Boston Area Assange Defense To Host Screening Of Award Winning Journalist/Filmmaker Juan Passarelli’s 2020 Film “The War on Journalism”

Next week, on October 27 and 28, the final extradition hearing will happen at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, to determine whether Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, will be extradited to the US to face charges under the Espionage Act for leaking classified information.  If convicted, Assange could face a sentence of 175 years.  This is the most important press freedom case of our time.

On Monday, October 25 from 2pm to 4pm at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden Street, Cambridge, Boston Area Assange Defense is organizing a screening of award-winning journalist and filmmaker Juan Passarelli’s 2020 film ‘The War on Journalism’.

‘The War on Journalism: The Case of Julian Assange’ is a film that lays out the history and current situation of Assange.  It shows ‘democratic’ states colluding to demonize, spy on, and imprison a journalist, not because he committed any crime but because he exposed the crimes of US officials and agencies; he published factual documents about US war crimes.

Long-time WikiLeaks collaborator, Passarelli writes, “There is a war on journalism, and Julian Assange is at the center of that war. If this precedent is set, then what happens to Assange can happen to any journalist.”  Recent revelations show that the ‘war’ in the film’s title is not just a metaphor.  There was talk, during Trump’s presidency, of kidnapping and even assassinating Assange.  Just today, it came out that Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, has asked the CIA for information about these plans and discussions.

The US ranks 44^th in press freedom, according to Reporters Without Borders’ 2021 ranking.  The list is attached.  On October 15, two dozen major press freedom and human rights groups wrote to Merrick Garland telling him to drop the charges.  Their letter is also attached, along with our main summary handout.

At the forum Monday, journalist and managing editor of Shadowproof Kevin Gosztola, and Boston author and activist, Victor Wallis, will join film director Juan Passarelli to discuss the case – its importance, revelations about the star witness in the case recanting his testimony and being jailed for a crime spree, and how it seems that UC Global, the agency that was spying on Assange in the Ecuadorian embassy, was communicating with the court trying him in Alexandria, VA.  (See the El Pais article attached.)

Speakers will also suggest ways people can help save Assange.

The US has been engaging in illegal means to bypass the rule of law to make an example of Julian Assange, intimidate journalists and suppress press freedoms.

Julian’s life and the future of press freedom rest in the balance in this case.

This event will be live-streamed, and a Q&A will follow the discussion.

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