{"id":2180218,"date":"2024-02-19T19:07:02","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T00:07:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rfk-jr-demands-immediate-release-pardon-of-whistleblower-julian-assange\/"},"modified":"2024-02-19T19:10:32","modified_gmt":"2024-02-20T00:10:32","slug":"rfk-jr-demands-immediate-release-pardon-of-whistleblower-julian-assange","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rfk-jr-demands-immediate-release-pardon-of-whistleblower-julian-assange\/","title":{"rendered":"RFK Jr. Urges Swift Release, Pardon for Whistleblower Assange"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frfk-jr-demands-immediate-release-pardon-of-whistleblower-julian-assange%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2180218&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p><!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes a campaign announcement at \u200ca\u200b press conference on October 9, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kennedy announced he will end his\u200c Democratic primary bid and will run for president as an independent. (Photo by \u2063Jessica Kourkounis\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>OAN\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oann.com\/tag\/elizabeth-volberding\">Elizabeth Volberding<br \/><\/a>3:52 PM \u2013 Monday, \u2062February\u200b 19, 2024<\/p>\n<p>2024 Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released a <a href=\"http:\/\/link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com\/ls\/click?upn=FJkkrn3X3F5UH6IVkcktWwJ-2BTnSO-2BDNGAd6K7bjlncVxncDBiVsDWZw01hRk4zeakb80ptsdZcqE16VLD6a02g-3D-3DZAgE_XJybhBVkI-2FEaJzoxqh2GWgj9DQotkzBJgBweQyaZEjjwUJGQZQ8DEbWEopFl7wVbcJQ4L1rEGn8n2lyczDkGu4Ujh7-2B3A09UYwBN6xvjnCJyKkZFnuweGNr0KSyADbeqkji9rtKRaP-2Fq012ZGcN-2BMMRA2i0wrgYHgPSJ-2Bm1jxFF-2B-2B-2FUypawIpRenq-2Bq2-2BeB3xayWQUfF6tKtp47eqe0sZLZRrvcJzrqcw24dGyWVZvKwzlNGeIL485IdkMxHm3CASCn6m1OrbBLB4WHs6tA4Fhpso08FkrUSSUe1iULho5X9qPW8P8xJAiMiyb832NOT-2FRF4DJGjPtFMhCtltZ3HKupFJO9bqZWelmyWzVv4ytc0-2FwF1ZCPVEmJKRf-2FafaJG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">video<\/a> online and <a href=\"http:\/\/link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com\/ls\/click?upn=FJkkrn3X3F5UH6IVkcktWwJ-2BTnSO-2BDNGAd6K7bjlncV4fApbN2VhW7WI7CQvmmpBZqsl_XJybhBVkI-2FEaJzoxqh2GWgj9DQotkzBJgBweQyaZEjjwUJGQZQ8DEbWEopFl7wVbcJQ4L1rEGn8n2lyczDkGu4Ujh7-2B3A09UYwBN6xvjnCJyKkZFnuweGNr0KSyADbeqkji9rtKRaP-2Fq012ZGcN-2BMMRA2i0wrgYHgPSJ-2Bm1jxFF-2B-2B-2FUypawIpRenq-2Bq2-2BeB3xayWQUfF6tKtp47eqe0sZHRIHihDiag6VN-2BvtG0NdOTaVLtQV1F-2BlxtbIwjQn-2BFSNvnZKMKEKpWfhKAZSkAdBUsobrMuL-2BirA-2B04IDuK5akqgUC8K7izbvV32v4dsSscFkDx0l528Wu6jlH6cIqwJwDB6QcGz9LOLSM85-2B9DLtZaggsoj19zAFBeZaDwOl-2F3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">launched a petition<\/a> calling for Julian Assange, a whistleblower and the founder of WikiLeaks, to be freed immediately and granted a pardon.<\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1663871513696-art-3\" style=\"min-width: 320px; min-height: 50px; text-align: center;\">  \t<script>  \t\tgoogletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1663871513696-art-3'); });  \t<\/script>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"ad-slot__ad-label\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p>On Tuesday, Judges in\u200b London will determine whether Assange has used up\u200c all of his appeals in British courts and \u2062they\u200b will also decide whether or not \u200cto extradite him \u2064to the United States, \u2064where he could\u2062 possibly be imprisoned\u200c for the\u200d rest \u200cof his life.<\/p>\n<p>Julian \u2062Assange, a newspaper\u2063 publisher, \u2062was sentenced to 13 years in prison for\u2063 purportedly disclosing governmental atrocities and \u200dcrimes to the public. The \u200bWikiLeaks\u2019 founder is currently detained and may be extradited\u200c to \u200dthe United States.<\/p>\n<p>Assange has repeatedly exposed corruption within the U.S., from the torture at\u200b Guantanamo Bay, to the DNC\u2019s anti-democratic\u2064 acts, to civilian deaths in\u2062 the War\u200d On Terror.<\/p>\n<p>RFK Jr. made a statement on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kennedy24.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kennedy24.com<\/a> regarding the call to release Assange.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\u201cAttacking the \u200cmessenger is never good policy,\u201d RFK Jr.