New York Times and four other news outlets demand US drop spying charges against Julian Assange

New York Times and four other news outlets demand US drop spying charges against Julian Assange

The NewYork Times and four other major media outlets sent a letter Monday to federal prosecutors urging them to stop prosecuting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The letter states:

Twelve years ago

on November 28, 2010

• the five international media

• The NewYork Times

• The Guardian, Le Monde

El Pais and Der Spiegel - published a series of discoveries in collaboration with WikiLeaks that made headlines around the world.

The "Cable Gate"

a group of 251 thousand secret telegrams from the United States Department of State, revealed international corruption, diplomatic scandals and espionage.

According to The New York Times

"An unfiltered account of how the Government makes its most important decisions, including those that have the greatest financial and human cost to the nation," is given in the documents.

So far in 2022 

New findings are consistently published by journalists and historians.

using a unique set of documents.

They put their position on top of freedom of the press, despite its uncomfortable consequences. But the attitude has changed under Donald Trump.

The Ministry of Justice relied on an old law

the 1917 Espionage Act (designed to prosecute potential spies during the First World War), which was never used to prosecute a publisher or broadcaster.

This indictment sets a dangerous precedent

and poses a threat to press freedom

and the First Amendment in the United States.

Accountability of Governments is part of the fundamental task of a free press in a democratic system.

Sensitive material must be obtained and disclosed when it is in the public interest. This is a crucial component of journalists' everyday work.

If this work is criminalized

Democracies and public conversation will deteriorate considerably.

Twelve years after the publication of the Cable Portal, it is time for the US government to end its pursuit of Julian Assange for publishing secrets.

Publishing is not a crime.

Editors and publishers :

1. New York Times
2. Guard
3. World
4. Mirror
5. Country