All language subtitles for Julian Assange, Revolution Now (2020) [WebRip 720p]

- This, is about the truth.

- [Narrator] Some
see a terrorist.

- [Assange] The real
story of this material,

is it that's it's war, it's
one damn thing after another.

- [Narrator] Some
see a journalist.

The media would have
you see an eccentric,

weird and mysterious criminal.

- In relation to my
Wikileaks work, it goes on.

- We have to recognize
that we can no longer allow

Assange and his colleagues.

The latitude to use free
speech values against us.

- [Narrator] This
is an unparalleled
look of the journey,

of how one man and his
mission to empower the world

with information
became the target

of the most powerful
government in the world.

- 10 days arbitrary detention
in Wandsworth prison

in solitary, 18 months
house arrest in Norwich,

Julian had to seek asylum.

And was given asylum in
the Ecuadorian embassy

and that was seven
and a half years.

So 10 years of
arbitrary detention.

- What is happening here today.

- [Crowd] What is
happening here today

- Is a culmination of dreams.

- [Crowd] Is a
culmination of dreams.

- [Narrator] From
coder to convict,

this is the story
of Julia Assange.

One man in his fight
for a fair trial,

one man and his quest for truth.

[dramatic music]

In his teenage years
living in Australia,

Julian Assange found
himself in the center

of a burgeoning
technology driven world.

With an affinity to computers,

Assange began experimenting
with coding and hacking.

- What hacking is, is
having the attitude

of playful cleverness.

Doesn't matter just
what you're doing,

you could be writing computer
programs, writing music,

sneaking around on
the roof of a building

where the authority say
people aren't supposed to go

or sneaking around
abandoned subway tunnels.

- Someone who is so
interested in things,

that they don't need to
be pushed to investigate

them rather thoroughly.

- Well, hacker ethic is
a series of principles,

that I think the hackers
that I have spoken to.

No matter what generation
seem to implicitly share,

it's based around I
guess a premise that,

Your best off when you
get your hands on things,

to change them.

It's a very active philosophy

and is also based around a
free flow of information.

Information if not
free should be as

freely disseminated as possible.

In the spirit of sharing,
in the spirit of helping

everyone else improve systems.

- What is hacking all about?

It's all about
whatever it's to do

It's everything you ever
wanted a computer to be,

It's making love,
it's being aggressive,

it's stalking into the unknown

and seizing the
unknown and kicking it.

And finding out that is
exactly what you did intend.

- It was only really after
I started talking to hackers

from various time periods
that I realized they share

this philosophy to
some degree in common.

- [Narrator] The year is 1989.

NASA are forced
to delay a launch

after becoming the
victim of a hack.

Wank worms against nuclear
killers infiltrated

the NASA servers with
the first of its kind.

A political message.

[orchestral music]

You talk of times of peace for
all and then prepare for war.

Investigations link
the hack to a group

of anonymous Melbourne hackers.

Though no one has
been found guilty.

Julian was believed
to be involved.

[soft music]

In 1993, Julian gave technical
advice on two occasions

to an Australian police
child exploitation unit.

Which in turn assisted them
with putting child abusers

and pornographers behind bars.

[soft music]

Fast forward to 2006.

After becoming embroiled in
the mucky world of hacking.

Assange saw the world
with a veil pulled back.

Eye witness to the contradiction
between public statements

and the truth that lay on
the servers in the back room,

Assange looked to
change the status quo.

Julian Assange founded a
news organization in 2006.

Aimed to publishing information

that is in the
public's interest.

Built on the basis of not
knowing who the source is.

A mission of speaking
truth to power.

WikiLeaks became notorious in

its first few years
of publishing.

Whistleblowers soon started
anonymously sending Wikileaks

sensitive and at times,
classified information

from organizations
all over the globe.

A blind eye could not be
turned to the abuses of power

that were being exposed
year after year,

by the newly founded news
publishing organization.

Revealing Guantanamo
Bay procedures.

Scientology documents.

- With your help
we're gonna win,

- [Narrator] Exposing
Sarah Palin's violation

of public record laws
at the 2008 US election.

Extrajudicial killings in Kenya.

The membership list of
the hateful right wing

British National Party,

disclosing Barclays
Bank tax avoidance,

the internet censorship lists,
revealed news of a serious

nuclear accident in Iran
caused by a cyber attack,

hinting that a Stuxnet computer
worm carried out the attack,

a jointly built cyber
weapon by the United States

and Israel governments.

And the harmful dumping of
toxic substances in Africa,

called the Minton report.

Culminating in a debate still
present in the WikiLeaks saga.

Lawyers for the commodities
giants Trafigura obtained

a secret super injunction
against the guardian

for further publishing the
contents of the Minton report.

Bringing into question the
privileges guaranteeing

free speech established under
the 1689 bill of rights,

statutes that
Wikileaks also upholds.

March 15th, 2010.

[dramatic music]

Wikileaks publishes
a 32 page report,

on themselves
conducted in secret

by the United States
Department of Defense.

For exposing human rights
violations in Guantanamo Bay,

the US equipment expenditure

and the battle over the
Iraqi town of Fallujah.

Discussed in the document
are ways in which

the United States can deter
any current or former insiders

or whistleblowers,
their security interests
and the methods

for marginalizing the
Wikileaks organization.

Julian was in view, but
what transpired next

would put a target on his back.

April 5th 2010.

Julian Assange caught
the eye of most Americans

when Wikileaks published
the collateral murder video.

Sending tremors that could
be felt on Capitol Hill.

Leaked by an anonymous
member of military personnel,

the video shows the purported
murder of a dozen Iraqi men,

amongst them two journalists,

part of the Reuters news agency.

On the 12th of July 2007,
having been unable to identify

small arms fire in a Baghdad
suburb, the United states

deployed two Apache
helicopters to investigate.

Through the cross hairs, we see
the lead up to the incident.

The supposed misidentification
of cameras as firearms,

the subsequent firing
on unarmed civilians,

including the targeting
of a truck coming

to the aid of the wounded men.

Two young girls were
also in the truck.

[dramatic music]

- Some of the morning papers.

So this is the Guardian
from this morning,

putting pages about this topic,

also concurrently in
Der Spiegel 17 pages,

the New York Times, I'm not
sure how many International

Herald Tribune and I believe
the telegraph also has it.

- July 25th 2010.

Nickname to the
Afghan war diary,

WikiLeaks releases over 92,000
documents to The Guardian,

The New York Times and German
publication Der Spiegel.

Disclosing friendly fire and
civilian casualty incidents

in the war in Afghanistan
between 2004 and 2009.

The scale of which
can be compared

to the 1970s Pentagon papers.

- There's no doubt in my
mind, no doubt in my mind.

We'll bring Al Queda
to justice,

peace or no peace
in the Middle East.

- We're familiar with groups
whose abuse we expose,

attempting to criticize
the messenger to distract

from the power of the message.

We have tried hard to make sure
that this material does not

put innocents at harm.

- [Narrator] Four days later,
a 1.4 gigabyte insurance file

was added to the page.

Fearing that Assange or
Wikileaks were in danger,

the decryption for the
insurance file would be released

if either got in harm's way.

- I'm often asked this question,

what is the most single
damning revelation?

What is the thing that
is easily capturable,

the single event, the
single personality,

the single mass killing.

That is not the real
story of this material.

The real story of this
material is that it's war.

It's one damn thing
after another.

It's clear that it will shape
an understanding of what

the past six years
of war has been like.

And that the cause of
the war needs to change

the manner in which it needs
to change is not yet clear.

- These documents are going to have to be poured

through, analyzed and making sure that they then match up

with the media reports and what ISAF has been telling us

about civilian casualties.

