00:00 I want to talk a bit more about the case. I'm very pleased to be joined on the line
00:03 now by Kari DeSalle. She's a senior staff attorney at Knight First Amendment Institute.
00:09 She's also a lecturer at Columbia Law School. She joins us now from New York. Thank you
00:14 very much indeed for making the time to talk to us today.
00:19 I understand that you believe that the United States should drop its prosecution of Assange
00:25 altogether, that you also believe this is an issue of press freedom. Explain to us why.
00:30 Yes, the Espionage Act charges against Julian Assange seek to hold him criminally liable
00:36 for soliciting information from a confidential source, obtaining that information and then
00:42 publishing it. And those are the activities that national security reporters engage in
00:47 every single day. And so a successful prosecution of Julian Assange for these acts of publication
00:54 would be a clear threat to press freedom in the United States.
00:59 I appreciate that you're not in London, you're in New York right now. But how do you rate
01:03 as a lawyer yourself the chances of a good outcome for Julian Assange in court this week?
01:09 Do you think he has a strong case?
01:11 You know, I'll say I'm not an expert in UK extradition law. So I'm not sure what the
01:16 High Court is going to do this week. I understand that his lawyers are making a vigorous case
01:20 on his behalf. But it seems quite possible that in the coming weeks, even, Mr. Assange
01:27 will be put on a plane to the United States.
01:30 And if that was to happen, what happens then?
01:34 If he is extradited to the United States, then he'll have to appear in the Eastern District
01:38 of Virginia courthouse. And I fully expect that he and his lawyers will make a strong
01:44 First Amendment defense to the Espionage Act charges that have been brought against him,
01:49 arguing that the publication of truthful information of clear public concern is fully protected
01:56 under the First Amendment in the United States, and that he should not be held liable, again,
02:01 under criminal law, facing many, many years in prison for engaging in that very activity.
02:07 Do you think the idea that Donald Trump could win the next US presidential election could
02:13 have any impact on Assange's fate if he is extradited?
02:18 That's an interesting question. I mean, clearly the Biden administration and the Biden Justice
02:22 Department have decided to continue on with this prosecution and carry forward the charges
02:28 that the Trump administration initially filed in the spring of 2019. So the case, it appears,
02:35 will proceed regardless of whether or not Biden remains in office or President Trump
02:39 comes into office. And of course, the US Justice Department tries to maintain impartiality
02:44 across administrations. So I'm not entirely sure that a new Trump administration will
02:50 mean a big difference for the case itself. Although, of course, there has been reporting
02:56 about other really extrajudicial means of going after Assange during the Trump administration
03:03 in the lead up to the filing of formal charges against him. So I can understand the concern.
03:08 Carrie DeSalle, talking to us there from Knight First Amendment Institute. It's good to talk
03:13 to you. Thanks very much.
03:14 Thank you.
