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Julian Assange’s superstar supporters stake reputations on situation
Raggle-taggle of ‘household names’ provided massive sums in direction of WikiLeaks founder’s failed bail plea
The previously curious situation of Julian Assange took one more weird twist yesterday when the courtroom discovered that a raggle-taggle of “household names” had been ready to stake their status in his case, supplying sureties towards the court with a whole worth of £180,000.
Despite claiming not to know Assange, the film-maker Ken Loach as well as the socialite and charity fundraiser Jemima Khan stood ahead of Westminster magistrates and provided huge sums in direction of Assange’s bail, however bail was later refused.
Offering £20,000, Loach said he did not know Assange apart from by popularity, but additional: “I believe the function he has performed has been a public service. I think we’re entitled to know the dealings of individuals that govern us.”
Khan offered a further £20,000, “or more if want be”.
In a assertion later, she said: “I make no judgment of Julian Assange as a person as I’ve in no way met him. I’m providing my assist to him as I think from the universal right to freedom of data and our correct to be informed the fact.”
On her Twitter feed last month, Khan requested if Assange was “the new Jason Bourne”, a reference for the fictional action hero designed by the thriller author Robert Ludlum. The publish has because been deleted.
The journalist and filmmaker John Pilger, who also provided £20,000, said he knew Assange as a journalist and personal friend and had a “very higher regard for him”.
The largest donation of £80,000 was supplied by an unknown American relation who did not need to be named since of anxiety for his safety.
Patricia David, a professor, as well as the leading lawyer Geoffrey Sheen each and every supplied up £20,000 surety on grounds that they’d invested their lives preventing for human rights.
Outdoors courtroom Pilger stated: “This company in Sweden is a travesty; an harmless guy has a right to become totally free.
“Having his freedom taken away is outrageous. Sweden should be ashamed. This is not justice - this can be outrageous.”
He added: “Behind this he has produced a lot of enemies, the principal one becoming the warmonger, america.”
Howard Riddle, the judge on the courtroom in Horseferry Road, London, commended 4 of the sureties for their willingness to assist “out of concern for human rights” and without having individual understanding of Assange.
