Wikileaks founder Asange defies UK, speaks from Ecuador embassy
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- Published on Sunday, 19 August 2012 13:57
- Written by Admin
Julian Assange gave his public statement from the balcony of the Ecuadorean embassy in London. Julian Assange has urged the US to end its "witch-hunt" on Wikileaks, in his first public statement since entering Ecuador's London embassy in June.
He also called for the release of Bradley Manning, who is awaiting trial in the US accused of leaking classified documents to the Wikileaks site.
Mr Assange spoke from a balcony at the embassy and thanked Ecuador's president, who has granted him asylum.
He faces extradition to Sweden over sexual assault claims, which he denies.
Mr Assange said: "As Wikileaks stands under threat, so does the freedom of expression and the health of all our societies.
"We must use this moment to articulate the choice that is before the government of the United States of America.
"Will it return to and re-affirm the revolutionary values it was founded on?
"Or will it lurch off the precipice, dragging us all into a dangerous and oppressive world in which journalists fall silent under the fear of prosecution and citizens must whisper in the dark."