- It is the most
comprehensive history of a war

to have ever been published
during the course of a war.

- [Narrator] Intelligence
analyst Chelsea Manning,

formally Bradley Manning was
arrested on May 27th 2010.

By March of 2011, Manning was
charged with 22 violations.

The most serious of which
was aiding the enemy,

punishable by a death sentence.

Concerns by the Obama
administration fueled
political debate

on the basis of stolen
government property

and the unredacted
disclosure of Afghans

acting as informers potentially
putting lives at risk.

WikiLeaks held back on
releasing all of the files

in order to review

and redact the sources
of the information.

WikiLeaks in an attempt
to morph the method

requested help from the
Pentagon and human rights groups

to aid in redacting the names
that receive no assistance.

- Right over here.

- Why are we here?

- [Narrator] The monumental
leak was surpassed by

what the Pentagon described
as the largest leak

of classified documents
in US military history,

dubbed the Iraq war logs.

The release made in October
2010, by Assange's Wikileaks

disclosed just under 400,000.

- [Assange] Because we
don't have much time,

I won't speak for long.

But,

this disclosure,

is about the truth.

Philip Knightley, the great
investigative reporter

an Australian, who for
the past 30 or 40 years,

has made the UK his home said,

that the first casualty
of war is the truth.

But the attack on
the truth by war

begins long before war starts

and continues long
after a war ends.

In our release of these
400,000 documents,

about the Iraq war,

the intimate detail of that
war from the US perspective.

Iraq, as we can see,

was a bloodbath on every corner

of that country.

They stated aims for
going into that war,

of improving the human
rights situation,

improving the rule of law.

Did not eventuate.

[dramatic music]

- In any human disaster,
finding out who died

and how they died is the
overriding public concern.

For seven years on the public
does not have a full account

of the terrible human cost

of this ongoing Iraq
war to the Iraqi people.

What we have instead, is anincomplete patchwork of stories,

pictures and data gathered by different organizations

for different purposes.

Often published one day
and forgotten the next.

- [Narrator] Other news
publishers ran with the story

focusing on the claims that
the United States government

had ignored torture reports
and the unreported concealment

of 15,000 civilian deaths.

Wikileaks was fast becoming one

of the most dangerous websites.

And the man behind
it was now the enemy

of the most powerful
authority in the world.

The United States government.

Unearthed during the Manning
trial in December 2011,

Manning had used IRC and
Java encrypted internet

conferencing services to
contact an anonymous member

of Wikileaks believed
to be Assange.

Julian dismissed the allegations
as absolute nonsense.

The United States began their
investigation of Assange

and Wikileaks looking
to prosecute under

the Espionage Act of 1917,

for seeking out
classified information.

On the contrary, no evidence
was found that Assange

offered Manning any
direction in her leaks,

raising serious questions
around press freedom

and first amendment rights.

During a visit to Sweden,
Assange became the subject

of allegations that would hang
over him for years to come.

Two women claimed to have been

sexually assaulted by Assange.

Questioning ensued only for
the case to be suddenly closed.

Julian was allowed
to leave the country.

One week later, the
investigation is reinstated.

Looking to resolve the issue,
Assange asks to be interviewed

before he leaves the country.

But was told he may
leave without one.

Some months on after
crossing the Swedish border,

authorities issue an
Interpol arrest warrant,

ordering the detention
of the man who'd exposed

wrongdoings around the globe.

The warrant was lowered
to suspicion of rape

of rape of a lesser degree.

Assange's legal team argued
that there was no such thing as

a minor rape, and that the
allegations made do not need

the European legal
definition of rape.

Further efforts by Assange
to be questioned in Britain

where he had been residing
for two months were denied.

Assange's next battle to
fight an extradition hearing

to be sent back to Sweden,
fearing a further extradition

to the United States
where he faces possible

life imprisonment or
the death penalty.

[sirens blaring]

December 7th 2010.

Assange hands himself
in to British police.

- They've verified his identity.

They're satisfied that he is the real Julian Assange,

and we're now ready
to go into the court.

Many people believe Mr. Assange

to be innocent, myself included.

And many people believe that

this prosecution is
politically motivated.

[police officers shouting]

- [Plato] I think he's
got a chance, yes.

I fancy him, I do.

I don't think it's
open and shut.

At this point I'm not convinced

that he has committed a crime

in the United States.

[crowd shouting]

- Today, we learned for the
very first time information

about the allegations
that are being made

from Sweden about him.

There are no charges,
still no charges.

He's only wanted
for questioning.

And we still haven't
seen the allegations.

- [Mark] And people
have understood for
the very first time

that there is
something wrong here.

It's not in the
state of Denmark,

it's in the state of Sweden,

and I think people are starting
to stand up and be counted.

We saw five very brave and
honorable people stand up today

to be sure it is for him,

four of them didn't
know who he was,

but were prepared to do so.

Because they believed
in his innocence,

believed this to be wrong and
I think they are but the tip

of an iceberg and I do
believe this will go viral.

- Any journalist, who feels
anything about what we do,

should be supporting him 100%.

I think the charges
against him are outrageous.

- [Reporter] Why?

- [Reporter] What's
the next step.

- Because if you look
at the case in Sweden,

you know, as I've said the
chief prosecutor in Sweden

throughout this case, in
effect declared it ridiculous.

And it was brought back
only after the intervention

of a senior right
wing politician.

- [Reporter] Who was that sir?

- That will do.

- Finally, after two
hours, we've heard

that the Swedes won't abide
by the umpires decision.

They clearly will not
spare any expense,

but to keep Mr. Assange in jail.

This is really turning
into a show trial.

[dramatic music]

- [Crowd] Free Julian now.

Free Julian now.

[dramatic music]

Free Julian now.

- The fact that Julian
Assange was refused bail,

was a gross injustice and
that has been corrected.

- [John] Today in a limited way.

- I think the attempt
is designed to discredit

Assange, his
credibility, his morals,

in order to discredit Wikileaks as an organization.

But every organization is larger

than a single person within it.

And WikiLeaks will
survive whatever,

so it was a foolish decision
to try and discredit him.

- During my time in
solitary confinement,

in the bottom of a
Victorian prison.

I had time to reflect
on the conditions,

of those people
around the world,

also in solitary confinement,

also on remand,

in conditions that
are more difficult

than those faced by me.

I hope to continue

my work and continue,

to protest my innocence
in this matter,

and to reveal as we get it,

which we have not
yet the evidence

from these
allegations, thank you.

[dramatic music]

- I don't have too many
fears about being extradited

to Sweden there are
much bigger concerns

about being extradited
to the United States.

[dramatic music]

Those who have been following
the case will have heard

time and time again
repeated statements,

that no evidence
needs to be presented,

In this case by the prosecution.

To extradite me no
evidence is needed

under European arrest warrant.

In relation to my
bail application,

they said they did not need
to present any evidence.

In Sweden, every single court
hearing has been in secret,

and we still have not been
provided with the evidence.

Either provided with
not a single page

of information in
English whatsoever.

- [Assange] Ambassadors were
tasked by Hillary Clinton

to engage in espionage behavior.

And that is not the first paper

we have released
on that subject,

more serious ones,
including tasking

- [Assange] ambassadors
to steal the DNA

of leaders of human rights
organizations in South America.

Including stealing the DNA

of members of the
UN Security Council

and even Ban-Ki Moon.

So that's a,

a serious change.

I don't believe that has
always been the case.

- Cause embassies have always
been a host for espionage.

But diplomats have
not always been

tasked to conduct espionage.

That seems to be a change
and that seems to be

representative of
a gradual shift

to a lack of rule of law.