\u2064 said. \u201cThe\u200b government\u2019s\u2064 war against whistleblowers has turned heroes into criminals. Only if\u200b we stand together \u2062can\u2063 we protect free \u200dspeech, which is why I\u2064 am encouraging every American to\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kennedy24.com\/assange\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sign our petition<\/a> to \u2064demand the immediate pardon and\u2064 release of Julian \u200bAssange from incarceration.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Additionally,\u200b according to RFK Jr.\u2019s website, the Independent \u200bcandidate \u200dhas vowed that if he is elected \u2064in 2024, \u201cmy [RFK Jr.\u2019s] first day \u200bin office,\u200b I will pardon Julian Assange and investigate the corruption and crimes he \u200cexposed.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>RFK\u200c Jr. has also stated that he \u201cwill\u200b issue an executive order to end\u2062 all attempts by federal agents and federal agencies to censor the political \u2063speech of Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote data-service=\"twitter\" data-category=\"marketing\" data-placeholder-image=\"https:\/\/c3.oann.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/complianz-gdpr\/assets\/images\/placeholders\/twitter-minimal.jpg\" class=\"cmplz-placeholder-element twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Please SIGN THIS \u2062PETITION for the immediate pardon and release of Julian Assange, the publisher\u2064 and activist \u200cwho founded WikiLeaks and is now in jail \u2064facing life imprisonment and extradition. He\u2019s\u2063 a heroic whistleblower who\u2064 stood \u200dup for democracy and against the surveillance\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/mCl7RkrmD7\">pic.twitter.com\/mCl7RkrmD7<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Robert\u2062 F. Kennedy Jr\u2064 (@RobertKennedyJr) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RobertKennedyJr\/status\/1759593666786758689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 19, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-service=\"twitter\" data-category=\"marketing\" async data-cmplz-src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The Justice \u2063Department\u200d has been urged\u200b to\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/albany-da-to-drop-forcible-touching-charges-against-andrew-cuomo\/\" title=\"Albany DA To Drop \u2018Forcible Touching\u2019 Charges Against Andrew Cuomo\">drop criminal charges<\/a> against Assange by the <em>New\u2063 York Times<\/em>, four prominent European news organizations, and numerous other media \u2064outlets. <\/p>\n<p>They have cautioned that this sort of protocol \u200ccould eventually pave the way for later criminalizing other journalists who\u2062 expose government secrets and possible wrongdoing to the public, \u200deven though they are\u200d just doing their jobs. <\/p>\n<p>Editors and publishers of the five media outlets that\u200c demanded for Assange\u2019s release \u2062are <em>The Guardian,\u2062 Le Monde,\u2063 El Pa\u00eds, Der Spiegel <\/em> and<em> \u2062The New York Times<\/em>. These media organizations initially worked with WikiLeaks to release \u200dshocking articles in\u200b 2010 that \u200bwere based on private diplomatic cables \u2062from the State Department. <\/p>\n<p>Assange had been\u2063 detained by both Sweden and the United Kingdom since his arrest \u2062in \u200bLondon, England, in \u2063December 2010,\u200b according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/en\/press-releases\/2016\/02\/julian-assange-arbitrarily-detained-sweden-and-uk-un-expert-panel-finds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">United Nations \u2063Working Group on Arbitrary Detention<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In 2012, Assange took\u2063 refuge\u200b in Ecuador\u2019s London embassy \u200bafter losing his appeal against his extradition to\u200d Sweden, where a court case was filed against\u200d him and he\u200d was placed under house arrest.<\/p>\n<p>The\u2063 52-year-old Australian \u200ccomputer expert has\u2063 been charged with 18 crimes in the\u200b United States in \u2062connection with the 2010 release of hundreds of thousands of classified documents by Wikileaks. He is \u2063charged with one count of computer misuse and 17 counts \u2064of espionage. <\/p>\n<p>Assange\u2019s attorneys have stated that he could \u200cserve a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison if found guilty. \u2064However, American authorities said that the true sentence will most likely be far less\u2064 time. <\/p>\n<p>Assange and his allies contend\u2062 that he is \u2062entitled to protection under the First\u200c Amendment\u2019s \u2062right of freedom \u200bof \u2063the press \u200bsince he \u200cpurportedly utilized his journalistic\u200c skills to uncover wrongdoing by\u2063 the U.S. military. <\/p>\n<p>Assange\u2019s supporters have acknowledged him \u200cas a\u2064 \u201cheroic whistleblower\u201d \u2063who defended democracy against an\u200b \u201cincreasing surveillance state.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>A lengthy \u2062legal battle in the \u200dUnited Kingdom that ended by charging him with five years in prison and seven years\u2062 of \u200cself-exile inside a foreign embassy, Assange\u2019s\u2064 fight to avoid being charged\u2063 with spying in the United States may be coming to a \u200bclose.<\/p>\n<p>Starting on Tuesday, Assange \u200dwill \u2062reappear in court in \u200dLondon in what \u200bmay\u200d be his last attempt to prevent\u2064 extradition to the United States.\u2063 Two days\u2062 of\u200b oral arguments regarding whether \u200cAssange should \u2064be sent \u2063across the Atlantic or whether he can ask \u2064an appeals court \u2064to block his transfer \u2064have been scheduled \u200dby \u2062the High Court. <\/p>\n<p>Stay \u2063informed! Receive \u200bbreaking news blasts directly to \u2063your inbox for free. Subscribe here. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oann.com\/alerts\">https:\/\/www.oann.com\/alerts<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"rc-widget-10bad2\" data-rc-widget data-widget-host=\"habitat\" data-endpoint=\"\/\/trends.revcontent.com\" data-widget-id=\"278641\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"dpsp-share-text\" style=\"margin-bottom:10px\"> \t\t \t\tShare this post!\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>A house fire in Virginia kills one \u2064and injures \u206312 others. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>with Mike Davis<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>with Jobob<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>with \u2063Lara Logan<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>A group of 20 tech companies \u200dannounced they will\u2063 work together to\u2062 prevent deceptive AI content from interfering \u2063with elections.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>OpenAI is working on a software\u2064 that can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-finally-visits-east-palestine-1-year-after-train-derailment\/\" title=\"Biden's Long-Awaited Visit to East Palestine After Train Derailment\">generate minute-long \u2063videos based<\/a> \u2063on text prompts.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>Activision Blizzard has\u2063 been hit with a U.S. \u2063lawsuit\u200b claiming it\u2062 restricts competition for organized gaming\u2062 involving \u201cCall of Duty.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p>Amazon.com\u00a0has joined SpaceX and Trader Joe\u2019s in claiming that a U.S. labor agency\u2019s in<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/call-of-duty-gamers-sue-activision-for-monopolizing-leagues-tournaments\/\" title=\"Call of Duty' gamers sue Activision over league and tournament monopolization\">-house enforcement proceedings violate<\/a>\u200b the U.S. Constitution.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> rnrn  <\/p>\n<h2> What reasons does Kennedy give for calling for the immediate release and pardon of\u2064 Julian \u2062Assange?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Title: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Calls for Release and Pardon of Julian Assange<\/p>\n<p>Introduction:<\/p>\n<p>2024 Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has released a video and launched a petition calling for the immediate release and pardon of Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks and a whistleblower currently facing potential extradition to \u2064the United States. Kennedy argues that the government&#8217;s war against whistleblowers has turned heroes into criminals\u2064 and \u200chighlights\u200d the importance of protecting free \u200dspeech. He pledges to pardon Assange if elected in 2024 and to investigate the corruption and crimes that Assange exposed.<\/p>\n<p>Background:<\/p>\n<p>Julian Assange, a newspaper publisher, was sentenced \u200bto 13\u2062 years in \u200dprison for allegedly disclosing \u200dgovernmental atrocities and crimes to the public. Currently detained, Assange may face extradition to the\u2064 United States. \u2064Throughout\u200c his career, Assange has exposed corruption within the U.S., ranging from incidents at Guantanamo Bay to the DNC&#8217;s anti-democratic acts and civilian deaths in the War \u200bon Terror.<\/p>\n<p>Kennedy&#8217;s Call for Release:<\/p>\n<p>On Kennedy&#8217;s official website Kennedy24.com, he made a statement\u2063 regarding the call \u200cto release\u200d Assange. \u2063Kennedy argued that attacking the messenger is never good policy and emphasized the need to protect free\u200b speech. He encouraged every American \u2063to sign the petition demanding Assange&#8217;s immediate pardon and release from incarceration. Additionally,\u200b if elected in 2024, Kennedy pledged to pardon Assange on his first day\u200b in office and\u2064 promised\u2063 to investigate the corruption and crimes that Assange exposed. He also stated his intention to issue an\u2062 executive order to\u200b end all attempts by federal agents and agencies to censor political speech.<\/p>\n<p>Support for Assange:<\/p>\n<p>The New York Times, along with \u2062four prominent European news organizations, and numerous other media outlets, has urged the Justice \u2063Department to drop criminal charges against Assange. These organizations cautioned against a protocol that\u2062 could potentially \u2064criminalize journalists who expose\u200c government secrets and misconduct.\u200d The\u2064 five media outlets, \u200cincluding\u200b The Guardian, Le Monde, \u200cEl Pa\u00eds, \u2064Der Spiegel, and\u2064 The New York \u2063Times, initially collaborated with WikiLeaks to release articles based on \u2064private diplomatic cables \u200bfrom the State Department in 2010.<\/p>\n<p>Assange&#8217;s Legal Battle:<\/p>\n<p>Assange has faced legal battles since his arrest in London, England in December 2010. He\u200b sought refuge in Ecuador&#8217;s \u2063London \u200bembassy in 2012 \u200cafter losing his appeal against \u200dextradition to Sweden, where a court case\u2062 was filed against him. The 52-year-old Australian computer \u200bexpert\u200c has \u2063been charged with 18 crimes in the United\u200d States, including\u2062 computer misuse and espionage, in connection with the release\u2064 of classified documents by \u2063WikiLeaks in \u200b2010. If found guilty, Assange could face a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison, although American \u2062authorities suggest the actual sentence may be significantly less.<\/p>\n<p>Conclusion:<\/p>\n<p>Robert F. Kennedy\u2064 Jr.&#8217;s call for the release and pardon of Julian Assange highlights the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/popular-irish-singer-literally-gets-canceled-after-slamming-puberty-blockers-5-hour-radio-tribute-nixed\/\" title=\"Irish singer canceled for criticizing puberty blockers - Radio tribute canceled.\">ongoing debate surrounding freedom<\/a> of the \u2063press and the protection of whistleblowers. With Assange potentially facing extradition and a lengthy prison sentence, his supporters argue for his protection under the First Amendment&#8217;s right of freedom of the press. Kennedy&#8217;s support for Assange aligns with his broader commitment to safeguarding free speech if elected president in 2024. As Tuesday&#8217;s\u200b court decision draws near, the outcome will have significant implications for the future of whistleblowers and the \u2063preservation\u200d of democratic\u2063 values.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declares his campaign shift from the Democratic primary to an independent run during a press conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 9, 2023. (Photo by Jessica Kourkounis\/Getty Images) OAN&#8217;s Elizabeth Volberding reports the news at 3:52 PM on Monday, February 19, 2024<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2368,"featured_media":2180219,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/c3.oann.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GettyImages-1715804501-scaled-e1708385165272.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[542],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2180218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oann"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/c3.oann.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/GettyImages-1715804501-scaled-e1708385165272.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2180218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2368"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2180218"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2180218\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2180219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2180218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2180218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2180218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}