Open letter: To Julia Gillard, re Julian Assange

[Matilda]

From the ABC's blog section comes this open letter from a number of luminaries, calling for fair treatment from the Australian Government to Julian Assange; these two paragraphs near the end sum up exactly how Julia Gillard should be conducting herself on this issue, instead of the biased and slightly hysterical comments that she has issued to date.

"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."

A long list of names, gathered in less than two days, follows.

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/41914.html