- [Assange] In US institutions
that needs to be exposed

and that we have been exposing.

- And that other journalists

have been helping us to expose,

and which is something
that I believe

that the US public
does not support,

the Australian public
does not support,

the British public
does not support,

the Swedish public
does not support.

We don't engage in
actual decisions.

We have written policy
for our public decisions

and that keeps us accountable

and we think that is the
way forward in journalism.

That all news organizations
should follow.

- I think that has to do Julian,
because we are a bit late.

- Okay.

- [Reporter] One final question.

- I'm under house
arrest sir, I gotta go.

- [Narrator] With some
high profile celebrities

and friends backing him.

Julian was able to
pay the exorbitant

bail price of 240,000 pounds.

And was even offered sanctuary
by former Army officer

and war correspondent
Vaughn Smith.

- Well, I mean, there's a saying
about battlefield friendship.

So it's the depth of the trench rather than the length

of time you've
been living in it.

And, if you've, you know, if you experience things

with people you get
to know them well,

and you don't necessarily have

to have known them a long time.

[reporters asking question]

- I will speak
with you for hours.

- [Assange] Very nice
to be free for Christmas

and to smell the
fresh air of Norfolk.

Solitary confinement in the
bottom of Victorian prison is

a significant
experience in a way.

It's an experience I'm
glad that I've had.

I've never been in prison,
but I think it is important

for every journalist actually
writing about serious matters

to be in a prison,

to understand what it is
like for people in prison,

around the world.

Clearing my name is not
the highest task I have,

the highest task I have, is
to continue on with my work.

We have also heard today
from one of my US lawyers,

yet to be confirmed
but a serious matter

that they may be a US indictment

for espionage for me

coming from a secret US
grand jury investigation.

- [Narrator] The
backdrop for the world's

most wanted house guest.

The picturesque Norfolk Manor,

that is

Ellingham Hall.

- Very nice to be
amongst good friends,

you know fresh snow in
the English countryside,

to have my first
Martini in a long time.

So very good, of course
we have to understand

that I am practically
under house arrest.

But of course
personally it's a big

improvement compared to being

in the basement in
solitary confinement.

Where has been many
calls by senior political

figures in the United States,
including the elected ones

in the Senate for my execution,
the kidnapping of my staff,

the execution of the young
soldier Bradley Manning.

This has been a very successful

smear campaign so far.

But I think it's
days are numbered

and people are
starting to wonder

is what is claimed really true

and if it is true,
where's the evidence?

- [Assange] For the past
five and a half months,

we have been in a condition

where a black box has
been applied to my life

and on the outside
of that black box,

has been written the word rape.

That box is now,

thanks to an open court
process being opened.

And I hope over the next day,

we will see that, that box

is in fact empty.

And has nothing to
do with the words,

that are on the outside of it.

[thunder-clap]

- I challenge you Marianne Ny.

Marianne Ny, come to
London, come on Friday,

subject yourself to
the cross examination

by Jeffrey Robertson QC.

- In relation to
my Wikileaks work,

which of course is
a separate topic.

It goes on it continues
every day we are publishing

serious content around the world

and especially about
the Middle East.

And that gives me great heart,

as does the ongoing
support of the world

for my staff and our mission.

- [Narrator] February
2011, marks the first loss

in Assange's quest to
quash the extradition.

- [Assange] What we
saw today at Belmarsh,

was a rubber stamping process.

That comes as no surprise,

but is none the less wrong.

- And that is releasing
footage of a helicopter

gunshot massacre of two
Reuters journalists.

- A rubber stamping
process that is a result

of a European arrest
warrant system run amok.

There was no consideration
during this entire process

as to the merits
of the allegations

made against me

No consideration or examination

of even the complaints,

made in Sweden.

And of course we have always
known that we would appeal.

We have always known,
that in all likelihood

we would have to appeal.

- Congratulations from an
Irish man, I hope you win.

- Thank you.

- I hope you win,
we're right behind you,

I hope you win, congratulations.

- I'll stand up for you.

[soft music]

- Today at Belmarsh court,
there's been miscarriage

of justice an innocent
man has been sentenced,

and these two
protestors are wanting

to make a point about that.

Julian Assange is innocent.

He should not be extradited.

- Manning's case, it's very clear the US government

is trying to crack him open with his solitary confinement

by causing emotional
devastation.

I think they're trying to get him to issue a confession

or a false confession.

So they can link him
to Julian Assange.

- [Assange] The new charges
are very interesting,

you know, Mr Manning
has now spent

10 months in
solitary confinement.

First in Baghdad, then in
Kuwait, and now in Quantico,

Virginia in the United States.

Amnesty International has
condemned his treatment,

and there are a number of
calls for inquiry into it.

The charges themselves,
these 22 new charges,

include a charge
which labels him

as passing information
to an enemy.

The naive reading of
the charges would have

that enemy being Wikileaks
i.e the publisher.

So the United States
appears to be setting

up these charges
for two purposes.

Number one, to provide
pressure on Bradley Manning,

they're trying to use a
sledgehammer to crack a nut

into confessing some kind of
relationship with Wikileaks.

In order to embroil us
into an espionage case.

The other purpose of these
charges is to spread across

a spectrum of different
types of criminality.

They've been trying to crack
Bradley Manning for months.

By making his conditions
worse and worse.

There's been a
number of complaints

by his lawyers
about that matter.

And Amnesty International
has complained about his

treatment, Bradley
Manning is not speaking.

And Bradley Manning is
exercising his right to silence

and they're trying to
force him into a plea deal.

And most legal commentators
believe that kind of plea deal

would involve him in saying
something that would help

the United States prosecute
this organization for espionage

or some other criminal matter
that he could be embroiled in.

So that is wrong.

You know, the requirements given
by some of those charges is

that Wikileaks is the
enemy of the United States,

that the publisher is the
enemy of the United States.

And nothing in our four years
of publishing shows that

that is in any way true.

We publish from all
countries who come to us.

We are not an enemy
of the United States,

and it is an abuse
against Mr. Manning

and an abuse against us
to suggest otherwise.

- [Narrator] October 15th 2011.

Assange was next seen at the

anti capitalist
protest, occupy London.

But nothing is straightforward
for the man who had published

the largest leak of
classified material ever seen.

- We're blocked from
speaking at the moment,

but we'll try to
negotiate a way through.

Wikileaks has been
most attacked,

not by military organizations,

or intelligence organizations,

but actually
numerically by banks.

This is an infamous tactic

used by the MET called kettling.

Which doesn't have an analogy

in many other
democratic countries.

It is to enclose the populate,

enclose protesters in tight
small groups prior to any

sort of accusation
of violent activity.

So in this particular
example, you see

what is a entirely political
protest about the big banks.

Being denied its ability
to express itself.

It's very important
in a democracy

that people see that
they have the numbers.

They see that their
opinion is shared

by other people
in the community.

And this form of
kettling prevents

people coming to a protest

people in the community
seeing that their values

are actually a majority.

So that's why it's anti
democratic process.

While we can all understand
that certain actions need to be

taken in response
to true violence.

There is no hint
of violence at all.

And I spoke to
police earlier today,

they said it will all
be a completely calm.

good day, good
weather, good people.

[dogs barking]

In 2007, I lived in Cairo,

and I and my friends
in Cairo were all too,

too well aware of the
behavior of the Mubarak regime

with 20,000 political prisoners,

it seemed impossible that
anything could change.

But through courage,
determination and
professionalism,

we did see a change we saw
the end of the Mubarak regime.

And while the situation
in the West is different

in important respects
to that faced

by people in the Arab Spring.

There are also similarities.

While ideas from the
Western enlightenment

entered into the pan Arab states

and gave those activists hope

and technology allowed
them to organize better.

We in the West have a lot to
learn also from the successes

of people in the Arab Spring.

Their determination and
professionalism in response

to years of abuse and torture.

Lead eventually to the
overthrow of Mubarak,

and the overthrow of Ben
Ali and reforms in Morocco

and throughout many
countries in the region.

- [ Assange] What is
happening here today.

- [Crowd] What is
happening here today.

- [Assange] Is a
culmination of dreams.

- [Crowd] Is a
culmination of dreams.

- That many people,
all over the world.

- [Crowd] That many
people all over the world.

- Have worked towards.

- [Crowd] Have worked towards.

- From Cairo to London.

- [Crowd] From Cairo to London.

[crowd cheering]

- [Assange] Wikileaks has
published the biggest leaks

in journalistic history.

This has triggered
aggressive retaliation

from powerful groups.

Since the seventh
of December 2010,

an arbitrary and unlawful
financial blockade.

Imposed by the Bank of America,
Visa, MasterCard, PayPal,

and Western Union has
destroyed 95% of our revenue.

It came as part of the concerted
US based political attack

that included vitriol by senior
right wing politicians in

the United States and high level
calls for the assassination

of Wikileaks staff
and myself personally.

- [Narrator] November 2011,

Assange loses his appeal
against extradition.

- I have not been charged
with any crime in any country.

Despite this, the European
arrest warrant is so restrictive

that it prevents UK courts
from considering the facts

of a case as judges have
made, clear here today.

We will be considering our
next step in the days ahead.

This afternoon, the parliament
of the United Kingdom

is considering in depth
the matters that arise

from various extradition cases

in the United Kingdom,
including my own.

Today, the High Court,

has decided,

that any issue that
arises from my own case

is of general public importance

and maybe of assistance
to other cases

and should be heard
by the Supreme Court.

I think that is a correct
decision and I am thankful.

The long struggle
for justice for me

and others continues, thank you.

- [Narrator] The
case is destined

for the highest
court in the land.

[soft music]

Seven months on,

the Supreme court upholds
the decision to extradite.

- [John] It makes the law to
me, seem rather shabby actually

and I'm not talking about,

simply because they
found against Assange.

It is their arguments,

which are not based on, MP's
understood the law to be

when they passed this
extradition legislation in 2001.

- [Narrator] June 2012.

Fearing an extradition to
the United States from Sweden

for his alleged
crimes of procuring
classified information,

Mr. Assange breaches his bail
conditions by walking up the

steps of the Ecuadorian
embassy taking refuge inside.

Giving Assange assurance
he could not be detained

by British police as long as
he doesn't set foot outside.

- So,the situation we confront
today now is a stalemate.

There is a confrontation,

a confrontation which
is not of our choosing.

Because the right
to claim asylum,

is the right of any citizen anywhere in the world.

- [Narrator] August 19th 2012

Julian addresses his supporters
and the assembled media

from the balcony of the embassy.

With a message for the
American establishment.

- The US administration war
of whistleblowers must end.

I thank president
Correa for the courage

he has shown in considering

and in granting me
political asylum.

On Wednesday night after a
threat was sent to this embassy

and police descended
on this building,

you came out in the middle
of the night to watch over

and you brought the
world's eyes with you.

Inside this embassy after dark,

I could hear teams of police
swarming up into the building

through its internal
fire escape.

But I knew there
would be witnesses.

And that is because of you.

There is unity in
the oppression.

There must be absolute unity

and determination
in the response.

[crowd cheering]

Thank you.

[crowd cheering]

[soft music]

- [Vaughan] The Ecuadorians
are the only people,

who have properly looked at,

the idea that Julian
might be threatened.

That his rights are
being threatened,

that he's in danger,
physical danger,

of being sent to America.

- We will not allow a Mr. Assange safe passage out

of the United Kingdom.

- [Vaughan] We seem quite
incapable of appreciating

and acknowledging that
in London Julian Assange

has gone to the
Ecuadorian embassy

and he has got political asylum.

And I think that there's an
opportunity to reflect on that

and if we are really the
tolerant people that we think

we are, we should do that.

- [Narrator] Six months
on from breaking bail

with Christmas fast approaching,

Assange addressed the crowds
from his window once more.

[crowd cheering]

- Good evening, London.

[crowd cheering]

What a sight for sore eyes.

Six months ago, 185 days ago,

I entered this building.

It has become my home,
my office and my refuge.

I came here in summer,
it is winter now.

I have been sustained by your
solidarity, and I'm grateful

for the efforts of people
all around the world.

Supporting the
work of Wikileaks,

supporting freedom of
speech, freedom of the press,

essential elements
in any democracy.

While my freedom is limited,

at least I am still able to
communicate this Christmas,

unlike the 232 journalists
who are in jail tonight.

It is from the revelation of
truth that all else follows.

Our buildings can
only be as tall

as their bricks are strong.

Our civilization is only as
strong as its ideas are true.

When our buildings are
erected by the corrupt,

when their cement
is cut with dirt,

when pristine steel
is replaced by scrap.

Our buildings are
not safe to live in.

And when our media is corrupt,
when our academics are timid,

when our history is filled
with half truths and lies,

our civilization
will never be just,

it will never reach to the sky.

[orchestral music]

- [Narrator] June 2013.

- [Translator] So to sum up,

we sense that granting
political asylum

would be ineffective,

if there were not the corresponding recognition

of the guarantee of safe conduct

in line with protection
of human rights.

We discussed this issue with
the British foreign ministry

which is also concerned about
the risk of the subsequent

extradition which may
occur of Mr. Assange

from Sweden to
the United States.

And this is one of the
reasons why Ecuador

has granted political asylum.

Our concerns have worsened,

particularly in light of
what has been occurring

in the context of
Bradley Manning.

And so together with the UK,

we wish to explore the
possible mechanisms

which we can use to
make sure that Sweden

would not extradite Mr.
Assange, subsequently.

- [Narrator] July 2014.

Air around the embassy was
filled with disappointment

as news surfaced that
Interpol arrest warrant

would be upheld.

Incarcerated inside the
embassy for over two years now,

Assange's hope of freedom
was further diminishing.

- The reality is Julian Assange
is a political prisoner.

You know he's a
dissident in our country,

and we're just not
really used to that.

This wouldn't be happening,

there wouldn't be these
police outside this embassy.

If it wasn't Julian Assange,
if he wasn't a public person,

nobody else would get this.

- [Narrator] August 2014.

Rumors emerge that
the WikiLeaks founder

may need hospital treatment.

- The native environment
in which any healthy person

would find themselves,

soon enough with
certain difficulties.

[orchestral music]

- [Narrator] March 2015.

After years of no progress
held up in confinement,

Swedish prosecutors asked

to interview Julian
inside the embassy.

Only for it to be canceled
a few months later.

According to the founder of
the whistleblowing publication.

[Orchestral music]

August 13th 2015.

After the legal time
limit had passed,

two of the three sexual
allegations were dropped,

the more serious serious
rape allegation remains.

From the moment Assange
strolled up the steps

in June 2012 to October 2015.

The United Kingdom have spent
in excess of 30 million pounds

an expenditure somehow
rationalized by the government.

A small victory came to Assange
in the form of recognition,

having won UN backing.

January 2016, a UN
Working Group panel

on arbitrary detention
supports Assange.

- [Melinda] Good
afternoon, everyone.

So finally, we have the verdict

of the United
Nations Working Group

on arbitrary detention.

And they issued a very detailedopinion which considers

all arguments from Sweden and the United Kingdom.

