21 May 2013

WikiLeaks has been financially blockaded without process for 901 days.
 - Direct blockade currently on hold - will resume in 38 days.
Julian Assange has been detained without charge for 898 days. 
 - 336 days at the Ecuadorian Embassy.

Bradley Manning has been in prison without trial for 1093 days.  
Jeremy Hammond has been in prison without trial for 444 days. 
A secret Grand Jury on WikiLeaks has been active for 978 days.


WikiLeaks News:

• Columbia University Medical Center published an analysis on civilian deaths in the Iraq War using information from WikiLeaks' Iraq War Logs.
• Cables released by WikiLeaks show that Australian Prime Minsiter Kevin Rudd wanted to keep more Australian troops in Iraq in 2008.
• Frank Archibald, the new head of the CIA National Clandestine Service, is mentioned in a WikiLeaks cable "regarding the naming of the embassy legal attache in a detainee torture case".
• Multiple news outlets and journalists have published articles comparing the recent controversy surrounding leak investigations and the ongoing persecution of WikiLeaks:
• Crikey:  Reporters as ‘co-conspirators’ in Obama’s war on journalism
• Freedom of the Press Foundation: Virtually Everything the Government Did to WikiLeaks is Now Being Done to Mainstream US Reporters
• Economist: Press Freedom: Fox News and Julian Assange
• MI5 whistleblower Annie Machon: Journalists Need to Tool Up

Julian Assange News:

• Jacob Appelbaum spoke with Swedish FM Carl Bildt at the Stockholm Internet Forum and asked him about Julian Assange's situation and why the Swedish prosecution continues to refuse to question him in London.
• A blog in London Review of Books discusses the recent SMS messages from GCHQ which describe the allegations against Julian Assange as a "fit-up". While the author does not believe the authenticity of the SMSes, he comments on other troubling aspects of Mr Assange's case, including Sweden's reluctance to question Mr Assange in London, the politicized court system, and Swedish public opinion.
• Ecuadorian FM Ricardo Patiño tweeted that activities are being developed to mark one year since Julian Assange entered the Embassy (June 19).

Bradley Manning News:

• Today was the last pretrial hearing in Bradley Manning's case. His trial begins June 3.
• The Government accepted PFC Manning's plea for one count "in relation to the disclosure of a diplomatic cable from the US embassy in Reykjavik, Iceland".
• The judge ruled that testimony from 24 witnesses, including some U.S. Ambassadors, will be given in closed session. 
• The NAVY Seal involved in the Osama bin Laden raid may not testify if evidence is accepted which allegedly shows a member of al-Qaeda replying to instructions requesting WikiLeaks material.
• Further coverage of today's hearing can be read at Firedoglake, The Guardian, and the Bradley Manning Support Network.

20 May 2013

WikiLeaks has been financially blockaded without process for 900 days.
 - Direct blockade currently on hold - will resume in 39 days.
Julian Assange has been detained without charge for 897 days. 
 - 335 days at the Ecuadorian Embassy.

Bradley Manning has been in prison without trial for 1092 days.  
Jeremy Hammond has been in prison without trial for 443 days. 
A secret Grand Jury on WikiLeaks has been active for 977 days.


WikiLeaks News:

• With the recent controversy over the U.S. Government's seizure of AP phone records and labeling of journalist James Rosen as a "co-conspirator" in a leak case, comparisons have been drawn to the persecution of WikiLeaks, including by Glenn Greenwald, Freedom of the Press Foundation, and The Atlantic.
• The Wau Holland Foundation released their 2012 transparency report covering WikiLeaks' finances.

Bradley Manning News:

• Bradley Manning will be back in court starting tomorrow for his last pretrial hearings before his trial begins on June 3.

19 May 2013

WikiLeaks has been financially blockaded without process for 899 days.
 - Direct blockade currently on hold - will resume in 40 days.
Julian Assange has been detained without charge for 896 days. 
 - 334 days at the Ecuadorian Embassy.

Bradley Manning has been in prison without trial for 1091 days.  
Jeremy Hammond has been in prison without trial for 442 days. 
A secret Grand Jury on WikiLeaks has been active for 976 days.


WikiLeaks News:

• Freedom of the Press Foundation published a series of quotes from leading U.S. journalists about recent leak investigations are having a chilling effect on reporting and hurting the public's right-to-know.
• Firedoglake held a Q&A session with James C. Goodale, Pentagon Papers lawyer and author of a new book, "Fighting for the Press", in which topics such as WikiLeaks and the U.S. war on whistleblowers were discussed.
• Linda Pierson of the Support Assange and WikiLeaks Coalition wrote an article on the importance of defending Bradley Manning and Julian Assange.

