hang the contrarian.
In years now passed; those with enough bravery to speak out against social injustices enacted by a state or monarchy were so quickly dragged through prosecution. As public speakers, and truth tellers; they weren’t able to open their mouths long enough to criticise anointed authorities before they were swiftly executed (before the masses of course). The accuracy of their accusations was of course irrelevant. Whether the message was true or false, a more important message was being spread. His or her execution would demonstrate to the public that free speech wasn’t an intrinsic right. Lips were to be kept sealed so long as they were used to speak against ‘higher powers’, and the (now hanged) public speaker managed to secure a fearful silence. Over time, we’ve managed to afford ourselves the freedom to express in our own various ways. But even through the acquisition of certain liberties , one simple truth has remained persistent. In the event that activists became too brave, as to question authority or worse still, expose authorities; that the noose could still be brought out for him or her (in front of us) to remind us of our constraints.
But I think that’s why so many writers or aspiring journalists like myself love it on platforms like Substack and Medium. The freedom to tell the truth about what we’re observing is a simple privilege being eroded in real time. Additionally, the essence of neutrality valued by corporations has a way of destabilising core journalistic values. The three pillars here are recognised as ‘truth’, ‘accuracy’ and ‘objectivity’, and whilst objectivity is certainly being emphasised, the sheer absence of truth and accuracy makes it so that even the principle of objectivity is violated.
An ‘enemy of the state’.
Australian editor, publisher and activist Julian Assange is currently facing the possibility of extradition to the United States in a two-day court-case taking place tomorrow. As a figure previously accused of polarisation as far as public opinion, his revelations have managed to shake even those with the most substantial power. Whilst having been accused of division by those whose his exposés threatens the most, Assange remains a champion of free speech for the large majority, especially given his most recent revelations about the US government.
‘An enemy of the state’ is one label I came across… Though it seems his research could only help to illuminate those whose lives are affected by crimes concerning international relations committed by their own governments. In his early years, Assange became a proficient hacker, eventually leading to the creation of WikiLeaks in 2006. The platform acted as the free stage on which truths were spilled, and the website gained notoriety in 2010 for releasing classified documents, including those exposing US military actions in the middle east (namely; Iraq and Afghanistan), countries that have always been depicted villains from the skewed perspective of the global north.
But is he an Idol?…
Still, it's important to note that Assange whilst daring is not necessarily the saintly rebel. Sexual assault allegations made against him in Sweden back in 2010 leave his moral credibility unreliable. Him and his supporters of course maintain that these allegations were made purely in an attempt to discredit him, and not stemming from truth. But nevertheless, those of us merely witnessing the timeline of his existence in the public eye can rarely with confidence stand against victims of sexual assault, and I think it would be a great shame to ignore a shady past, because we’re admiring his more fearless behaviours.
“Particularly for progressives, there was a real reluctance to admit that one of ‘ours’ could be guilty of something like that,”
- Author and journalist Sady Doyle
So let today’s post act not as an ode to Julian Assange specifically, but as an effort to raise awareness about the war against free speech first and foremost. I think what happens all too often in cases like these is we begin to idolise individuals who satisfy a cry for justice, rather than allowing ourselves to adopt a wholistic view. It is through a well-rounded perspective, that we can acknowledge the need here to protect free speech, without aiming to martyrise people we actually don’t know much about.
Ongoing court proceedings mean that Assange will face a two-day hearing in the High Court in London to challenge his extradition. Should this appeal be granted, legal support from the British government will remain available to him. However, should this appeal be denied, Assange may face up to 175 years in prison after being swiftly sent to the US. His wife Stella warns us of his deteriorating mental health and the risk of suicide if extradited, and so this becomes the ultimate question as to whether this kind of brutal censorship can prove at times fatal, as a sense of expressive captivity becomes incredibly apparent.
It is not a secret that Julian Assange can divide opinion. But now is a time to put all such issues firmly to one side. Now is a time to stand by Mr Assange, and to do so on principle, for the sake of his freedom – and ours.
– The Guardian.
Sending a message
We can think of Assange as being representative of all journalists now, or even as being representative of revolutionaries that seek to convey their messages. The importance of his freedom comes with what the outcome of this trial tells us about the safety of our rights to freedom of speech. It is becoming increasingly important to defend our ability to freely criticise institutions, because there seems to be a mutual understanding of the rightful mistrust a lot of people have in governmental rectitude. So this extradition case holds global implications, and this attempt by the US seems to be not only a threat to Assange but to the ethics of journalism worldwide. Should Assange face extradition, the penalties include the silencing of his argument as he would face charges under the Espionage act – “a law which punishes acts of interference with foreign relations, and the foreign commerce of the united states”. As far as investigative journalism goes, those finding themselves in these careers must be questioning the breadth of the space to uncover truths about politics, economy and society, especially where Assange’s case isn’t the only one of its kind.
…. Alexei Navalny
Former Russian lawyer and activist Alexei Navalny who was formerly known for exposing corruption in Russian elite died suddenly earlier this year; marking the end a series of events which are questionable to say the least. Initially, he rose to prominence with blogs criticizing corruption and describing Russia as ruled by "crooks and thieves." He also participated in Russian nationalist marches in the 2000s, advocating for restrictions on immigration, and led an anti-Putin campaign, criticizing Vladimir Putin’s elite and exposed their opulent lifestyles. Later, he forecasted seismic political turmoil in Russia due to Putin's authoritarian rule and corruption.
In amidst friction between Navalny, he was allegedly poisoned and was imprisoned and faced additional years in a maximum-security penal colony in 2023.
Finally, Navalny was found unconscious after taking a ‘walk’ in jail and was later pronounced dead. Paramedics attributed the cause of death to sudden death syndrome, typically explained by sudden cardiac arrest.
This case bares similarities to that of Assange’s work at Wikileaks, and so here we can see an institutional effort to conceal information as far as governmental un-ethicality.
"Navalny was an opposition figure, but his investigative journalism exposed the corruption of the ruling elites in Russia,"
said Stella Assange.
Calling all contrarians…
Our response to cases like these need to stray from indifference and towards an opposition in favour of press freedom. The Peace and Justice Project, an organization founded by Jeremy Corbyn, wrote on Friday that "The world is watching an assault on political freedom.", demonstrating support for this campaign. Similarly, Amnesty international called for a similar kind of attention urging people that ‘believe in free press’ and ‘want to know what the government is doing’ to join them in their cause; calling for the US to drop charges and for the UK to halt Julian Assange’s extradition.
Now I suppose the future of journalism rests on weak hinges. All we can rely on right now is our own desire to oppose the limitations on expression as it occurs before our eyes. I am optimistic of our willingness for anger here, especially given that this particular impediment threatens to affect us all. But in the event this doesn’t happen, I can only be grateful for this more quiet corner,
Asisa.
Sources
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/18/the-guardian-view-on-julian-assange-why-he-should-not-be-extradited The Guardian view on Julian Assange
https://www.itv.com/news/2024-02-16/julian-assanges-rise-and-fall-ahead-of-his-final-court-battle ITV news Julian Assange's rise and fall ahead of his final court battle.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/alexei-navalnys-death-what-do-we-know-2024-02-18/#:~:text=%27SUDDEN%20DEATH%20SYNDROME%27&text=%22Sudden%20death%20syndrome%22%20is%20a,died%20from%20a%20blood%20clot. Reuters, who was Alexei Navalny