And this decision
dispels the myth,

that Mr. Assange is either a fugitive from justice

or that he could just
walk out of the embassy.

It is a damning
indictment of the manner

in which this case
has been handled.

Further offense Mr.
Assange is a victim

of a significant
miscarriage of justice,

that is attributable
to the action

and inaction of both Sweden
and the United Kingdom.

It further emphasize Julian's
continued willingness

to cooperate with the
investigations in this case

at all stages of the procedure.

- [Philip] Will I
reject the finding

of this working group?

It's a group made up of
lay people not lawyers.

And their conclusion
is flawed in law.

Julian Assange is a
fugitive from justice.

He's hiding from justice in the Ecuadorian embassy,

he can come out onto the
pavement anytime he chooses.

He's not being detained by us.

But he will have to
face justice in Sweden,

if he chooses to do so.

And it's right that he should
not be able to escape justice.

This is a, frankly,
a ridiculous finding

by the Working Group
and we reject it.

- [Melinda] I mean I'm very
concerned that they would turn

the United Nations
decision as ridiculous.

Well, the United
Kingdom is a member

of the Security Council

it's one of the founding members

of the United Nations system.

I would expect
that they will want

to uphold the very system that they created.

- What rights does
this government

or the US government, or
the Swedish government have

to deny my children
their father,

for five and a half years?

- [Crowd] Yes, shame
on our government.

- [Narrator] May 2016.

Photographs of a new arrival
inside the embassy appear

given to him by his children.

The Embassy cat gave a
much needed rest bite

from the political storm
surrounding Assange.

November 2016.

Swedish authorities interview
Assange in the embassy,

lasting two days.

- [Crowd] Yes we can.

Yes we can

Yes we can.

- Yes we can.

- [Narrator] Outgoing US
President Barack Obama decides

to free Wikileaks key
whistleblower Chelsea Manning,

formerly Bradley Manning.

January 19th.

Assange stands by his
offer of extradition

to the United States, provided
his rights are protected.

- In 10 days,

the world will
witness a hallmark

of our motto.

[crowd boos]

No, no.

But a peaceful
transfer of power,

from one freely elected
president to the next.

[crowd cheers]

- What we gonna do?

We're gonna make America
great again, you watch.

[crowd cheers]

I'm the messenger, I'm
just really the messenger.

Although I've been a
very good messenger.

Let's face it, right.

[crowd cheers]

I've been a pretty
good messenger.

- [Narrator] January 20th.

Donald Trump wins
the presidency.

In the lead up to the election,

Assange is cut off
from the world,

both physically and
technologically.

Ecuador cut the
internet over fears

he may have been meddling
in the US elections.

April 21 2017.

The new Attorney General
Jeff Sessions sets his agenda

declaring Assange's
arrest is a priority.

- [Jeff] For the
Department of Justice

does not discuss
ongoing investigations

or confirm specific matters.

It is important for
the American people

and those who might
be thinking about

leaking classified or
sensitive information.

To know that criminals who would

illegally use their access.

To our most
sensitive information

to endanger our
national security

are in fact being investigated
and will be prosecuted.

Since January, the department
has more than triple

the number of active leak
investigations compared

to the number of
pending at the end

of the last administration.

- [Mike] First to days like
today, where we call out those

who grant a platform
to these leakers,

and so called
transparency activists.

We know the danger that Assange
and his not so merry band

of brothers posted
democracies around the world.

Ignorance or misplaced
idealism is no longer

an acceptable excuse for
lionizing these demons.

Second, there are steps that we have to take at home.

In fact this is a process

that we have already started.

We've got to strengthen
our own systems,

secure our own staff.

We've got to prove our internal
mechanisms that help us.

In our counter
intelligence mission.

We need to be as clever and
innovative as the enemies

we face because they
will not relent.

And we will not either.

Third, we have to recognize
that we can no longer

allow Assange and his
colleagues the latitude

to use free speech
values against us.

To give them the
space to crush us

with misappropriated
secrets is a perversion

of what our great
constitution stands for.

It ends now.

- The persecution of
him is completely wrong.

The threats against him
are completely wrong.

They should be withdrawn.

He should be freed, heshouldn't have to be imprisoned.

- [Narrator] May 19th 2017.

[crowd cheering]

- [Assange] Today is
an important victory,

to me,

and for the UN
human right system.

But it by no means, erases

seven years of detention
without charge.

In prison,

under house arrest,

and almost five years here,

in this embassy
without sunlight.

Seven years without charge,

why my children
grew up without me.

That is not something
that I can forgive.

It is not something
that I can forget.

But let us understand, while
today was an important victory

and an important vindication,
the road is far from over.

The war, the proper
war is just commencing.

The UK has said it will
arrest me regardless.

Though the United States
CIA director Pompeo

and the US Attorney
General, have said that,

I and other Wikileaks
staff have no rights.

We have no first
amendment rights,

and then my arrest
and the arrest

of our other stuff
is a priority.

That's not acceptable.

WikiLeaks will continue
its publications.

The United Kingdom,
the European Union,

is a party to the 1951
convention on refugees.

It states that it adheres
to the right for all people

to seek asylum, to receive
asylum and to enjoy asylum.

I have that right, you
know, political case,

we all have that right.

So, the claim by the United
Kingdom indeed has a right

to arrest me for seeking asylum.

In a case where there
have been no charges,

which has now been dismissed,
is simply untenable.

The UK refuses to confirm
or deny at this stage,

whether a US extradition warrant

is already in the UK territory.

How can it be that a journalist

and publisher
operating from Europe.

I can be extradited
to the United States.

We don't operate in
the United States,

We don't publish from
the United States.

So that's a threat to all
journalists around the world,

wherever they operate.

That if they expose
serious abuses occurring

in the national security domain,

there's a threat
to extradite them

or indict their organization
and all their stuff.

Okay, that's it. Thanks, guys.

[reporters asking questions]

[crowd chanting in
foreign language]

- [Narrator] With one
obstacle out of the way,

another was just
coming into view.

[crowd chanting in
foreign language]

[foreign language]

- [Narrator] With
Lenin Moreno in power,

who knew the fate
of Julian Assange.

In the midst of the
unrest in Catalonia,

Assange tweets his
support for independence

and accuses Madrid
of repression.

Having been warned by
the new president Moreno

not to interfere
in allied politics.

Life inside the embassy was
becoming increasingly strained.

[dramatic music]

- Still bereft of sunlight
and cut off from the world.

Assange spent summer of 2018
in silence as noisy accusations

of his ties to Russia's
involvement in the 2016

US election were
being constructed.

March 2018.

For the second time time
Assange's internet access

and communications are cut off.

Barring any connection
to the outside world.

October 2018.

Assange launches a legal case,

accusing the newly formed
government headed by Moreno

of violating his fundamental
rights and freedoms.

Having had new rules
imposed on him,

designed to force him
out of the embassy.

Ruling a week later that legal
action cannot move forward.

With his rights in
doubt Julian remained

at the embassy,
awaiting his fate.

January 2019.

- [Ciaron] So my
relationship with Julian,

our friendship
goes back to 2000.

We were active in
Australia in the peace

and justice movement.

I was in prison in
the United States

for a year in the early 90s.

For disabling a B-52 bomber with three other people,

Catholic pacifists.

And, at that point Julian was 17

and had released
out the wank worm.

That's when as an activists
field he was arrested

and charged with 36
offenses for hacking.

Now he grew up and
moved on from activism

and he started
Wikileaks in 2006.

After being a single father
raising a child from 17 to 34.

130 days ago, I came here
feeling that his extraction

from this building was
inevitable and imminent.

And I've been here 130 days.

The only thing the
British are offering

for the breach of bail.

