The South African Civil Society Information Service
A nonprofit news agency promoting social justice. Seeking answers to the question:
How do we make democracy work for the poor?
A nonprofit news agency promoting social justice. Seeking answers to the question:
How do we make democracy work for the poor?
15 Jan 2011
While the world debates the merits of the case surrounding its founder, Julian Assange, WikiLeaks continues to pursue its political agenda, which is to expose immoral and unjust behaviour by releasing classified information into the public domain -- a small, but important step in a larger political and ideological battle.
The documentary WikiRebels, filmed in the six months leading up to Assange's arrest in England (on an extradition warrant from Swedish authorities seeking to bring him in for questioning on rape allegations), provides a compelling portrait of the organisation, its philosophy, agenda, leader and collaborators.
The people behind WikiLeaks are described as IT guerillas without a national base, engaged in a new kind of battle to promote transparency and defend the public's right to information that is crucial for their participation in democratic processes.
Speaking in the documentary, Assange asserts, "The public has a right to know materials and historical record has a right to have materials of diplomatic historical significance. If something is interfering with that process, we will undo it."
Update on Assange Extradition Case
In an update on the case of his arrest linked to an extradition warrant to Sweden and his subsequent release on strict bail conditions, Assange appeared at Belmarsh court in the UK on Tuesday, 11 January 2011 for a preliminary hearing.
The embattled activist is fighting his extradition to Sweden.
His lawyers claim that Assange "faces execution or Guantanamo detention" if he is extradited to Sweden, which has an extradition treaty with the US.
"Indeed, if Mr Assange were rendered to the USA, without assurances that the death penalty would not be carried out, there is a real risk that he could be made subject to the death penalty. It is well known that prominent figures have implied, if not stated outright, that Mr Assange should be executed," say his lawyers.
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