Julian Assange News:

• Julian Assange was interviewed on Salvados about WikiLeaks, his situation, and surveillance (part 1, part 2). Mr Assange also revealed that he has documents from GCHQ, a British intelligence agency, which show correspondence regarding him and WikiLeaks.
• The Scotland Yard has disclosed that so far £3.3 million has been spent on 24/7 surveillance of Julian Assange, and it is expected to reach £4.2 million at the one year mark, June 19.

Bradley Manning News:

• Brigadier General Retired Robert Carr, who was put in charge of the "WikiLeaks War Room" in 2010, will be testifying at Bradley Manning's trial. 
• Journalist Alexa O'Brien announced that her work covering Bradley Manning's case has been shortlisted for the Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism.
• An article in Counterpunch decries EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and Amnesty for failing to recognize Bradley Manning as a political prisoner.
• WISE Up published a round-up of Chase Madar's (author of "The Passion of Bradley Manning") trip around the UK, where he attended multiple events to speak on PFC Manning and WikiLeaks.
• In protest of SF Pride reversing Bradley Manning's status as grand marshal, San Francisco LGBT activists declared PFC Manning as the People’s Grand Marshal.

Jeremy Hammond News:

• A new webpage has been created dedicated to news about Jeremy Hammond's case and action to support him. 

WikiLeaks Party News:

• The WikiLeaks Party announced their fundraising drive, which hopes to raise $700,000 in order to field 6 or 7 candidates around Australia. 

18 May 2013

WikiLeaks has been financially blockaded without process for 898 days.
 - Direct blockade currently on hold - will resume in 41 days.
Julian Assange has been detained without charge for 895 days. 
 - 333 days at the Ecuadorian Embassy.

Bradley Manning has been in prison without trial for 1090 days.  
Jeremy Hammond has been in prison without trial for 441 days. 
A secret Grand Jury on WikiLeaks has been active for 975 days.


WikiLeaks News:

• WikiLeaks released documents relating to the prosecution and imprisonment of The Pirate Bay co-founder Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, aka anakata.
• Pentagon Papers lawyer James Goodale warned of the free press challenges that will occur if people attempt to differentiate The New York Times from WikiLeaks.

Bradley Manning News:

• Musician Moby posted a picture of himself with a sign reading, "Bradley Manning is my hero".
• We Meant Well published an article analyzing some of the State Department witnesses who will be testifying at Bradley Manning's upcoming trial.

17 May 2013

WikiLeaks has been financially blockaded without process for 897 days.
 - Direct blockade currently on hold - will resume in 42 days.
Julian Assange has been detained without charge for 894 days. 
 - 332 days at the Ecuadorian Embassy.

Bradley Manning has been in prison without trial for 1089 days.  
Jeremy Hammond has been in prison without trial for 440 days. 
A secret Grand Jury on WikiLeaks has been active for 974 days.


WikiLeaks News:

• In an interview with RAC1, Julian Assange hinted at an upcoming WikiLeaks release that would compromise important banks.
• Pentagon Papers lawyer James Goodale appeared on Democracy Now! where he compared President Obama to former President Nixon in regards to press freedom and other issues. He said that, should President Obama prosecute Julian Assange (who he says is likely under secret indictment already), he will be worse than Nixon.
• A proposed U.S. press-shield bill from Representatives Chuck Schumer and Lindsey Graham would offer zero protection to organizations like WikiLeaks.

Julian Assange News:

• La Sexta published a preview of their Jordi Évole's interview with Julian Assange, which is set to air on May 19. Going by the preview, the interview will air in English with Spanish subtitles.
• Speaking via videolink at Uruguay’s University of the Republic, Julian Assange warned that Latin America's sovereignty is threatened due to reliance on U.S.- based telecommunications, which conduct widespread surveillance.
• Benedict Cumberbatch, the actor playing Julian Assange in DreamWorks' WikiLeaks movie, has further commented on his wishes to meet Mr Assange:
• "No matter how you cut it, [Assange has] done us a massive service, to wake us up to the zombielike way we absorb our news... He hates the idea of the film and asked me not to do it, and I said to him, ‘Well, somebody is going to do it, wouldn’t you rather it’s someone who has your ear, who could steer the film to a place that’s more accurate or balanced?’ The tabloid image of him, what he fears is going to be promoted—that weird, white-haired guy wanted for rape—is so far from what we did."

Bradley Manning News:

• The WikiLeaks Australian Citizen's Alliance has a new support page for Bradley Manning.