Usually bail is indicted
if you've been charged

with something,
you get out before.

But he hasn't been
charged with anything.

The Swedes finished
their investigation

and didn't charge him.

So it's just the substitutes
to do what the Americans want.

Which is what the Australians do

and the Irish do so
don't feel bad about it.

I mean, it's an empire, you
know, when the Americans

say jump the British, the
Irish, the Australians.

Go, high do you want us to jump?

Who do you want us to land on?

And how hard do you
want us to land on them?

Yeah, it's tragic,

it's like a slow
motion crucifixion.

- [Narrator] April 2019.

With ties becoming strained
between the WikiLeaks founder

and the new government, it
became increasingly more likely

Assange would be extradited.

Subsequently looking at
spending the rest of his life

rotting in solitary confinement

in the United
States prison cell.

It's April 10th,

and these days my
solidarity with Julian

being here 24 hours,
seven days a week.

But I was at the first
court appearance of Julian,

when he walked in voluntarily
to Kennedy Township

police station
December 7th 2010.

[reporters shouting]

Well different people have
different entry points.

I'm a bit dyslexic,
I'm not very techy.

My entry point as an
anti-war activist.

I'm part of Pacifist
Catholic Worker Movement

has been going since the 30s.

People were jailed in World
War two for anti conscription.

We were the first people to
burn draft cards publicly

in the early part
of the Vietnam War.

And then two priests
Daniel and Philip Berrigan

led the Draft Board
Raid Movement.

Where people, nuns and
priests and laity would break

into draft boards, and
destroy draft files.

And it's kind of interesting because Dan and Phil were on

the front page of
Time magazine in 1968.

Julian was in 2010.

And then Hoover and
Nixon had a meeting

about how to marginalize them.

And I'm sure similar meetings
have happened without Julian

and they were quite successful.

In both instances, of
radicalizing any support

and marginalizing.

Some of my prison conditions
in different places have been

worse and some have been better.

The most significant
part of it being worse

is this is sensory deprivation.

There's no change
in heat or cold,

no ability to see
more than five meters.

No healthcare access.

So it's changed for four or
five different ambassadors,

since he went in there.

And they sacked the ambassador

and half the staff in December.

Probably because they thought
that he was too sympathetic

and then just made the
environment much more toxic.

Like there's a live feed to
Quito from in that building.

There's more and more cameras.

That's what we hear from John
Pilger and others who visited.

So they're trying
to push him out

and they're having difficulties

cause he's an
Ecuadorian citizen.

So leak happened last week
from within the government

that he had hours or days left.

If that leak had not happened,

he'd probably be gone by now.

But on Friday 40 Media
turned up and now that's just

a lot of them going,
from roughly doing 24/7.

[soft music]

He won't surrender, he'll
be dragged out eventually

and he'll be put in prison here.

Facing extradition
he'll fight that.

What I hope to do is
move there and try

and get a support group
going around the prison,

And because as a
former prisoner, I
know the significance

of solidarity basically.

They've set up protocols
hoping he'll break them.

I believe that one of them is
he can't come to the window.

You know, so he's only
ever spoken four times,

from the balcony.

Yeah, so there's good
people everywhere.

And that was my
feeling in prison too.

But it is a bit like
prison in the sense

that I'm restricted
to certain area.

But you find good
people everywhere.

And you find threats
everywhere too.

Apparently Wikileaks
have found one [laughs]

So yeah, there's news that
they've been infiltrated,

or something like that.

- [Narrator] April 10th 2019

News emerges of an
extensive spying campaign

orchestrated on Assange.

- Let me just begin with
telling you the basics.

The new and unexpected thing that just came into light

in the last few days.

Is that Wikileaks uncovered an extensive spying operation

against Julian Assange within
the Ecuadorian embassy.

It entails a total invasion
of privacy of Mr. Assange.

- [Kristinn] What we
have established is that

security cameras
were used to monitor

his every move, his every
meeting with visitors.

- One thing is absolutely clear,

with the new government,

Ecuador is not protecting Julian anymore.

It's not protecting
him as it should,

since it granted him
political asylum.

Quite the contrary,

the government is
making everything

possible to end the asylum.

- [Fidel] And the only reason,
why it hasn't happened yet,

is because the
international shame,

the historic shame, that
will be entitled to Ecuador.

We know since January
that there was a request

by the US government to Ecuador,

to allow the
interrogation of diplomats

that worked in the
Ecuadorian embassy,

in relations to an
ongoing investigation,

criminal investigation,

and to WikiLeaks
and Julian Assange.

And we know that the Ecuadorian
government did comply.

We also know that there
was a request to hand over

visitors logs from the embassy
and video recordings from

within the security
cameras in the embassy.

So we assume that this material,
this extensive material

that has been gathered
has been handed over

to the Trump administration.

- [Fidel] Let's remember
that Julian Assange

is not serving any sentence.

He doesn't have any charges.

He is a political refugee.

Political refugees
do not lose rights,

on the contrary, they should
have their rights protected.

What we have here is
a clearly human rights

violation of a journalist.

- The Moreno government in
Ecuador has been all too willing

to help out by pushing Julian
Assange out of the embassy.

This attempt to have this
done has been escalating

in the last few
weeks and even days.

And even last week,
we heard that he was,

from very reliable sources
on Friday to this race

that was imminent that
he would be evicted

from the embassy and arrested.

On learning Moreno's orders,
the president of Equador.

The only reason why this
was averted, in our opinion,

is the fact that we
learned about it.

And we were able to
publish that information.

That was the only reason why

that was stopped
probably temporarily.

- [Ciaron] When I came here
138 days ago, whatever it was,

I expected him to be
lifted that night.

So they've obviously backed
off because of the leak.

The more observing that's
going on, but more presence

the safer it is to Julian
so it's good at the moment.

There seems to be about five people here which is good

because often it's just me.

That red car there that's probably embassy police.

- [Ciaron] They're armed and
they do a circuit every hour

but they've been back about
four times in past hour now.

Two nights ago a van pulled
up right in front of me,

another guy, cop got
out a machine gun

and part of this is just
to stress him out mentally

you know, it's the kind
of low intensity conflict

on his mental health.

- [Ciaron] I would think
this Lenin Marino who seems

to be keen to turn Ecuador
back into a US colony

and you know, the
history of South America

and United States
post World War Two.

Is the US toppling democratic
government after democratic

government and putting
military juntas in.

- [Ciaron] It's a
toxic hostile staff now

compared to what preceded it.

Like he was invited in,

by the president Correa who now,

has an arrest warrant
issued on him.

The president who
invited him in,

is now at large trying
to get asylum in Belgium.

So this place has gone
from a sanctuary to a trap.

And the Special
Branch are here 24/7.

And they're probably
number 18, that's my guess.

And there is no where to
do a run up from here.

- [Crowd] Free,
free Julian Assange.

- Well, what does it mean
to journalism you know like,

Chomsky calls
mainstream journalists,

the demographers of power,

which is this real, journalism
is questioning the story

behind the story and yeah.

The lack of transparency
just leads to corruption.

Everything can become corrupt
Christianity, communism,

capitalism, democracy, feminism.

So you've got to
have transparency

and power to be held to account.

It's the death of
free expression.

He's very resolute and
he's very convinced

with the significance
of his work.

And, but obviously is starved
of intellectual stimulation

which he thrives on.

No one could argue that he
could be a multimillionaire

poolside Silicon Valley.

And he's decided to you
know, give the gifts

I believe God gave
him to expose the rich

and powerful wage
constant war on the poor.

And, you know, that's
pretty impressive.

