On 12 Dec 2019, 11:01, Bridges for Media Freedom < bridges4media@riseup.net> wrote:
Email: contact@bridgesforfreedom.media
Phone: + 44 7717 618138 (Naomi) / +44 7501 673109
MEDIA ADVISORY
** Two UK medical practitioners and a German MP will attend Thursday’s
hearing as observers.
We are currently scheduling interviews for the following from 9.15am
outside Westminster Magistrates’ Court:
Sevim Dagdelen MdB
Dr Marco Chiesa MD FRCPsych Consultant Psychiatrist and Visiting
Professor, University College London
Dr David Morgan DClinPsych MSc Fellow of British Psychoanalytic Society
Psychoanalyst, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Consultant
Psychotherapist
Please contact Bridges for Media Freedom to arrange an interview:
contact@bridgesforfreedom.media **
** We have been advised that the 20 December interview regarding the
Spanish surveillance matter will be conducted in private. Media and
public will not be admitted. **
JULIAN ASSANGE: Thursday case management hearing
WHEN: 10.00am on Thursday 19 December
WHERE: Westminster Magistrates’ Court, 181 Marylebone Road, London NW1
WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, who is fighting extradition to the
United States in an unprecedented Espionage Act prosecution for
journalistic activity, has a case management hearing this Thursday, 19
December at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
Thursday’s hearing is being held the day after the deadline for the
service of defence evidence. The hearing is expected to determine
whether the main extradition hearing will be held in the final week of
February 2020, as is currently scheduled.
At a procedural hearing on Friday 13 December, Assange’s solicitor
Gareth Peirce expressed concern that progress was being impeded because
she was not being granted adequate access to her client. [1]
Julian Assange will participate in Thursday’s hearing by videolink from
HMP Belmarsh, where he remains detained on the medical ward.
Concerns for Julian Assange’s welfare have grown since his disoriented
appearance at a case management hearing on 21 October. Last month, UN
Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer renewed his warning that
Assange’s life is at risk. [2] An open letter from 60 medical
professionals called for Assange’s transfer to a university teaching
hospital. [3]
This week, a second letter from 100 medics has called on the Australian
government to facilitate Assange’s return to his home country for
medical treatment. [4] Two signatories of the open letters will be in
attendance at Thursday’s hearing.
In a separate matter, Julian Assange is expected to be present in
person at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on the morning of Friday 20
December to give witness testimony in a private hearing. There will be
no public or media access to this interview.
The purpose of this court appearance is to further a Spanish criminal
case concerning extensive surveillance conducted at Ecuador’s London
embassy. Julian Assange lived at the Ecuadorian embassy for close to
seven years as an asylee until his expulsion and arrest on 11 April
2019.
Prosecutors in the Spanish case allege that video and audio recordings
of legal meetings conducted within the Ecuadorian Embassy were shared
with the United States.
Assange will appear in person at Westinster Magistrates’ Court to be
interviewed as a witness to these events. The interview will be
conducted by Judge José de la Mata at Spain’s National Court in Madrid,
participating by videolink.
Notes
[2]
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25249&LangID=
—
Bridges for Media Freedom
https://bridgesforfreedom.media