Ex Ecuadorian president suggest that Assange got buried alive for telling truth
Date
6/27/2024 7:25:24 AM
(MENAFN) Former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has strongly criticized the imprisonment of WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange, emphasizing that Assange should never have been incarcerated. Speaking in an exclusive interview with a Russian news agency following Assange's release from prison in the United Kingdom as part of a plea deal with the United States Justice Department, Correa, who granted Assange asylum in Ecuador's embassy in London in 2012, expressed his views on the perceived injustice.
Correa condemned what he described as Assange being persecuted for revealing the truth rather than for spreading falsehoods. He lamented Assange's treatment as a truth-teller facing punishment and confinement, asserting that those responsible for war crimes should instead face justice.
The former president referenced WikiLeaks' 2010 release of footage showing a United States military helicopter attack in Baghdad that resulted in the deaths of 12 civilians, including journalists from Reuters. This incident, part of a broader leak of classified United States documents by WikiLeaks, brought international attention to military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Assange sought refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London from 2012 to 2019, fearing extradition to the United States. His asylum status was revoked by Ecuador's subsequent president, Lenin Moreno, leading to Assange's arrest by British authorities and subsequent confinement at Belmarsh maximum-security prison in London for five years.
Correa expressed relief at Assange's release but maintained that the entire ordeal should never have occurred, underscoring ongoing debates about press freedom, government transparency, and the treatment of whistleblowers. As Assange's legal saga continues to unfold, Correa's remarks highlight divisions over the boundaries of journalistic freedoms and international legal frameworks.
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