WikiLeaks: mobilization in the French Parliament for an offer of asylum to Assange
Audio 01:15
John Shipton, father of Julian Assange, in the company of French deputies Jean-Luc Mélenchon, but also Jean Lassalle, this Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at the National Assembly in Paris.
AFP - THOMAS COEX
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
While the United States is once again calling for the extradition of Julian Assange from the United Kingdom, the political supports of the founder of WikiLeaks are being heard in France.
Dozens of deputies support a proposal to offer political asylum to the Australian whistleblower, with Jean-Luc Mélenchon as a figurehead.
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Report to the National Assembly,
Aurélien Devernoix
Sitting alongside
Julian Assange's
father and companion
, Jean-Luc Mélenchon appreciates.
More than ten years that he has supported the founder of WikilLeaks without much political echo.
It is therefore with some satisfaction that the leader of La France insoumise sees growing mobilization on his subject within the National Assembly.
"
Yes, we have a chance to get there,
considers the candidate for the 2022 presidential election.
It is very shared on all the benches of the Assembly, it is not a matter that belongs to a group Politics.
So that also plays a role for him.
"
► Also read: British justice re-examines Julian Assange's extradition request
In total, 38 deputies from all parliamentary groups call on the government to offer political asylum to Julian Assange at an opportune moment: a law granting more rights to whistleblowers must be voted on Wednesday in the Assembly, with "
an amendment that was tabled specifically on the Assange case
," recalls Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
One way to put pressure on Emmanuel Macron, suspected of wanting to use this law to improve his record on public freedoms.
For François Ruffin, LFI deputy at the origin of the appeal, "
it is above all an appeal to the President of the Republic, it is he who has the choice to grant the right of asylum to Julian Assange, to mark a signal of France's independence from the United States, to guarantee that France is indeed the country of human rights and freedom of the press.
He has it at the end of his pencil.
"
► To reread: Julian Assange, a whistleblower who wanted to challenge the powerful
The signatories hope to be able to count on strong support: that of the Minister of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti, former lawyer of Julian Assange.
Today we welcomed to the National Assembly Stella Moris and John Shipton, the companion and father of Julian #Assange.
Their fight for freedom arouses admiration.
pic.twitter.com/J88qTTVyWn
- Jean-Luc Mélenchon (@JLMelenchon) November 16, 2021
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WikiLeaks
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Jean-Luc Mélenchon