Simply put, free speech is at the forefront of democracy. It's a fundamental human right.
When we look back in history where monumental change was made -- such as the women's suffrage movement and countless other unforgettable movements -- it wouldn't have been possible without free speech.
Individuals are able to speak and express themselves via social media, send an angry tweet about a political figure, they can peacefully protest or do virtually anything -- all because of free speech.
And despite the recent chaos in our nation, as individuals, we should be able to feel comfortable being in a room with others who disagree with us. My best friends, who I have known for 15+ years, have different political ideals than myself, and we don't let it affect our friendship. I digress.
Nonetheless, free speech remains a pressing issue. With regards to free speech, let's talk about Julian Assange, the infamous Wikileaks founder.
Assange is located in HM Prison Belmarsh in London where he is being held for violating the Espionage Act for both his role in obtaining and publishing secret military and diplomatic documents in 2010. In one particular video, a United States helicopter fires and kills five civilians in Baghdad, Iraq.
Some refer to Assange as a "champion of government transparency," while others are not quite fond of him -- hence why he is still in prison. And with Former President Donald Trump out of office, there's no chance he'll be pardoned any time soon.
More about the six big leaks from Assange's WikiLeaks over the years can be found here.
"Justice Department spokespeople have insisted that the case does not implicate press freedom because Assange himself is not a journalist and because WikiLeaks, which Assange founded is not a media organization," said Jameel Jaffer, inaugural director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, in a recent NBC article.
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| Assange is located in HM Prison Belmarsh, located in London, United Kingdom. Image retrieved from Dw.com |
As journalists, I would hope individuals would understand how the Justice Department's case against Assange raises many concerns with regards to press freedom. Assange should be applauded for his investigative journalism skills, but no, he is stuck in a top-security prison.
In fact, Assange is said to be in confinement following a coronavirus outbreak, according to a Dec. 2020 Euro News article. Think about it: Assange is being treated more harshly than someone charged as a rapist or even a terrorist. And for what? Exposing the war crimes of the United States?
With Assange's indictment -- exactly 18 counts of violating the Espionage Act according to AP News -- it continues to pose a threat to investigative journalists who write about national security matters. What will happen to him or her then?
"Assange argues he was acting as a journalist entitled to First Amendment protecting and says the leaked documents expose U.S. military wrongdoing," said Jill Lawless for AP News.
According to James Lewis, a British lawyer representing the U.S. government, Assange was guilty of "'straightforward criminal activity trying to hack the computer. And he additionally mentioned that Assange's WikiLeaks activity "created a 'grave and imminent risk' to U.S. intelligence sources in Afghanistan and Iraq."
In this current-day-in-age where journalists are being fervently attacked, I attend on always exercising my First Amendment rights... regardless if I'm attacked.
Free Assange. Plain and simple.
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