Antinuclear

Australian government’s negative responses to Julian Assange’s requests for help

DFAT ‘ignored’ Assange requests: lawyer Brisbane Times August 23, 2012  Rory Callinan and Marissa Calligeros Australian authorities appear to have ignored requests by Julian Assange for diplomatic assistance, including a letter sent as recently as 15 days ago, his lawyer said this morning.

Judge Baltasar Garzón Real also revealed key information relating to the rape allegations facing Mr Assange had been kept secret and would be a “big surprise” when the defence team was able to reveal them. The Spanish lawyer, who was addressing an archivist conference in Brisbane today, spent four hours in a briefing with Mr Assange on Sunday discussing his legal strategy. The veteran international lawyer, who ran a case against Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, was critical of Australian authorities for failing to provide consular assistance to Mr Assange.

Mr Garzón said the Australian Government’s response to requests for assistance had been “entirely negative”.
“A letter has been sent on the part of the defence [of Mr Assange] to
diplomatic authorities and the Department of Foreign Affairs of
Australia requesting a number of guarantees as well as information,”
he said through an interpreter.
“The response has been entirely negative for each and every one of the
requests and some 15 days ago we have channelled another communication
and request to the Australian authorities and for the time being we
have not received a response.
“Not at any point in time have consular authorities visited Mr Assange.
“And I understand that to be an obligation for all citizens of
Australia. Men and women of Australia, who happen to find themselves
in a similar situation, have the right to consular assistance and they
should not be in a position of having to request it.”….
Mr Garzón said the defence had requested the possibility for a
prosecutor from Sweden to travel to London to take a statement from Mr
Assange.
“I think that will be a very good option and later on of course we
will be willing to listen to the other requirements,” he said. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/political-news/dfat-ignored-assange-requests-lawyer-20120823-24nuj.html#ixzz24Q1bNL9G

August 23, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, civil liberties