THE release of Wikileak founder Julian Assange held in jail in the UK for five years as he fought extradition to the United States which sought to prosecute him for revealing military secrets, has been applauded by the media affiliated civil society organisation: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA).
The Nigerian based civil Rights defenders praised Julian Assange for his resilience and unbending resolve to stand by the powers of his convictions.
HURIWA applauded the Government of the United States of America for the decision to reach a plea bargain that will make the publisher plead guilty to a single count of conspiracy to obtain and disseminate national defence information, according to a document filed in court in the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific, where the hearing is expected to take place. Julian Assange is already airborne to the Island nation for the court hearing.
HURIWA recalled that a High Court order for Assange’s appeal against extradition that was due to be heard next month said a plea agreement between the two parties was signed last Wednesday.
The Crown Prosecution Service, which decides on whether to take cases to court in England and Wales and also handles extradition requests, said a bail hearing was held in private, at Assange’s request, last Thursday. He left the jurisdiction of England and Wales at 6:36 pm (1736 GMT) on Monday, it added.
Stella Assange, his wife, a South African meanwhile, told Britain’s domestic Press Association news agency that her husband would be required to pay $500,000 (£390,000) to cover the cost of the chartered flight taking him from London to Australia.
In a media statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) said the prolonged detention of Julian Assange for doing his investigative journalism duties has been described as oppressive, and a calculated plot by the USA to undermine efforts of the media to uncover some truths that indicted the armed forces of the USA of committing war crimes in the Iraq war. “It is shocking that the USA that pride itself as the bastion of democracy is shown in this case of Julian Assange as the party that is opposed to the principles of accountability and full disclosures.
HURIWA is however happy that the creative talent behind the once famous Wikileak that leaks secret information from around the World, Mr. Julian Assange is once again a free man. “This man is a phenomenon and he symbolise the constant struggles between the forces of light and that of darkness. We are happy and overwhelmed with joy that finally justice is achieved and he is a free man.”
