16. Wikileaks - Open Letter To The Prime MInister

Julia Gillard, the Australian Prime Minister condemned the "illegal act" behind the flood of leaked American cables from Mr Assange's organisation. As a result, hundreds of lawyers, academics and journalists rallied to his cause.

Laurie Oakes, one of the most respected political journalist in Australia (he won the Gold Walkley award) has stated publicly the PM was wrong and he supports Assange. He said her comments were "ridiculous".

A protest letter to the Prime Minister warned that Mr Assange was at risk of becoming the Gillard government's David Hicks. The letter was originally signed by 200 people, including human rights barrister Julian Burnside QC, federal Greens politicians Bob Brown, Scott Ludlam, Adam Bandt and academic Noam Chomsky. More than 4,000 people have now signed this letter.

The Letter
6 December 2010

Dear Prime Minister,

We note with concern the increasingly violent rhetoric directed towards Julian Assange of WikiLeaks.

“We should treat Mr Assange the same way as other high-value terrorist targets: Kill him,” writes conservative columnist Jeffrey T Kuhner in the Washington Times.

William Kristol, former chief of staff to vice president Dan Quayle, asks, “Why can’t we use our various assets to harass, snatch or neutralize Julian Assange and his collaborators, wherever they are?”

“Why isn’t Julian Assange dead?” writes the prominent US pundit Jonah Goldberg.

“The CIA should have already killed Julian Assange,” says John Hawkins on the Right Wing News site.

Sarah Palin, a likely presidential candidate, compares Assange to an Al Qaeda leader; Rick Santorum, former Pennsylvania senator and potential presidential contender, accuses Assange of “terrorism”.

And so on and so forth.

Such calls cannot be dismissed as bluster. Over the last decade, we have seen the normalisation of extrajudicial measures once unthinkable, from ‘extraordinary rendition’ (kidnapping) to ‘enhanced interrogation’ (torture).

In that context, we now have grave concerns for Mr Assange’s wellbeing.

Irrespective of the political controversies surrounding WikiLeaks, Mr Assange remains entitled to conduct his affairs in safety, and to receive procedural fairness in any legal proceedings against him.

As is well known, Mr Assange is an Australian citizen.

We therefore call upon you to condemn, on behalf of the Australian Government, calls for physical harm to be inflicted upon Mr Assange, and to state publicly that you will ensure Mr Assange receives the rights and protections to which he is entitled, irrespective of whether the unlawful threats against him come from individuals or states.

We urge you to confirm publicly Australia’s commitment to freedom of political communication; to refrain from cancelling Mr Assange's passport, in the absence of clear proof that such a step is warranted; to provide assistance and advocacy to Mr Assange; and do everything in your power to ensure that any legal proceedings taken against him comply fully with the principles of law and procedural fairness.

A statement by you to this effect should not be controversial — it is a simple commitment to democratic principles and the rule of law.

We believe this case represents something of a watershed, with implications that extend beyond Mr Assange and WikiLeaks. In many parts of the globe, death threats routinely silence those who would publish or disseminate controversial material. If these incitements to violence against Mr Assange, a recipient of Amnesty International’s Media Award, are allowed to stand, a disturbing new precedent will have been established in the English-speaking world.

In this crucial time, a strong statement by you and your Government can make an important difference.

We look forward to your response.

Letter to the Prime Minister.


Governments have been shown for the fools and buffoons they are and this is what sticks in the craw of those that are baying for his blood. They've been embarrassed because the whistle has been blown and comments from politicians etc have been repeated. They were caught with their trousers down around their ankles and for this they call for an assassination? A trumped-up charge of espionage?
Pffft! Pull the other one.


Feelings are running high, and many in this country take the view that the Australian Government ought do more to assist its vilified, beleaguered citizen.

It's disgraceful and disgusting the way Assange is being treated. Think he'll get justice? Huh! And all because the American government has egg on its face. What a joke they have become. It will be a long time before I have any respect for them, if ever. And it will be a long time before I respect the British justice system. As for the Swedish government, well there's an old saying - "If you lie down with dogs you get up with fleas."