The Australian and Melbourne Indymedia Collective stand in solidarity with Wikileaks and its spokesperson Julian Assange and condemn their unprecedented persecution. In making this statement we join other members of the IMC networks including IMC Brazil and IMC Sucre. Around the world and Australia people are joining the movement in support of Wikileaks. Australia wide protests have been called in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart. A new website has been site up too promote these rallies at www.rally4wikileaks.com Globally resistance is taking the form of over 500 websites mirroring Wikileaks and Operation Payback taking down a bank that froze Julian Assange’s defence fund. The Indymedia Network is hosting one of these Mirrors. As Assange has now been taken into custody and Wikileaks sustained ever more attacks on its ability to function, it is not overstating it to say the freedom of whole internet is now at stake. Will we allow Wikileaks and Julian Assange to be destroyed for daring to tell the world the truth about wars and the criminal deeds of governments around the world?
Background stories from the newswire:
- Solidarity with Julian Assange outside Westminster Court in London (Dec 9, 2010)
- Hackers take down Mastercard site after wikileaks donations are banned (Dec 8, 2010)
- Wikileaks, West Papua and Commemorating the 1854 Eureka Rebellion at Ballarat (Dec 8, 2010)
- Reporters Without Borders condemns hounding of Wikileaks (Dec 5, 2010)
- WikiLeaks cables reveal "profound hatred for democracy" (Dec 2, 2010)
- Efforts stepped up to persecute and arrest Julian Assange (Dec 1, 2010)
- Rap satire "Wikileaks and the War on Journalism" (Nov 6, 2010)
- Wikileaks reveals more U.S. war crimes (Oct 24, 2010)
- Is Australian Wikileaks founder at risk of rendition? (Aug 6, 2010)
- Wikileaks reveals war crimes in Afghanistan (Jul 28, 2010)
- Australian Wikileaks founder targeted by the Pentagon (Jun 14, 2010)
Comments
Melbourne protest 10 December
A protest is being organised....
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=182297491780623&index=1
Time
Friday, December 10 · 4:30pm - 7:30pm
Location State Library Lawns
Created By
Vashti Jane
More Info Julian Assange has just been arrested in London. JOIN THE PROTEST to Defend Assange and WikiLeaks on Human Rights Day in Melbourne, this Friday December 10, 4.30pm at the State Library.
Spread the word...
The demonstration will go till about 6 or so - so people should come after work.
For more information call
Vashti: 0423407910
AVAAZ signature campaign
Wikileaks: Stop the crackdown
http://www.avaaz.org/en/wikileaks_petition/?vl
GetUp! buying ads in US papers
The online activism group GetUp! is running a signature drive and buying ads in two major newspapers, asking for contributions: http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/Wikileaks
US to host UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day 2011
Picked this up from letters page in today's AGE. Like the second para particularly...
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/12/152465.htm
U.S. to Host World Press Freedom Day in 2011
Press Statement
Philip J. Crowley
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs
Washington, DC
December 7, 2010
The United States is pleased to announce that it will host UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day event in 2011, from May 1 - May 3 in Washington, D.C. UNESCO is the only UN agency with the mandate to promote freedom of expression and its corollary, freedom of the press.
The theme for next year’s commemoration will be 21st Century Media: New Frontiers, New Barriers. The United States places technology and innovation at the forefront of its diplomatic and development efforts. New media has empowered citizens around the world to report on their circumstances, express opinions on world events, and exchange information in environments sometimes hostile to such exercises of individuals’ right to freedom of expression. At the same time, we are concerned about the determination of some governments to censor and silence individuals, and to restrict the free flow of information. We mark events such as World Press Freedom Day in the context of our enduring commitment to support and expand press freedom and the free flow of information in this digital age.
Highlighting the many events surrounding the celebration will be the awarding of the UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize at the National Press Club on May 3rd. This prize, determined by an independent jury of international journalists, honors a person, organization or institution that has notably contributed to the defense and/or promotion of press freedom, especially where risks have been undertaken.
The Newseum will host the first two days of events, which will engage a broad array of media professionals, students, and citizen reporters on themes that address the status of new media and internet freedom, and challenges and opportunities faced by media in our rapidly changing world.
The State Department looks forward to working with UNESCO and the U.S. executive committee spearheaded by the Center for International Media Assistance at the National Endowment for Democracy, IREX, and the United Nations Foundation and the many civil society organizations they have brought together in support of the organization of events unfolding in Washington.
For further information regarding World Press Freedom Day Events for program content, please visit the World Press Freedom Facebook page http://www.connect.connect.facebook.com/WPFD2011
anonymouspayback
http://anonymouspayback.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/how-to-join-the-anonymo...
http://pastebin.com/NWcysTVQ
http://antikryptos.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/twitter-stream-from-operatio...
Universal "right to freedom of opinion and expression" (Art. 19)
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."