Is it espionage or journalism?

Opponents of attempts to extradite ... Assange from Britain to face espionage allegations in the US argue the move endangers freedoms that currently exist in democratic societies.

Many argue the freedoms of our Western way of life are on trial in a London hearing this week. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which enshrines freedom of speech and freedom of the press, has been widely mentioned.

It would be tough to avoid the conclusion that, in the past few years, the ability of the world’s media to report the news without fear or favour has been under attack on numerous fronts. In truth, in many countries that ability has never really existed, while in those where it has, attempts to unearth important information that powerful people have had a vested interest in keeping under wraps have met with strong resistance.

But opponents of attempts to extradite the Australian founder of WikiLeaks,

Julian Assange, from Britain to face espionage allegations in the US argue the move endangers freedoms that currently exist in democratic societies. It’s seen as an attack on the ability of a free press to properly do its job of holding the powerful to account.

Assange’s extradition hearing was due to start on Monday night. He is currently in Belmarsh Prison in London.

Newsweek quoted former Pink Floyd vocalist Roger Waters as saying that, if the extradition was allowed, the US would jail Assange ‘‘until he dies

. . . just for being a journalist and informing the public of the things that we need to know about what is done in our names by our governments’’.

The 48-year-old, who spent seven years in the Ecuadorean embassy in London due to an attempt by Sweden to extradite him over sexual assault allegations, is wanted in the US on one charge of computer hacking and 17 of breaching the Espionage Act of 1917. They relate to the publication of US military documents supplied by former US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. He could face a 175-year prison sentence if found guilty. Manning was jailed for 35 years, but her sentence was commuted in 2017 by President Barack Obama. However, she remains in custody for refusing to testify against Assange before a US grand jury.

It would be fair to argue that Western perceptions of Assange have been coloured by the sexual assault allegations, which he denied. When they were dropped in November, WikiLeaks editorin-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson tweeted that the focus should move to ‘‘the belligerent prosecution of the United States and the threat it poses to the First Amendment’’.

It’s not just celebrities like Waters, Chrissie Hynde, and Vivienne Westwood who oppose the US move. The Guardian quoted Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Christophe Deloire as saying journalism would be ‘‘in danger’’ at the hearing. ‘‘If Assange would be extradited to the US, it would be the sign that journalism is considered espionage and it would endanger all journalists who want to uncover the lies of governments whatever the country.’’

However, this week’s hearing seems likely to debate the question of whether Assange can actually be classified as a journalist. In his role at the time as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, current US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an April 2017 speech: ‘‘WikiLeaks walks like a hostile intelligence service and talks like a hostile intelligence service.’’