Fantastic interview!

@theswissbox wrote on YouTube that they're working on the English subtitles, so watch that space!

Things I didn't know about the Swedish case & a few other observations - THREAD below

#FreeAssange #Assange #JulianAssange https://twitter.com/NilsMelzer/status/1308515322975191042

@ 0h24min of the video - Melzer says he has recently seen a photocopy of the *original* protocol containing SW's statement. The entire description of events was redacted, but it was the same form and the same handwriting as in the later statement... and contained ~10 lines LESS.

@ 1h26min - There are "serious indications" (which Melzer has yet to verify) that, when Assange flew Stockholm - Berlin - London and Sweden issued a warrant for his arrest, that warrant was backdated. It seems they were deliberately waiting for him to leave the country.

(Me: let's recall he had gone to the police for an interview, stayed around for another 5 weeks and been given permission to leave.)

@ 1h42min - My jaw dropped hearing this! So, on 3 Jun'19, a Swedish court rejects the application by the new prosecutor to reopen the extradition procedure. 'With Assange in custody, you have the perfect opportunity to [re-]interview him first'-so she asks to go to London...

...& Melzer has now received the internal correspondence between the Swedish prosecutor and the UK authorities. Markedly different from 2013, when the Brits were telling Marianne Ny not to get cold feet. This time: you could come, but be aware Mr Assange isn't obliged to respond

...we can't force him, but if he agrees, please do come; however in order for us to authorise this interview, let us know what the crime is that you're alleging, give us all the evidence ("they placed a very high threshold"), explain why you waited for 9 years...

The Brits knew that the Trump admin wanted JA for itself, so they weren't going to give him to the Swedes now, and they posed all the questions they should have posed long ago. And the Swedes weren't even able to produce enough evidence to conduct an interview!

@ 2h02min - on the day Melzer's team visited Assange, they could not meet with any medical doctor in the prison, even though Belmarsh knew that there would be an official UN visit. Quite interesting in light of this: https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2020/09/your-man-in-the-public-gallery-assange-hearing-day-17/

Finally, there's lots of great discussion putting the Julian Assange case in context. Bottomline: human beings will abuse power if given the chance, and it's the systems that we need to transform. The powerful no longer even pretend - it reminds him of the 1930s. Scary stuff.

One more thing. Melzer has said it before, but w/ the news that Baraitser won't make a decision on the US extradition until January, it bears repeating: Even if we ignored the 100% illegality of the extradition and accepted that the UK would like to keep JA from escaping until...

...they clarify things, to detain Assange in a maximum security prison during this time is ILLEGAL because it's not necessary and not proportionate. He should be w/ his family, able to exercise his profession, have access to the internet, etc. #AssangeCase @greekemmy