Fault Lines examines what Assange’s case says about press freedom and the consequences of publishing state secrets.
In this episode of Fault lineswe look at what Julian Assange’s case could mean for press freedom – and the consequences he faces for publishing state secrets.
In 2010, the WikiLeaks founder collaborated with other media organizations to publish hundreds of thousands of classified US documents about his wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It remains the largest leak of classified information to date.
He is the only publisher charged with releasing this material.
The Australian citizen faces up to 175 years in prison and has been charged under US espionage law for activities that journalists undertake on a daily basis.
It’s the first time the law has been used against a publisher, which has alarm bells ringing among First Amendment advocates. Meanwhile, he is being held in the UK’s toughest prison on a US extradition request.
