Bellmarks prison for almost 5 years now. Before that, he was in self imposed exile in the Ecuadorian Embassy in london, the c i a, a few years ago made plans to kill or to kidnap julian in broad daylight in the streets of london. If the us governments request to expedite him for to be unsuccessful, but that request is pending and is likely to go forward in the near future. The big question then is whether the Us Justice Department will offer julian a deal he can live with or where. Busy hell be forced to go onto the trial for his life. Im john kerry. Ok, welcome to the whistle blowers, news. 2 2 2 2 2 2 julian assign, just probably the most famous transparency, absolutist in the world. It was julian and wiki leaks, who told us through the release of the bradley. Now. Chelsea manning documents that the us had committed war crimes in iraq and afghanistan. It was julian and wiki leaks in to. Busy us through the release of the volt 7 documents that the c i a could remotely take over control of a persons car by hacking into the computer and then could force the car off the road or off a bridge or into a tree. We learned that the c, i a could take over a person, smart tv and, and turn the speaker into a microphone all while the tv appear to be off. We learned about international corruption, about Money Laundering and fraud. All thanks to julian assange. It was because of this never ending quest for transparency that the c i a sought to kidnap or killed julian, and the Us Department of justice charged him with multiple counts of espionage and other crimes amounting to 175 years in prison. Julian famously took refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy, where he was spied on relentlessly by the c. I a the dorians and the british, until the ecuadorian turned on him and handed him over to british authorities. Hes been imprisoned in harsh conditions ever since, as the us has tried to have him extradited. This is not a partisan issue in the United StatesRepublican Donald Trump charge julian with espionage. An irony, since trump is now charged with multiple kinds of espionage himself. But democrat joe, by new continued the prosecutor sion and has actively sought julians extradition. The bottom line is this. It is the c i a thats calling the shots in this case, the c, i a considers itself to be the victim here. And they wont stop until we get weeks is ruined. And julian assigned is either in prison for the rest of his life or dead that we have to yes. Today, both of whom are close to julia, sancha, and both of whom are intimately knowledgeable of the challenges any faces. Joe loria, is the editor in chief of Consortium News. Hes a veteran Foreign Affairs journalist and is written for the wall street journal. The boston globe. The london Daily Telegraph and other outlets, randy critical, is a long time comedian and social justice activist. The former director of the william and counsellor fund for social justice and the host of the radio shall live on the fly, which airs on new yorks w. B. A i radio gentlemen, thanks so much for being with us. Joe. Id like to begin with you. Youve attended pretty much every Court Hearing the julians been involved in from the very beginning. Things seem to have finally come to ahead. In his most recent appeal, julians attorneys argued that the Us Justice Department had not provided assurances that julian would not be executed if extradited to the United States. Was that a paper work exercise or is that a real fear . Inexplicable, why . After 4 years now, this routine matter where britain, one of them is being asked extradite. So im going to a state that has the Death Penalty routinely asked for an assurance from that state that in this particular case, it would not be sought. And your Home Office Never asked for that. We know that because and i was sitting in the court room right there, right in the row between the judge and behind me with the lawyers dot the been watching it was the kings counselor for the home office. He said that they never asked us for this assurance. I find that extraordinary, of us never offered an assurance. Again, this is routine. Why was that not happen . This is something that no one could really fully understand. Theres some speculation that its a way the for the us to get out of this situation. That is, but come politically untenable for them. Given the incredible pressure thats been put on the bi heads of state, but every human rights organization, press freedom organization, etc. And of course, joe biden doesnt want julian assigned to coming, showing up on the us shores with the in chains of journalist in chains to stand trial just outside washington for publishing through information about us. They crunch, but that means it could be kicked down the road past the november election. This seems to be something else. And whats really important here about this, john, is that the high court, the 2 High Court Judges that are heard julians, the hearing on february 20 and 21 were talking about here. This is by the way, just to hearing so that drilling assange could have an appeal. This is an appeal about an appeal because he had been denied the right to have an appeal or to leave for an appeal. So those judges said in their 66 page ruling, 2 very important things on the Death Penalty. There was family blunt. Im going to quote, they said, if extradition of a shot would quote be contrary to the Convention Rights as to europe. In convention, you human rights under the british human rights act of 1998 article 3, which is against georgia in human degrading treatment to punch. In other words, the Death Penalty and other words if the expedition is contrary to that right, the extradition must be refused. That