21.02.2024 Julian Assange must not be deported!

Press release of the European Academy for Freedom of Information and Data Protection (EAID) from 21.02.2024

These days, the British High Court will decide in the last instance on the extradition of Julian Assange to the USA. The US government is accusing him of espionage for publishing information about alleged war crimes committed by the US military on the Wikileaks whistleblowing platform. If convicted, he faces up to 175 years in prison or, in the worst case, the death penalty. 

Peter Schaar, Chairman of the European Academy for Freedom of Information and Data Protection, explains: „In many regions of the world, governments try to keep the human rights violations and war crimes for which they are responsible secret. It must be a concern of democratic states to ensure maximum transparency here. This also and especially applies to events in their area of responsibility. They must provide comprehensive clarification instead of prosecuting those who make such acts public. That is why Julian Assange must not be extradited and must be released after many years of isolation and imprisonment.