The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, chaired by Nicolás Maduro, categorically rejected the deprivation of diplomatic asylum and the detention of the Australian-Ecuadorian citizen and founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, seven years after receiving political asylum by Ecuador.
In a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry of the Republic, Venezuela states that “His crime is to have revealed to the world the darkest and most criminal face of the” wars of regime change “that the US empire executes, and in particular, the massive murders of civilians, and the blatant violations of human rights in Iraq”.
The text emphasizes that this detention “and his eventual extradition to the US, constitutes a shameful affront to International Law, to his human rights and puts his life in imminent danger”, since the way it was done violates Assange’s rights as a citizen.
The Wikileaks website became famous for publishing thousands of secret documents from the US State Department. Assange fears being extradited to the United States, where he could be sentenced to death for divulging classified information.
Following, the complete text:
“The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro Moros, on behalf of the Government and the Venezuelan people, expresses his most categorical rejection of the atrocious decision that deprived the Australian-Ecuadorian citizen Julian Assange of the right of diplomatic asylum, and his subsequent detention in London, executed in a clumsy and shameful way by the British police.
Julian Assange is a political persecuted of the Government of the USA. His crime is to have revealed to the world the darkest and most criminal face of the “wars of regime change” that the US empire executes, and in particular, the massive murders of civilians, and the blatant violations of human rights in Iraq.
Julian Assange is an activist for freedom of information and freedom of expression, the universal right of humanity. His ominous surrender to British justice and his eventual extradition to the United States constitutes a shameful affront to International Law, to his human rights and puts his life in imminent danger. Handing it over to the police, as if it were a criminal, from a diplomatic precinct, is also a serious violation of the constitutional rights of a citizen who was granted Ecuadorian citizenship and who is, therefore, in the possession of all his rights.
Venezuela joins the millions of voices and consciences that in the world demand from the British Government respect for the integrity and human rights of Julian Assange. The Australian-Ecuadorian journalist should not be handed over to the US where his life is in jeopardy due to a rigged judicial process, in which the charges against him have not even been revealed, and where there is clearly an intention to put an end to his life.
For the respect of the right of asylum, for the respect of international legality, Julian Assange must be released immediately, his life and his integrity must be protected and respected.”
Caracas April 11, 2019
AHORA:
