https://bit.ly/2P9mhKX

The indictment of Julian Assange unsealed today by the Trump Justice Department poses grave threats to press freedoms, not only in the U.S. but around the world. The charging document and accompanying extradition request from the U.S. government, used by the U.K. police to arrest Assange once Ecuador officially withdrew its asylum protection, seeks to criminalize numerous activities at the core of investigative journalism.

So much of what has been reported today about this indictment has been false. Two facts in particular have been utterly distorted by the DOJ and then misreported by numerous media organizations.

The first crucial fact about the indictment is that its key allegation — that Assange did not merely receive classified documents from Chelsea Manning but tried to help her crack a password in order to cover her tracks — is not new. It was long known by the Obama DOJ and was explicitly part of Manning’s trial, yet the Obama DOJ — not exactly renowned for being stalwart guardians of press freedoms — concluded that it could not and should not prosecute Assange because indicting him would pose serious threats to press freedom. In sum, today’s indictment contains no new evidence or facts about Assange’s actions; all of it has been known for years.

The other key fact being widely misreported is that the indictment accuses Assange of trying to help Manning obtain access to document databases to which she had no valid access: i.e., hacking rather than journalism. But the indictment alleges no such thing. Rather, it simply accuses Assange of trying to help Manning log into the Defense Department’s computers using a different username so that she could maintain her anonymity while downloading documents in the public interest and then furnish them to WikiLeaks to publish.

In other words, the indictment seeks to criminalize what journalists are not only permitted but ethically required to do: take steps to help their sources maintain their anonymity. As longtime Assange lawyer Barry Pollack put it: “The factual allegations … boil down to encouraging a source to provide him information and taking efforts to protect the identity of that source. Journalists around the world should be deeply troubled by these unprecedented criminal charges.”

That’s why the indictment poses such a grave threat to press freedom. It characterizes as a felony many actions that journalists are not just permitted but required to take in order to conduct sensitive reporting in the digital age…. https://bit.ly/2P9mhKX

Julian Assange gestures to the media from a police vehicle on his arrival at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on April 11, 2019 in London. Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images

TAKE ACTION FOR CHELSEA!

Write to her to show her she’s not alone:

Chelsea Elizabeth Manning, A0181426
William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center
2001 Mill Road
Alexandria, VA 22314

She can NOT accept books or cards.
She can receive letters, as well as newspapers.

Donate to her legal defense fund:

Funds will be used for Chelsea’s legal fees and related expenses such as court transcripts, travel, and commissary. If Chelsea does not end up needing these funds they will go to other radical projects of her choosing.

Donate

U.S. Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning has been sent back to jail after refusing to answer questions before a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange.

The Trump administration is pushing forward on its plan to prosecute WikiLeaks and Assange for publishing the thousands of top-secret documents that Chelsea anonymously provided them in the spring of 2010. The documents provided an overview of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the “Collateral Murder” video, as well as State Department cables and Guantanamo prisoner information. Chelsea’s 35-year prison sentenced was commuted by President Obama in the final days of his presidency.

She could be jailed up to 18 months this time.

As she was being taken back into custody on March 8, 2019, declaring that, “I will not participate in a secret process that I morally object to, particularly one that has been historically used to entrap and persecute activists for protected political speech.”

Chelsea explained:

I will not comply with this, or any other grand jury. Imprisoning me for my refusal to answer questions only subjects me to additional punishment for my repeatedly-stated ethical objections to the grand jury system. The grand jury’s questions pertained to disclosures from nine years ago, and took place six years after and in-depth computer forensics case, in which I testified for almost a full day about these events. I stand by my previous public testimony.

Daniel Ellsberg responded via the Freedom of the Press website:

Chelsea Manning is again acting heroically in the name of press freedom, and it’s a travesty that she has been sent back to jail for refusing to testify to a grand jury. An investigation into WikiLeaks for publishing is a grave threat to all journalists’ rights, and Chelsea is doing us all a service for fighting it. She has already been tortured, spent years in jail, and has suffered more than enough. She should be released immediately.

Edward Snowden via Twitter added, “I agree with @DanielEllsberg, and admire @xychelsea’s courage. Compelling sources to testify against the journalists with whom they’ve worked threatens the independent function of the free press in an open democracy. She must be released.”

Dontre Day 2019

12 NOON – 6 P.M., Dontre Hamilton Park (Red Arrow Park)

We will be celebrating Dontre’s life, it has been 5 years since his murder. This day represents his life and the community that pulled together in the face of injustice. We are asking for everyone to be apart of this day to continue to inspire love. Dontre had a big heart and we want to show each year just how big, by coming together as a city in a space that has cause the Hamilton family so much pain.

There will be music, food and much more. Please join the 5 year anniversary of Dontre!!

https://bit.ly/2IzCyaC

Omar Barghouti was denied entry to the U.S. yesterday – despite having a valid U.S. visa. This is a shameful and dangerous attack on the Palestine freedom movement and social justice organizing on every issue, and we must challenge it. Please add your name to our letter to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Judiciary Committee that we’ll be sending with our partners at the Arab American Institute. https://bit.ly/2IzCyaC

Defend Whistleblowers! Exposing the Pentagon is not a crime!

Co-hosted by
International Action Center,
Accion Revolución EEUU y Canada,
Comité por la libertad de Jorge Glas,
United National Antiwar Coalition UNAC,
BAYAN,
Pro Libertad – Free the Puerto Rican Political Prisoners,
Jersey City Peace Movement,
International League of Peoples Struggles,
Pakistan USA Freedom Forum,
Alberto Lovera Bolivarian Circle,
Jericho-NYC,
Black Alliance for Peace
Peoples Organization for Progress
Peace Council NYC

IAC STATEMENT:

The International Action Center condemns in the strongest possible terms the recent detention of both Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning as a continued effort to cover up the imperialist crimes of the United States. Millions of people around the world are refusing to toe the line for a collapsing empire, and we refuse such measures to coerce us otherwise.

On April 11th, 2019, Julian Assange was dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Having sought refuge for more than seven years in the embassy, he is now slated for extradition to the United States, where he will face a lifetime in prison for publishing and exposing U.S. crimes in Iraq, Latin America, and elsewhere.

On March 8th, Chelsea Manning was seized and is being held indefinitely in contempt of court for refusing to testify to a grand jury. Given Assange’s arrest, it seems clear that she was expected to testify against WikiLeaks, an organization that made headlines by exposing US war crimes in Iraq and elsewhere.

It is now crystal clear that the most recent repression against Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange is motivated by their courageously exposing Pentagon war crimes.

Julian Assange’s kidnapping sends a powerful message to all journalists – toe the line, or else.

Chelsea Manning’s most recent detention sends a powerful message to all whistleblowers – keep your mouth shut, or face a lifetime of harassment, torture and imprisonment.

It’s clear that the Pentagon has no regard for journalism or the truth – this much was made clear by the brutal murders of Namir Noor-Eldeen and Saeed Chmagh by U.S. occupying forces in Baghdad, exposed by WikiLeaks in 2010.

Countless courageous people have actively helped spread the information that has broken through because of WikiLeaks. Chelsea Manning offered all the material she finally sent to WikiLeaks first to the Washington Post and the New York Times. They weren’t interested in the story until the whole world knew of it because of WikiLeaks.

US government is trying to put the truth in chains. It won’t work.

Let’s bring forth again and again the images, videos and documents that expose the most horrific war crimes of U.S. empire. Let’s collectively raise our voices to refuse government enforced silence!

Join us on Saturday, April 13th at NOON as we gather in Times Square at the 47th St Red Stairs and Broadway to denounce this latest police state action against those courageous enough to expose the truth of U.S. empire!

A Heart-to-Heart Conversation About Abortion Access

931 East Main Street, STE 9, Madison, 6-8 P.M.

Women’s Medical Fund is hosting our second and final social this Bowl-a-thon season at Giant Jones Brewing Company on April 18th from 6-8pm! We had a wonderful time at our first social where guests enjoyed delicious beer and engaged in thoughtful conversations about abortion stigmas and abortion access and barriers here in Wisconsin. Join us again for a night filled with conversations and a collective imagining of what reproductive justice looks like for all of us. Bring a friend! We will have WMF merch for sale, as well as goodies and snacks.

ALSO:

APRIL 28, 2019: Bowl-a-Thon for Abortion Access in Madison

MAY 5, 2019: Bowl-a-Thon for Abortion Access in Milwaukee

UFCW Local 1445

Counter-protest Against Vigil for Life

Vigil for Life has announced their plan to join other anti-choice groups across the United States in a mass protest/vigil against Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics. Vigil for Life will be protesting outside of the Planned Parenthood on Orin Rd. on April 13 from 6:30-7:30pm.

Please join Madison Abortion Defense in countering these anti-choicers! Their presence at our clinic is not welcome- let’s show them that Madison is a pro-abortion town. Bring a sign, a friend, and stay warm! See you there.

https://bit.ly/2G6LHVn

The city of New Richmond, Wisconsin, says it’s considering a request to build a detention center to be operated on behalf of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The proposal has been made by Immigration Centers of America, a private company owned by several businessmen coincidentally based in Richmond, Virginia, per the Washington Post.

New Richmond announced it received a request from the company to rezone part of the northwest of the city, so it can build a detention center that could house detained immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally.

Judging by the ICE website, it would be only the second ICE detention center dedicated for holding immigrants in the U.S. illegally in the Upper Midwest. The other is in Kenosha, Illinois.

For detainments in Minnesota, ICE currently lists three county jails – in Sherburne, Carver and Freeborn counties – as its holding facilities.

In its press release, the City of New Richmond says that Immigration Centers of America “has established itself as one of the leading providers of civil immigration detention services in the nation.”

The city says it’s planning to be as transparent as possible throughout the planning process and is tentatively scheduling a public meeting for April 25 at 5 p.m.

It can expect a fair amount of pushback at the meeting, judging by some of the comments responding to the announcement, with ICE having proven particularly controversial for its involvement at the U.S.-Mexico border, where thousands of immigrant children have been separated from their parents under the current administration.

The American Immigration Center estimates that there are roughly 80,000 undocumented immigrants in Wisconsin, and around 100,000 in Minnesota.