2012-07-21 WikiLeaks News Update: Manning pre-trial hearing session concludes; Syria Files coverage

WikiLeaks has been financially blockaded without process for 595 days.
Julian Assange has been detained without charge for 592 days.
- 32 days at the Ecuadorian Embassy.
Bradley Manning has been imprisoned without trial for 789 days.
A secret Grand Jury has been active in the U.S. without transparency for 675 days.

WikiLeaks News:

• WikiLeaks' Syria Files show that Bashar al-Assad held excellent relations with the Vatican.

• OWNI reported on a collection of Syria Files which contain jokes by Bashar al-Assad, and show the shift in his attitude once the uprising began.

• Former Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman died this week. WikiLeaks Press has an archive of WikiLeaks cable coverage relating to him.

• WikiLeaks cables show that Washington will be somewhat relieved to have former Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo out of power.

• The Australian Government's FOI Disclosure Log has been updated with a document that lists "talking points" and other information regarding WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, and Bradley Manning.

• Legal expert Anita Barraud stated in a radio interview that the WikiLeaks Grand Jury may contain illegally obtained evidence and hearsay.

• Ethan McCord, the soldier seen on the ground saving children in "Collateral Murder", posted a photo for Our Lives Our Rights about how he refused orders because he could not ignore the suffering of innocent people.

• Video of NSA whistleblower William Binney's HOPE Number 9 keynote is now available.

• Australian lawyer and human rights activist Kellie Tranter gave a speech addressing the people of the United States and asking them to make the plight of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, and Bradley Manning an issue in the upcoming election.

Julian Assange News:

• 1976 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Maguire urged Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa to grant Julian Assange political asylum.

• Fred Fuentes, co-convenor of the Latin American Social Forum, gave a speech on July 15 entitled "Support Ecuador! Support Assange!"

• Julian Assange's lawyer Michael Ratner sent a response to The Washington Post for its editorial suggesting the U.S. cut trade preferences with Ecuador should they accept Mr Assange into asylum.

• A preview of upcoming Four Corners episode "Sex, Lies, and Julian Assange" is available. The episode premieres July 23 at 8:30PM on ABC1.

Bradley Manning News:

• A session of pre-trial hearings for Bradley Manning concluded on Thursday. See our previous news update for coverage from the first two days.
  • The Bradley Manning Support Network posted a recap of the four-day pre-trial hearings from this week. The next motion hearings will be from August 27-31 and will focus on Bradley Manning's treatment at Quantico Marine Base.
  • The WikiLeaks Grand Jury may be sending people to attend Bradley Manning's legal proceedings.
  • The judge barred UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Juan Mendez from testifying as a defence witness. Earlier this year, Mr Mendez condemned the treatment of PFC Manning as "cruel, inhuman, and degrading".
  • The judge ruled that the extent of damage caused by WikiLeaks releases is irrelevant to any of the 22 charges against PFC Manning. Manning's lawyer has stated that the disclosures caused no damage to the U.S.
  • The defence declared that the treatment of PFC Manning should "shock the conscience of the court".
  • The judge refused to throw out two of the charges against PFC Manning.
  • Potential jurors of Bradley's court martial will have to respond to more than 100 questions in a pre-trial screening.
  • Bradley's defence argued that President Barack Obama's comments may have damaged the possibility of a fair trial.
  • The schedule for future motion hearings is August 27-31, September 13, and October 15-19.
  • Bradley Manning attorney David Coombs will be speaking at a public event on August 26 in Washington D.C. Details will be announced soon.

• Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks gave a speech in support of Bradley Manning and WikiLeaks at Occupy LA on July 14. Watch video of his speech below.
  

• The Bradley Manning Support Network is one of the many orginasations taking action against President Obama's July 23 Oakland fundraiser, calling for an end to the wars, the closure of Guantanamo, the end of torture, and the freedom of Bradley Manning.

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Upcoming Dates & Events:

July 23: "Sex, Lies, and Julian Assange" premieres on ABC1, 8:30PM.

July 26: Deadline for Valitor to resume donations to WikiLeaks, or be faced with daily fines.

August 26: Manning lawyer David Coombs to speak in Washington DC.

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

September 13: Bradley Manning pre-trial hearings.

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