It's very similar to the
story of John the baptist

in that sense that you
had a collaborator King,

a Jewish King Herod, who
wanted to appease the empire,

Roman happens to
be American now,

and delivered the
head of a prophet.

And what is a prophet?

A prophet doesn't necessarily
have to be a really nice guy.

That's a saint.

A prophet is someone who
speaks truth to power.

And as Oscar Wilde who used
to live in this building said,

If you tell people the truth,
and don't make them laugh,

they'll wanna kill you.

So Julian probably
needs a gag rider.

- [Narrator] April 11th 2019.

In the early hours
of the morning,

to avoid any commotion
on the wealthy

streets of Knightsbridge.

A frail and weaker
Assange is carried down

the very steps he walked
up over seven years ago.

After the Ecuadorian
government saw fit

to invite the British
police inside.

[crowd shouting]

Seen on Ruptly.

Media campaigns to discredit
the infamous publisher evolved

leaked videos from inside
the Ecuadorian embassy

and comments made by
Merino's embassy staff

on his personal hygiene,

gave the government
enough ammunition

to rid themselves of Assange.

Handing him over to
the British police.

A stark contrast to
the government that
provided his asylum.

- Those allegations
are a smear campaign,

smoking screen made
by the government.

In order to cover,

the fundamental thing.

The fundamental thing
here is that Ecuador

has handed over a
political refugee,

to his persecutors.

Ecuador has breached
every single legislation

on political asylum
and refugee there is.

So that's in a sense a crime,

and in order to cover that

they need to bring their
attention to something else.

It's outrageous, it's
absolutely outrageous.

It was basically a kidnapping,

he didn't walk out by his own
will, outside of the embassy.

He was dragged by force,

he refuse and he
was right to refuse.

He became Ecuadorian
during this time.

That was his embassy.

According to the
Ecuadorian constitution,

no Ecuadorian could
be extradited ever.

- Good day, well look at that.

- Another last one.

- [Alan] Can I say we are very grateful to the ambassador

and to president Moreno.

For bringing this
to a conclusion,

I think everyone is pleased that

this has finally come to an end.

And I think it will signal
ever improving relations

between the United
Kingdom and Ecuador,

and we look forward to such.

Increased activities
over the years ahead.

So thank you once
again ambassador.

Thank you.

- [Narrator] Meanwhile,
in the United States,

the indictment showing
Julian's charges is unsealed,

revealing the charge
to be a conspiracy

to commit computer intrusion.

No new information is disclosed.

- Now you have all probably
heard about the indictment

and the nature of
the indictments.

Which I think are very revealing

about the nature of
this entire case.

It is based, 17 as
was pointed out,

by the indictments
on the Espionage Act,

which is an archaic
legal framework

from the World War One period,

and has never in its
102 years history

been used against the publisher

and the journalists,
never before.

- What is now going on is that

the United States is
of course furious.

It's the first elephant in the room breaking everything.

It's furious, and it's violating

a lot of fundamental rights.

- [Kristinn] This is
a watershed moment

for the preservation
of journalism

This is about press freedom.

The Assange case and
his extradition request

and this case is more than just

something pertains to one
person, or one organization.

This is about the future of
press freedom in our part

of the world where we have
been rather privileged

with relatively good standing.

It is a crackdown
on press freedom,

nothing less.

Publishing of documents,
of videos of the killing

of innocent civilians,
exposure of war crimes.

This is journalism,
it's called conspiracy.

It's conspiracy to
commit journalism.

- [Geoffrey] I have faith in
the British justice system.

And I think he will argue

that this is a breach of his
right to freedom of speech

which we uphold to an extent.

To throw him to the American wolves who are determined

to jail him for a long time.

So, yes, I've got
faith that the British

justice system may prevent that.

As to the American justice
system, ending up in the

Supreme Court in a few years,

with the majority of Trump
appointees, I'm not so sure.

- May 1st 2019,
Southwark Crown Court.

Assange is handed a
50 week jail sentence,

for breaching bail.

[crowd shouting]

- [Kristinn] To get a
sentence only two weeks short

of the maximum
sentence, is an outrage.

It's almost double the
sentencing guideline.

And may I point out
just into comparison,

that the so called
speedboat killer.

Got six months for not
showing up in court,

to hear his sentencing
for manslaughter.

But the fight continues
tomorrow is the big fight,

the start of a big and
the most important fight.

The fight against the
extradition of Julian Assange

to the United States.

What is at stake there?

Could be a question
of life and death,

for Mr. Assange.

It is also a question
of life and death,

for a major
journalistic principle.

- [Narrator] May 2nd 2019.

Assange appears via a video
link in one of the smallest

court rooms at
Wesminster Magistrates.

With the session only
lasting 10 minutes,

a new procedural
hearing date is set.

This is a matter of life
and death for Assange.

May 7th 2019.

Visitors of Julian approach
the assembled media

outside Belmarsh prison.

- I think I speak for both
of us that we are quite

emotional after this first
social visit that Julian's

allowed after being
in here for a month.

- Obviously, it's been
very difficult to see

Julian here and to make our way through the prison

to get to him was quite
shocking and difficult.

He does not deserve to be in a super max prison.

He has never committed
a violent act.

He's an innocent person.

You know justice will
depend on public support.

- I guess he lost about
20 pounds, at least.

- The visiting hours
are very, very precious.

Sorry I'm really upset.

Julian is a gentle, intellectual

in a maximum security prison,

it's just very
moving to see Julian

particularly in those
circumstances coming
out of sick bay

and having lost 10 kilograms
weight considerable terms.

When loosing weight

and being a little ill

is a big challenge.

But fighting spirit is there and he's still bossy.

- [Narrator] May 23rd 2019.

Assange is accused of 17
new charges brought forward

by the justice department.

The indictment states that
Mr. Assange had repeatedly

encouraged sources with access
to classified information,

to steal and provide it
to Wikileaks to disclose.

No evidence was shown.

May 30th 2019.

News is released that
Assange is too ill

to attend the hearing.

Resurfacing rumors
of his poor health,

even signs of
psychological torture.

[soft music]

The complicated
extradition process,

which involves both Sweden
and the United States

and deals with press freedom
and national security issues,

is expected to last for
months or years to come.

June 11th 2019.

United States submit
an extradition request.

Sajid Javid confirms
and signs the request,

setting up the
extradition case in 2020,

the very case he fears most.

- [Geoffrey] Because
of the cruelty

of the British government.

He hasn't been allowed even to go to a hospital for a day,

to get his chest scanned, he has a bad chest condition

according to specialist doctors.

And so that has
not been allowed,

maybe allowed in a
British prison hospital.

But the conditions in an
American super max prison

are quite horrific
and his freedom

and his spirit may
well be broken.

He has a strong spirit, a
spirit which is determined

to publish whatever he comes
across or is sent to him,

which is of public interest.

And remember that history
books are now being informed

by WikiLeaks revelations
hardly a week goes by

without the news based on
some Wikileaks revelation.

So he's sacrificed a lot
for his belief in freedom

of speech and the issue
will be whether our judges

and perhaps eventually American
judges have the same relief,

or whether they're hypocrites.

- This deep disparity with the
US is about to be laid bare

when the courts decide whether the WikiLeaks publisher

Julian Assange will beextradited to the US on charges

of espionage for
exposing war crimes,

the murder of civilians
and large scale corruption.

Will the prime minister agree
with the parliamentary report

that's going to the Council of
Europe that this extradition

should be opposed and
the rights of journalists

and whistleblowers are held
for the good of all of us?

- Prime minister.

- Mr. Speaker, I'm not gonna
comment on any individual case.

But it is obvious that the rights of journalists

and whistleblowers
should be upheld

and this government will clearly continue to do that.

