Ep. 5107 – Trevor Timm on Julian Assange and the Threat to Press Freedom – 11/1/2019

Trevor Timm talks about the inhumane and potentially life-threatening conditions Julian Assange is being held in as he awaits trial for violations of the Espionage Act. Apart from his treatment, which a UN representative has said is akin to psychological torture, the legality of the charges under international law are highly questionable, since Assange is not a U.S. citizen, but is being prosecuted under an American law. Timm warns that this indictment sets up an incredibly dangerous standard for all journalists, regardless of someone’s personal feelings about Assange as a man. The power to prosecute the publishers of information that may have been obtained illegally puts just about every national security and foreign policy journalist at risk.

Trevor Timm is a co-founder and the executive director of the Freedom of the Press Foundation. He is a journalist, activist, and lawyer whose writing has appeared in the New York Times, The Guardian, USA Today, The Atlantic, and many others. Follow him on Twitter @trevortimm.

Check out the interview page here: https://libertarianinstitute.org/scotthortonshow/11-1-19-trevor-timm-on-julian-assange-and-the-threat-to-press-freedom-everywhere/

For more on Scott's work:
Check out The Libertarian Institute: https://www.libertarianinstitute.org
Read Scott's book, Fool's Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan: https://foolserrand.us
Follow Scott on Twitter using the handle @scotthortonshow: https://twitter.com/scotthortonshow
Like Scott's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/scotthortonshow/
And check out Scott's full interview archives: https://scotthorton.org/all-interviews-2/

You can also support Scott's work by making a one-time or recurring donation at https://scotthorton.org/donate/
Or you can donate per interview at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scotthortonshow