Julian Assange Calls on U.S. to 'End Its Witch Hunt' Against WikiLeaks Organization [View all]

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Last edited Mon Aug 20, 2012, 02:20 AM - Edit history (2)

Source: Associated Press

@AP BREAKING: Julian Assange calls on United States to 'end its witch hunt' against WikiLeaks organization.

19 August 2012 Last updated at 09:42 ET

Julian Assange makes statement from embassy balcony

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has made his first public statement since entering the Ecuadorean embassy in London in June to seek asylum.

He called on US President Barack Obama to "do the right thing" and for his government to "renounce its witch hunt against Wikileaks."

Mr Assange spoke from a balcony at the embassy and thanked Ecuador's president, who has granted him asylum.

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Mr Assange said: "As Wikileaks stands under threat, so does the freedom of expression and the health of all our societies. We must use this moment to articulate the choice that is before the government of the United States of America. Will it return to and re-affirm the revolutionary values it was founded on? Or will it lurch off the precipice, dragging us all into a dangerous and oppressive world in which journalists fall silent under the fear of prosecution and citizens must whisper in the dark."

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19310335#TWEET200143

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Aug 19, 9:41 AM EDT

ASSANGE MAKES 1ST PUBLIC APPEARANCE IN 2 MONTHS
BY DAVID STRINGER
ASSOCIATED PRESS

LONDON (AP) -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has called on President Barack Obama to end a "witch hunt" against his secret-spilling website, after appearing in public for the first time since he took refuge inside Ecuador's embassy in London two months ago.

The 41-year-old Australian was on Thursday granted asylum by Ecuador as he seeks to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over sexual misconduct allegations.

"I ask President Obama to do the right thing, the United States must renounce its witch hunt against WikiLeaks," Assange said Sunday, speaking from a small balcony.

He also called on the U.S. to release Pfc. Bradley Manning, the U.S. soldier who has been charged with aiding the enemy by passing the secret files to WikiLeaks and is awaiting trial.Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/19/julian-assange-us-wikileaks_n_1806482.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

Julian Assange: U.S. Must End 'Witch Hunt' Against Wikileaks

The Huffington Post | By Alana Horowitz
Posted: 08/19/2012 9:31 am Updated: 08/19/2012 9:54 am

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Assange said the U.S. is it at a crossroads.

"Will it return to and re-affirm the revolutionary values it was founded on? Or will it lurch off the precipice, dragging us all into a dangerous and oppressive world in which journalists fall silent under the fear of prosecution and citizens must whisper in the dark."

He also addressed the recent incarceration of Russian punk rock group Pussy Riot.

"There is unity in the oppression, there must be absolute unity and determination in the response," he said.

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"The FBI must dissolve its investigation. The United States must vow that it will not prosecute our staff or its supporters. The United States must pledge before the world that it will not pursue journalists for shining a light on the secret crimes of the powerful."