In a letter ahead of the coronation, the WikiLeaks founder urged Britain’s new monarch to visit the prison named after him
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange wrote to King Charles III on Friday, calling on the monarch to visit His Majesty’s prison in Belmarsh and observe “world class” conditions within its walls.
Assange describes maximum security lockdown as “Just a short walk from the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich,” tell the king it must be “joy” have “Such a esteemed institution bears your name.”
“As a political prisoner held by His Majesty on behalf of embarrassing foreign monarchs, I am honored to live within the walls of this world-class institution,” Assange continued. “Truly, your kingdom has no boundaries.”
🔴 NEW – King’s Proposal: Julian Assange’s Letter to King Charles III Belmarsh political prisoner breaks silence in high security prison for first time in 4 years. https://t.co/Ok7mOvGkBR
– Declassified UK (@declassifiedUK) May 5, 2023
Jailed journalist describes “gourmet food” Prisoner serving sentence alone in cell, Recreational use of prescription drugs by prisoner, Chess forbidden “health care” Causes, rodent infestation and the suicide of one of his friends – a gay man who hanged himself before being deported to Brazil.
“I implore you, King Charles, to visit His Majesty’s prison at Belmarsh, as it is a king’s due honor,” Assange’s letter is over. “As you begin your reign, may you always remember the words of the King James Version: ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy’ (Matthew 5:7). May mercy be the guiding light of your kingdom , both inside and outside the walls of Belmarsh.”
Assange was arrested by British authorities in 2019 after Ecuador revoked his asylum status and allowed police to remove him from the country’s embassy in London, where he had been granted asylum since 2012. On the day of his arrest, the U.S. Justice Department unsealed a multi-pronged charge against Assange, bringing him 17 charges under the Espionage Act that could carry the death penalty.
Assange is currently fighting an extradition request from the United States, with his lawyers appealing an earlier ruling authorizing his transfer to the United States, citing the imprisoned publisher’s failing health.
The charges against Assange stemmed from his communications with whistleblowers, most notably Chelsea Manning, who in 2010 provided WikiLeaks with classified material accusing the United States of committing war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan . Assange has been charged for publishing the material even though he did not personally leak it.
News outlets, celebrities, free speech activists and some U.S. and international politicians have called on U.S. President Joe Biden to drop the charges against Assange.
You can share this story on social media:
