Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This day last week marked the fourth anniversary of the date on which Julian Assange was violently dragged from the Ecuadorian Embassy in London by British police. Since that time Assange has been imprisoned without interruption in the maximum security Belmarsh prison where conditions have been described by some to be like the prison camp in Guantanamo Bay. One week ago a number of members of the US Congress wrote to their attorney general calling on US Department of Justice to uphold the US first amendment protections for the freedom of the press by dropping the charges and asked for the withdrawal of the extradition request currently pending with the British Government. Leading global newspapers, including The New York Times, The Guardian, Le Mondeand Der Spiegelhave taken the extraordinary step of publishing a joint statement in opposition to Mr. Assange's indictment. They rightly warned that it sets a dangerous precedent and threatens to undermine America's first amendment and freedom of the press.

Many have rightly spoken out about the arrest and detention awaiting trial of The Wall StreetJournal journalist, Evan Gershkovich, in Russia. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, correctly stated: "Journalism is not a crime". I completely agree with him. He went on to say: "We condemn the Kremlin's continued repression of independent voices in Russia and its ongoing war against the truth." Equally we need those strong words about Julian Assange. If the arrest of Mr. Gershkovich is a crime, the same goes for Julian Assange. We in this society need to stand up for that fundamental right relating to journalism and to Julian Assange.

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