Julian Assange’s Australian father, John Shipton, has endorsed the June 19th Solidarity Vigil occurring outside the British Consulate in Melbourne. The vigil marks the sixth year of detention for Julian inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. It is part of a global series of protests that has spread to six countries and at least 16 cities and is still growing.
It is now over two months since the Ecuadorean Government, acting under U.S. pressure, cut off all online, phone and in-person communication to Julian, except for visits by his lawyers.
Julian’s father, John Shipton and other young members of Julian’s family will be attending the Melbourne Vigil. John issued the following short statement:
“Julian’s total isolation from his bereft children, anxious brothers, sister and parents and worried friends had best, for Julian urgently, end. Bring him home”
If Julian is forced out of the Ecuadorean Embassy, he will be arrested by the British government over breaching his bail related to the the now dropped trumped up Swedish investigation. He then faces being extradited to the U.S. where he could be imprisoned for life or even given the death penalty on Espionage charges. Julian Assange is an Australian citizen who is facing persecution for his courageous journalism. Julian’s only “crime” has been to expose illegal wars and the intrigues of American imperialism and its allies.
The Melbourne vigil demands that the Australian Turnbull government act immediately to secure Assange’s freedom and his safe return to Australia. They must intercede on Julian’s behalf to have the breach of bail proceedings dropped and for Julian to be allowed to return to Australia, safe from the risk of extradition to the United States, at home with his friends and family.
Melbourne Solidarity Vigil
June 19th 12 – 2PM. Outside British Consulate, 90 Collins St, CBD
Speakers: Greg Barnes: Legal Advisor to Wikileaks and Julian Assange
James Cogan: National Secretary of the Socialist Equality Party
Shirley Shackleton: Widow of Balibo 5 Journalist and social justice campaigner
Event Page – Facebook Event Page – List of Global Actions
