to sit. yes. that's true. i. seen a huge day for a wiki leaks founder julian assange british judge rules against extraditing him to the u.s. because of mental health concerns about the current editor in chief. with when. the u.s. . courts we've been speaking from the. courthouse

. for whatever reason it's fantastic. to see this guy he's just the guy but he's a terrific guy. total isolation. still sends a chilling message. to the world. that what's going to happen to you if you have to. keep a secret and making.

just after midday in calgary 7 pm in accra a 10 year old school this monday january the 4th welcome to. international my name's union o'neil. we begin with breaking news a british court rejected a u.s. extradition request for julian assange due to concerns about his mental health washington sees it will appeal the decision and still wants to try him on charges of espionage the president of mexico has offered political asylum to the wiki leaks founder we can take a look now at the reaction of a son just supporters are inside the courthouse when the verdict filtered art. i mean. it's true was it was you know was it was. was. was 6.

was was was. was was was. was was as long as julian has to enter suffering in isolation as an unconvicted prisoner in belmarsh prison and as long as our children continue to beat the wrath of their father's love and affection. we cannot celebrate. we will celebrate the day he comes home a glimpse of hope to start the new year and hopefully a new era. it is a day. a day of with when for julian a song. we have people cautious it is not necessarily a win for journalists and. i'm delighted to welcome on to the program live roger

waters the funding member lyricists principal composer and creative force behind the pink floyd rock band you're very welcome to the program indeed you've been at the forefront of many come pains to keep julian's plight in the media spotlight finally know some good news how do you feel your take on today's verdict. well it's very interesting to see those scenes of jubilation outside the courthouse 9 tali understand. in the moment that it happened but it was equally sobering so here's sarah norris i think that ike i don't have any pictures of my soon but i think it was sarah who was speaking at the end in march more some but it's because having had an hour or 2 now to to read that not to read the whole judgment but to look at it. this is clearly a delaying tactic. the u.s.

government has already appealed over ready within within minutes almost of the transfer obviously they knew what it was going to be because they have coached a judge barrett all the way through the entire proceeding of the congress in one so i went bang on about that so what next what next for those of us who've who support unison well 1st thing is this is in absolutely in the hands of terrorists and she can students cite whether or not he's granted them my suspicion is that she will know and so in consequence we will be back almost to square one why do you think that would be why wouldn't she why wouldn't she grant for all the reasons that she hasn't granted bail all the way down this long line she trained sees you know a flight risk and because. she will give all the usual reasons the real reason of

course is they want to keep him confined until he dies that's what they're hoping for and i know i know this may sound of it this is extremely kind of dark what i'm saying now but i suspect it's the truth well if we were we have to look at this very squarely today in light of the fact what did she actually what was her judgment she judged. the whole u.s. case against a songe was correct legally that they had won the argument that the united states won the argument and that julian assange deserves to be extradited to the united states of america to serve what will probably be 175 years of in conservation and the only reason that she denied the strike extradited tomorrow is because of his mental health and that he might kill himself because conditions are so draconian under the penal system is the united states so let's not run away

with the idea that somehow she found that julian assange hunch was innocent of the charges against him by the united states where he is and and and demonstrably so and if there was anything like a proper justice system in the u.k. he wouldn't have been in the last year in a home or out so that's the person. we his supporters have to be saying you have to bail him out he has he's suffered. way beyond any suffering that should have been meted out same for his worms mo bio infringement which is he's only crime under u.k. law ok so ban him now send him back to share and his kids let the man begin to live then she gets some 8 no then they have to us can either english judge

whether it should go to appeal they will obviously say yes because it's a request from united states they'll then have to appoint 3 apple judges i believe to form an appeal them and so it will drag on for at least another couple of years now whether we those of us who support the truth who support freedom justice liberty democracy all of those things that for instance the united states government pretends to support us and will gain sway in these arguments so no remains to be seen obviously we should. this is a battle that's being. waged mainly through the mainstream media with the very very powerful propaganda campaign that's been going on for years to smear jr innocent and olson to prevent the public gaining

access to any information about us or u.k. or russian or chinese or anyone else's war crimes. dot's what's going on here what you say about you the mainstream media is that why you think perhaps that more journalists more media organizations aren't getting behind something that looks from the outside such an importance in terms of freedom of speech and for journalist to be able to do their jobs right how to look behind them up what could be coming down the road such as jail time yeah well how clever of you to spot that clearly 90 percent maybe even more 9598 percent of the journalists working in the mainstream media are boat and paid full ok and in consequence they're not allowed to support a son. this question that you're talking about has been baffling ordinary people like me all over the world for years why are the journalists of the world rising as

one man and saying this is wrong this is this is a man who is a journalist one and be published the truth and he's being crucified what how does this speak to our future well they're learning the message and the message is if you do what julian assange did we will crucify you so the rogan ok we were sorry. our lips are sealed i mean thank goodness last week whenever it was the national union of journalists in the united kingdom are entirely at the landscape our came out in support of the colli summit so maybe there is light at the end or maybe the chorus of voices in which one is beginning to rise and is beginning to be heard she

