2012-07-08 WikiLeaks News Update: Syria Files coverage; Updates in Assange asylum bid




WikiLeaks has been financially blockaded without process for 582 days.
Julian Assange has been detained without charge for 579 days.
Bradley Manning has been imprisoned without trial for 776 days.
A secret Grand Jury has been active in the U.S. without transparency for 662 days.


WikiLeaks News:

Syria Files (image via WikiLeaks)

  • More Syria Files were released, bringing the current total to 50. Here is the latest coverage:
    • A key aide of Bashar al-Assad is soon to receive her PhD from Durham University in England. The University refused to comment whether they received money from the Assad regime.
    • Brown Lloyd James, a lobbying firm which worked on a Vogue story about Bashar al-Assad's wife, continued working to improve the Syrian regime's image as the country descended into violence. RT reported on the failure to improve their image.
    • House of Lords member Lord Kenilworth was hired and payed thousands of pounds to redesign the summer palace of Assad.
    • WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson commented during a debate that, while the Syria Files is a staggered release, it will "escalate exponentially" in the coming days.
    • #SyriaFiles was the top trend on Twitter after the announcement yesterday, with 17,000 tweets containing the hashtag sent out within 10 hours.
    • An article at Techdirt asked, "With WikiLeaks releasing Syrian emails, will people realize it's not targeting the U.S.?"
  • 'WikiLeaks' and 'Julian Assange' were the top searches on Wikipedia from 2010-2012.
  • Icelandic MP Birgitta Jonsdottir was interviewed by PRNRadio about the U.S. vendetta against WikiLeaks.
  • NYT eXaminer wrote about The New York Times' failure to issue corrections when it comes to Julian Assange and WikiLeaks. They also sent out a list of NYT's failures when reporting on WikiLeaks via Twitter. Below are a few examples:
  • A debate entitled "Can Media Change the World?" was held at Almedalen in Sweden, where WikiLeaks' Kristinn Hrafnsson and Jennifer Robinson took part. Video of the debate is available.


Julian Assange News:

  • Julian Assange remains at the Ecuadorian Embassy awaiting decision on his asylum application. Here are some of the latest updates:
    • Foro de São Paulo, a political conference of organisations from Latin America and the Caribbean, called on Ecuador to accept Mr Assange's asylum application.
    • As Mr Assange nears three weeks at the Ecuadorian Embassy, London supporters continue to hold daily vigils.
    • Mr Assange would likely have been in Sweden prison by this date, still without being charged, had he not chosen to seek political asylum.
    • An article at Anti-War.com discussed Julian Assange's "last stand" in applying for political asylum and that, while the author lacks hope for Mr Assange's future freedom, he will go down in history as a hero.
  • An op-ed in Belfast Telegraph discusses how Julian Assange's work with WikiLeaks has been a service to everyone, and why the people must stand up for him.
  • A man wrote about the many occasions he is mistaken for Julian Assange.


Bradley Manning News:

  • Supporters of Bradley Manning took to the streets across the U.S. to participate in "Free Bradley Manning" contingents in pride parades.
  • The Bradley Manning Support Network issued a news update for July 6 which covers World Pride Day, a Bradley Manning panel discussion, and "The Passion of Bradley Manning" audiobook.



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Upcoming Dates & Events:

July 13 - 16: "Fort Manning" occupation of L.A. Federal Court House.

July 14: Global for Julian Assange Day.

July 15: Rally for Julian Assange, Town Hall, Sydney, 1PM.

July 16 - 20: Bradley Manning pre-trial hearings.

August 27 - 31: Bradley Manning pre-trial hearings.

September 19 - 20: Bradley Manning pre-trial hearings.

November 2012 ~ January 2013: Estimated time frame for Bradley Manning's court martial.