Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Lawyer Complains of Prison Treatment of WikiLeaks' Assange

Associated Press

   LONDON - A lawyer for Julian Assange complained Tuesday that the
   WikiLeaks founder was handcuffed 11 times, stripped naked twice and had
   court papers taken away on the first day of a hearing on his
   extradition to the United States.

   Attorney Edward Fitzgerald told a judge that the treatment of Assange
   at London's Belmarsh Prison "could be a contempt of this court." The
   extradition hearing opened on Monday at Woolwich Crown Court, which is
   located next to the prison.

   District Judge Vanessa Baraitser, who is hearing the case, said she had
   no power to act unless Assange became unable to participate in the
   proceedings, which are expected to last several months.

   "If it comes to that, please let me know," the judge said.

   Assange is wanted in the U.S. on espionage charges over the leaking of
   classified government documents a decade ago.

   U.S. prosecutors accuse Assange of conspiring with U.S. Army
   intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a password, hack into a
   Pentagon computer and release hundreds of thousands of secret
   diplomatic cables and military files on the wars in Iraq and
   Afghanistan.
   

References

   Visible links
   Hidden links:
   1. file://localhost/europe/wikileaks-assange-uk-court-fighting-extradition-usa

.