[crowd chanting]

- [Narrator] February 24 2020.

Crowds gather at
Woolwich crime court

in support of the
brave publisher.

- From the angel of democracy and nobody knows more

about democracy than Julian Assange, it's not a crime,

to publish American war crimes,

it's in the interests democracy.

[crowd chanting]

- Robert Gates, ex secretary of defense before congress

in a testimony said
that, it's awkward

embarrassing, that
no damage was done.

I'll note that the prosecutor
didn't err give one example

of a broken fingernail.

Just he said that
sources were in danger,

that's simply not true.

- Thank you, as john said it's
only a 10 minute break now.

So it's gonna be short.

But what was presented here was an overwhelming evidence

of how politicized the
entire process has been.

As the channels are presented, very compelling evidence

of how it was decided under
Obama not to prosecute

because of the impossibility

of singling out one publisher,

WikiLeaks, one
journalist Julian Assange

and not going after all
those who were actually part

of that project the
New York Times problem

as as it was called.

It was laid out here how then
after Trump came to power,

every avenue was
sought to actually go
after Julian Assange.

That is apparent from

quote from Jeff Sessions,
the Attorney General,

from Mike Pompeo in 2017

when he started to
depicting Wikileaks

as a hostile
intelligence service,

and of course by this
amazing revelation

that congressman
Dana Rohrabacher

made an offer to Julian Assange

that if he would reveal his
source of the 2016 DNC leaks.

They would bring back the
message to Donald Trump

and secure leniency or pardon.

Of course that offer was denied.

There was no doubt about it.

That congressman Rohrabacher
and his colleague

at that meeting, were
saying that they were acting

under instruction
by full knowledge

of President Trump
in making that offer.

That is extraordinary only
when that offer was declined

the process of formulating
the indictments,

of getting the hands
on Julian Assange

started in full earnest and
we know how that all ended.

What was, of course,
astonishing to hear

that we will hear more
of his the revelation

that the security company the
private security company hired

to look after the
interests of Julian

was again hired rehired

by the funder of Donald Trump,

Las Vegas casino magnate
Sheldon Adelson to spy on Julian

and evidence will be produced

by whistleblowers from that
company who will anonymously

bear witness in this court,
how they spied on everything,

and tell you exactly who
they were working for,

it was US intelligence
it's the dark side.

They said internally
in between themselves.

They were spying on the
legally privileged conversation

between Julian and his lawyers.

And everything, almost in real
time, was transported back

to intelligence
agency in the US.

There was even discussions
among the staff in the embassy

that more extreme measures
would be possibly be taken.

Apart from this
spying on Julian,

namely kidnapping or poisoning.

[soft music]

- [Narrator] February 25th 2020.

[crowd shouting]

News breaks of the inhumane care

the founder of
Wikileaks is receiving.

February 26th 2020.

Sitting in a bulletproof box,

unable to be properly
engaged in the proceedings.

Assange's lawyer
revealed to the court

that he is now on medication,

fueling further rumors
of his weakening health.

[crowd chanting]

February 27th 2020.

[soft music]

- [Craig] The main
stream media came here

for the opening statement
of the prosecution.

Yeah, they copy and paste
it from the prosecution

thing saying Mr. Assange
is a common criminal

and then they all went homeeven before the defense started.

So I'm afraid that,

but that simply tells us

what we already knew about
the main stream media.

Anyway, thank you.

- It's not a fair hearing,
it's not a fair hearing.

If one side is more
armed than the other.

If one side can go back and forth with their lawyers

and discuss the route
that they need to take

or point out the things might be factually incorrect.

It will have an
equally chilling effect

on both whistleblowers
and publishers.

Because it sets
the precedent that,

it doesn't matter where
you are reporting from,

it doesn't matter who
gives you the documents,

none of that matters.

If you do something that
another state doesn't like,

they can reach out that
extra territorial arm

and pluck you from that country

and throw you into
a hole in theirs.

So in this case, we
have an Australian

publisher in Europe
and the United Kingdom

being sought by
the United States.

Where he is looking down the
barrel of 175 years in prison.

They've already stated
that they'll keep him

under what they call SAM's
Special Administrative Measures.

We understand how the United
States government works

with their terminology,
they talk about.

Enhanced interrogation
techniques,

which is a synonym for torture.

SAM's is a synonym for solitary
confinement in isolation.

He wouldn't be allowed
to speak to his family.

He'd only be allowed
to speak to his lawyer

and his lawyer wouldn't be
allowed to convey anything

that he said to the public

without his lawyer themselves
being thrown into prison.

- John Shipton, Julian Assange's his father here,

outside Belmarsh
with the supporters.

This is the fourth day.

The story continues
to unfold as some sort

of fraud upon the court,

by the Department of Justice
in the United States,

because they have, all of
their evidence has been proved

to be, as our barrister says,

lies, lies and more
lies, the extraordinary.

This abrogation of
Julian's human rights

started 10 years ago, with
10 days arbitrary detention

in Wandsworth
prison in solitary.

Then after that 18 months
house arrest in Norridge,

after that Julian
had to seek asylum

and was given asylum in
the Ecuadorian embassy.

And that was seven and a half
years of arbitrary detention.

- Can you hear me?

- [Crowd] Yeah.

- [John] Now, after the
United Kingdom contravened

its own conventions
to arrest Julian

without the revocation of the
asylum that has given him.

They arrested him and charged
him with skipping bail,

and has been in Belmarsh
maximum security prison

for about 10 months now.

So 10 years of
arbitrary detention,
you don't have to take

my word for there's
a Working Group,

the United Nations Working
Group on Arbitrary Detention,

their determination,
there's this secondary

they're reporting
in February 2018,

from the Working Group
on arbitrary detention.

There's Nils Melzer of the
UN rapporteur on torture.

His conclusions that Julian

had been psychologically
tortured,

deliberately smeared,

mobbed.

There's also the United
Nations rapporteur on privacy,

his determination
that Julian's privacy

had been stolen from him.

There's the illegal
surveillance by UC global

on behalf of the CIA,

the list just goes on and on.

You know, I just take
each day as it comes

and do what I can to
ensure that Julian

comes home to his
family, that's all.

- [Narrator] Court
proceedings are adjourned

with three weeks of evidence
scheduled on May 18th.

- [Crowd] Free Julian Assange.

Free Julian Assange.

Free Julian Assange.

Free Julian Assange.

[soft music]

- [Narator] Julian Assange
the enemy of America

for nearly 15 years
lies in Belmarsh prison

awaiting his fate.

Fate that will have
grave implications

across the media driven world,

from whistleblowers
to journalists.

Fate that will change the way
stories can be investigated.

Fate that will be decided
in the months to come.

From coder to convict, Assange
has brought information

and injustices to
light that would

otherwise be stored
and forgotten.

Whether you support
or shun his methods.

Undoubtedly his revolutionary
publishing has changed

the way journalism is conducted.

Holding governments
that act in our name

to a definitive account.

With ailing health

and the Coronavirus
pandemic in full swing.

Doctors expressed
fear that Assange

may not see the
light of day, again.

- I think it's important
to remember at this time,

that as we go back
out into the world,

we leave these happy headlands,

this this open face setting
with all these happy hills.

We remember that the
world of tomorrow,

is not gonna be like the past.

And the networks we move into
are going to be threatened

by the KGB, the
CIA, Sears, Roebuck

and any number of strange,

ostensibly honest, suspicious
entities whose very nature

and motivations must be
very carefully scrutinized.

So it's upto the entire
public to defend itself

to look to the extension
of freedom of privacy,

freedom of information,
freedom of association

and all the things that
have made America great

in this strange new
and dark network world.

[soft music]