means without the assurance from the United States that they will not seek the Death Penalty. Theres an automatic refusal of distribution freelance on goes free. Why havent they given that assurance yet . Now greg murray, who is on our webcast. A consorting news a few days ago said he believed that at the last minute the us wouldnt give this assurance on the Death Penalty we will remain to be seen if they do, then theres a 2 week period where the lawyers for sondra can challenge that assurance to see whether it is in fact a valid one or not. And i did a Little Research about this today, and i discovered that the attorney general must, in a Federal Capital punishment case. The prosecutors cannot just asked for, they need to go to a process that includes the attorney general signing off on this to have the Death Penalty. I would assume that marriage garland would have to also approve this assurance not to seek the Death Penalty. And then just to ad, theres one other right, that san trash to be assured he would have. And this is really an important one. And that is in conjunction with the article, 10 of the European Convention human rights, which is what the british courts go by. The equivalent of article 10, freedom of expression is the 1st amendment in United States. So the court as asked us to assure he would have 1st amendment rights as well. And we know that both my pun payer with c. I a director and gordon cromwell, the chief prosecutor here, both said that a sons would not have 1st amendment rights, or that they could be taken from him. And there was a Supreme Court decision that said that of non us citizens have no 1st amendment rights. If they, especially if theyre committed the electric crime outside United States, which is the case here. So you, the fact is though, and we have margaret coming out on that same webcast saying that of the separation of powers in the us means that the executive branch, the department of justice, cannot interfere. What a court would say about whether those rights should be granted or not. So the us cannot grant 1st amendment rights to julie massage, cannot do it because of that Supreme Court decision because its up to the judge whether he would get those rights or not. And the Supreme Court again ruled and in case that the foreigners and not have 1st memory. So what does that mean . Well, heres where theres a difference because the high court in their ruling said, and i quote this, that if a sondors quote not permitted to rely on the 1st amendment, then it is arguable. That is, expedition would be incompatible with article 10 of the convention. In that case, julie would be free. But unlike the buying cloud, languish the beloved language on the desk. But if they dont give the insurance, he has to be discharged, hes gone free. Know extradition on the a free speech issue. Its, theres some wiggle room in the language of the court saying that he only has an arguable case. So that would be argued apparently at the appeals court, but just to finish, i would point out that the cape Crown Prosecution Service on their website says that in all like tradition cases, the judge must consider what extradition would be compatible with the request of persons. Human rights and the judge finds that the traditional did not think about of what the required persons human rights that persons extradition cannot be ordered and the judge must discharge this. So included, most human rights is article 10. So according to the Crown Prosecution Service, he would have to be released as well on the fact that he didnt get an insurance on 1st amendment or free speech rights, which the Us Department of justice cannot issue. Because its up to the judge and the Supreme Court decided a fine, it doesnt have those. Right. So im thinking thats looking a lot better for julia. So engine, at 1st glance at this very complicated, really, right, randy, youre also tied to the various assign support groups actually. All, all even go farther than that. You do more than just about anybody i know in the, in the assigned to support groups as well as julians to julians wife and, and to some of these more prominent supporters. What are you hearings about hearing about plants for extradition . How are those closest to julian preparing for it . And what do they expect to do once he gets to the United States . Well, to be honest with you, im not really that direct. Yeah, my, i know there, you know, im saying the, im kind of pretty low around i believe that you can get him on the street as a mass street isnt the only thing to say and thats why youve seen me. I would say a 150 days last year as more kate and trying to organize remington just dont get to court just on his birthday or something. Major anniversary day. I think its something that has to be pursued on a daily basis to joe. Weve been hearing many rumors over the past several weeks that Justice Department, prosecutors, and julians attorneys are involved in talks not necessarily in negotiations, but in talks that might result in julian accepting some sort of a plea deal in exchange for time served. He would then be expelled back to us trail yet presumably where he could then live in freedom with his wife and children. What are you hearing . Are these serious talks and are they at an advanced stage . Well, i do know that there were definitely talks to, at some point and then truly into so much as you pointed out on sputnik radio last week. John, that you knew that there was a deal and julian turned down. So youd have to agree to the espionage act, which is an extremely courageous thing for him to have for him to have done denying his own freedoms personal freedom to get the hell out of belmont prison. Because he did not