Stand up for Julian Assange: Zakharova to Borrell
2 Min Read
Russia pushes European Union foreign policy head Josep Borrell to support Julian Assange and Marat Kassem if he thinks journalists must be allowed to practice freely and are entitled to protection.
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Wikileaks founder Julian Asange speaks from the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, February 5, 2016. (AP)
In a show of blatant hypocrisy and double standards, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell rushed to condemn the detention of US citizen Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested on Thursday in Russia on charges of spying for Washington by Russia's FSB security services, enraging family members and activists of journalists who are detained in Western countries, most notably Wikileaks' founder Julian Assange, who is facing 17 espionage accusations in the US.
On Thursday, The FSB security services had "halted the illegal activities of US citizen Evan Gershkovich," specifying that The Wall Street Journal reporter was "suspected of spying in the interests of the American government."
The EU condemns the detention of @evangershkovich, a journalist and U.S. citizen, in Russia.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) March 30, 2023
Journalists must be allowed to exercise their profession freely and deserve protection.
The Russian authorities demonstrate yet again their systematic disregard for media freedom.
Stella Assange, Julian's wife, replied to Borell's tweet by affirming that "if the US hadn’t prosecuted Assange under the Espionage Act, Mr. Gershkovich might still be free. There is no moral high ground unless the EU condemns political prosecutions equally."
You were warned. If the US hadn’t prosecuted #Assange under the Espionage Act Mr Gershkovich might still be free. There is no moral high ground unless the EU condemns political prosecutions equally. #4yearsinBelmarsh
— Stella Assange #FreeAssangeNOW (@Stella_Assange) March 30, 2023
Also, commenting on Borell's tweet, Russia urged Borell to stand up for Julian Assange and Marat Kassem if he truly believed that Journalists must be allowed to exercise their profession freely and deserve protection.
It is worth noting that Marat Kasem, the editor-in-chief of Sputnik Litva (the Lithuanian division of the news outlet Sputnik), was taken into custody in Latvia last January.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said: "Prove your point, Josep, at least in words - stand up for Julian Assange and Marat Kassem. For the decency of balance."
Earlier, Maria Zakharova responded to US National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby, who, after the arrest of WSJ journalist Gershkovich, directed Americans to leave Russia: “It seems to me that John forgot to add espionage before the word “Americans”. It must have been said between the lines."
The West's rhetoric on global freedom of speech contradicts its acts in light of its sharp clampdown on journalists worldwide. This was exposed after Assange's unlawful charge in the US with 17 counts of "espionage" and one count of computer misuse in connection with WikiLeaks' disclosure of tens of thousands of military and diplomatic documents - whereby Assange exposed the US war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan.
