The Guardian’s Deceit-Riddled New Statement Betrays Both Julian Assange and Journalism | Jonathan Cook (CounterPunch Sept 28, 2020)

The Guardian’s Deceit-Riddled New Statement Betrays Both Julian Assange and Journalism

by JONATHAN COOK 

(CounterPunch Sept 28, 2020)

[...] Every time the US cites Leigh and Harding’s book, it effectively recruits the Guardian against Assange and against freedom of the press. Hanging over the paper is effectively a threat that – should it not play ball with the US campaign to lock Assange away for life – the US could either embarrass it by publicly divulging its role or target the paper for treatment similar to that suffered by Assange.

And quite astoundingly, given the stakes for Assange and for journalism, the Guardian has been playing ball – by keeping quiet. Until this week, at least.

Under pressure, the Guardian finally published on Friday a short, sketchy and highly simplistic account of the past week’s hearings, and then used it as an opportunity to respond to the growing criticism of its role in publishing the password in the Leigh and Harding book.

The Guardian’s statement in its report of the extradition hearings is not only duplicitous in the extreme but sells Assange down the river by evading responsibility for publishing the password. It thereby leaves him even more vulnerable to the US campaign to lock him up. [...]

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LINKS TO DAILY HEARING REPORTS

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