Assange was smeared to obscure the truth

ALAN Warner believes the US allegations that Julian Assange endangered lives when he exposed the UK killing of civilians.

Journalists have testified that, on the contrary, he took great care not to publish information when the lives of sources were at risk (“Assange is a danger who should be tried”, September 23).

These testaments are not generally known because the extradition trial is so secret. The video link was withdrawn by the presiding judge, so proceedings cannot be monitored. Forty organisations, including Amnesty International and Reporters without Borders, have been prevented from having access. Only five people are allowed in the court gallery. Silence holds sway in the TV news.

Assange has been held for two years in prison in solitary confinement for 23 hours every day.

The UN has denounced this as torture.

Assange has been subject to smears to prevent the real issue being discussed. When in the Ecuadorian embassy we heard at length how he did not clean the bathroom. And did he mistreat the cat? The sexual assault allegation was withdrawn for lack of evidence, but it achieved one of its aims, to smear Assange.

Honestly, Alan, how can you believe all this tosh?

Let’s be clear why the US Government want him; so they can punish him for doing what a real journalist does, he exposed war crimes perpetrated by the US in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Alan says the Australian Government hasn’t interceded on his behalf. We shouldn’t see their inadequacies as a virtue. They are probably too busy sucking up to the Americans.

Statement from Amnesty International: “Amnesty International have monitored trials from Guantanamo Bay to Bahrain, Ecuador to Turkey. For our observers to be denied access profoundly undermines open justice.”

Sylvia Riley, Derby