want a future journalist to be charged for it. Espionage. So that deal fell apart. And you look at the language of the statement, the barry pollock, julians lawyer in washington said he, it sounds like a lot of people, i think misinterpreted this, that there is no tops. But if you look at it carefully, its very morally constructed statement. Look at the language, it says that the Justice Department has shown no intention to resolve this matter. That doesnt mean they havent tried. It means that a way of saying were disappointed because we, we, theyre not really serious about this, but that, that they havent had discussions. But you do get the impression or right now there are no discussions going on now. So they came to a standstill, most likely because julian agreed, just turn down that plea deal that had already been discussed. But there are new parameters. Now that might be a possible here, john, and this was 1st born up by our, by a bruce fraud and a constitutional lawyer in a, in our webcast of last august. When he pointed out that julian may be able to a plea to a missed handling of classified material charge, which is a misdemeanor with a 5 year maximum term, which is already served 5 years in belmont. So theoretically, if you agree to that in the us, allow that he could walk free, you wont even have to go to australia for any more time. This is a possibility. First weighs by bruce upfront. In august, ambrose also said he would have to do that remotely. In other words, from london, theres nothing against the ways of a lead. For someone whos outside United States to uh, andrew, to play agreement remotely from another country. It doesnt have to come to the us, and that is something he will not do. Gabriel shipped in johns julians brother and made it very clear. Theres no way its going to go there because the u. S. Could change their mind once he arrived. Funny enough that wall street journal article now 2 weeks ago talked about mishandled and classified information. Im doing a remotely the exact same things that bruce from said in our webcast last august. So this will be something truly mishondra, i think, could agree to a misdemeanor, would have to be conspiracy to mishandled classified data because the law, as a witness for Government Employees, thats the one i think trump was charge on or they didnt charge biden under. So hed have to go to a conspiracy with chelsea man, and was a Government Employee to mishandled classified data and hed have to do it remotely. If those are the terms, i think that julian could agree to that. I also think that the he seems to be maybe in the drivers seat a lot more than i thought previously could, should have what i just said about those 2 shorts. They can give the insurance on the 1st amendment. And if crap pressure surfaces, right. He cannot be extradited then, certainly on the Death Penalty insurance, he can not be extradited unless they get that. So that probably would come through if they missed the april 16 deadline for those insurance is then well have an appeal and i get kicks down the road. So i think that is a plea deal john that assigns could take if the u. S. Gives it to randy in the event the julian is indeed extradited after this. Like you will take up the mantle of his defense on the street. Youve organized countless actions in support of joint assange, including very well received advertising trucks. What do you expect to do when he arrives in the United States for trial as well . Um, i dont expect them to write United States. Uh, but uh, yeah. If in fact he does arrive in the United States, then the only thing you can do is to carry on organize. We dont have, you know, theres been a d, c, ive been on the streets of d. C. For so long out there. And youve seen that truck and as i read it here and you talk to people on the streets, theyre not that interested. You know, the people that are so for junior assign, sure. Are they really gung ho uh in support or just like, you know, as liberals i was a bad thing or are they willing to get out there . Thats. Thats the test. Yeah. Or really do they know . Yeah. You know, people are almost here. Youre on the street, you want to go directly to the people and everyones other cell phone is the issue and theyre not even working. So youve got to grab their attention. Its the new opium get, you know, the whole world on their cell phones all the time. They should, they should go to cell numbers. Isnt that the truth . Im telling you its a, its, its a real problem. I go into the subway and ive got the wires lan, my spare time, and speech they give you. My extension is i think is a read news, labor magazines, or books or really theyre looking at theres oh yeah, reading to those they ask you, i can promise you that jewelry and really critical. Thank you so much for being with us. Were just scratching the surface of this important issue when we come back. Well talk about what julian assigns can expect in the United States and why many of his supporters remain so hopeful the to. 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 the Worlds Largest democracy, both the rest of the planet watches in an emerging, multi polar world, india as voice matters, but who will be the power behind watches, almost 1000000000 people, the side billions, react the mortgage to such as whats going on. So see whats printing, what was the other one . Thats good. Sounds good. Just so basically of course we need, the last name was needed, read it was can when we used to live, imagine we have support for someone who is this, we would show new people to the the the welcome back to the rest of the lawyers. Im going to reaku, were speaking with 2 important supporters of julian, assange, journalist, and