is of strain. of dissent in the background of the mainstream view. you know the military military industrial complex should be allowed to ride roughshod over the needs of the rest of the human race and anyone who points out that that's what they're doing like junior has to be destroyed so that it's going to bail. him. to her over the last few weeks i've been on this program speaking a lot about the pardons that donald trump has handed out but not one of them to a whistleblower war criminals heard of but no whistleblowers do you think there's any chance that the trump administration the last few days of power will do so just as an aside to that roger joe biden the president elect likened julian

a songe in 2010 to a high tech terrorist so what does the future hold in terms of a byte administration for us to do you think. i could well. clearly i have no truck with joe biden any more than one side with donald trump biden is a puppet he you know he wears a different face he smiles a bit more nice not quite such a buffoon as don't trump but he's no more a free man to make up his mind about things witness what he said about jude in a soundtrack she's clearly absolute nonsense he is just trotting out. so is joe biden likely. juden massage which she would obviously it's the correct thing to do that should be the 1st they need an attorney going into office when john returned oh by the way 1st aid executive for julian assange that was obviously a ridiculous saying that. he might buy pre-disaster barack obama refused to

prosecute the good for very good or very good grounds so he's free to go and down with these good work is that going to happen. probably not you know biden strings are being firmly pull. by the cabal of only go to actually from the united states of america so i think it's extremely unlikely and i hope i'm wrong i really need to just to summarize really what you've been saying roger the bottle is all but there's a war there and the next 2 days the bail announcement that's for you is the most pertinent points here. this is a battle not just for the life of one great truly great journalist julian and some it's a battle to the survival of the human race if we give the 4th the state if we allow . the united states government to crucify

a journalist on the grounds that he revealed war crimes by them. then we give up our access to the real world and we say ok we will believe what you elice so we just say you know what. june show which right we now live in what he wrote in 1988 in his novel 1904 big brother controls the ministry of truth and we willing merely will believe everything that they tell us and if somebody comes along and says actually you know what that's not true this government murder journalists by machine gunning them from a helicopter in baghdad in 2007 and we know they did and here is the proof and we're going to publish it and then and and then we will say you can't do that because if you do we're going to kill you it's not the well we want to live in the

that is now the world we will want to live in and we will stand for it and we will go on shouting and screaming this truth from the rooftops for as long as we have breath in our body and i'm happy to say that there is a who are out there in the younger generation who are far more vocal than we are or generation my generation and they are going to keep shouting and singing louder and louder mound until the voice of love and reason is to give us a decent chance of saving its planet from that. well it's been your voice that's been one of the largest for joining us tom has done the years thanks so much on this day of all roger coming on the program and sharing your views with us roger waters founding member lyricist principal composer on the creative force behind pink floyd thank you when our correspondent shaadi edwards dusty was on its

side the courthouse earlier when the sit in was made. well i was since we've had absolutely electrifying was through was a support system cheering freak unionists on does not fit the historic moment outside the current charges have no right to actually do it to innocence to the united states it has been a decision based have meant to house grounds and to tell us what is 6 right if he were to be extradited to the united states it is a very unexpected result because bunch up until the last moment the judge had said that the case was not politically motivated he said she said that he would not he would face a purge all in the united states under the u.s. constitution but at the 11th hour the judge actually said no judas old would not be extradited to the united states but it is incredible since we've just heard from so

morris the partner of judy in the sun she says actually right now we cannot fully celebrate we can only fully celebrate when judas sarge is fort hood but this is the 1st step to just as we've also heard from the wiki leaks editor and cheap christian who roughed her up to and he said again yet it's not a win for jude in just yet nor a win for john isn't just yet but there should be more pressure applied on to the united states for the u.s. government and for him they say enough is enough because of course judah soldier has been wanted by the united states for his alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the united states and if he were to be found guilty he would have been sentenced up to 175 years behind prison that's under the u.s. is indictments of 18 counts under the espionage act for spying and publishing tons of fire documents all related to the war in iraq and afghanistan plus one of conspiracy to hack a government computer to publish these documents as well so according to today's

sun just defense the united states was trying to prosecute yunus on. to political grounds it was a politically motivated case a set of course if it is politically motivated that would therefore mean that judas saw and was exempt from actually titian under the u.k. you asked extradition treaty how as a prosecutor said the absolute opposite that it was not politically motivated and in fact curious on endangered the lives of hundreds of thousands of people for publishing these classified documents so although today is a victory in essence for june a surge as the judge did of course say that it was not politically motivated enough a serious concern for journalism going forward on the future of journalism as well you know i spoke to rebecca vincent from reporters without borders and she says that journalists need to be protected so we're relieved very much and share the court's assessment of his serious mental health arrests but we're concerned that the rest of the decision leaves the door open for possible other prosecutions on

similar grounds because until that point until she came to that point of the decision it seems very much that the case would have been in favor of the prosecution so without the mental health issues at play somebody else in that same situation could have indeed been extradited to the u.s. to face charges that are so this pointed out broader systemic issues that need to be addressed the not the astronauts act must be reformed it locks the public interest of fans if any publisher any journalist any source finds themselves subject to similar proceedings they cannot adequately defend themselves so the fact it hit today was one thing story medical grounds of course student soldiers defense team said that he was totally unfit to travel to the united states both in terms of his physical how auntie's mental how the post units are just being rolled up in london's ecuadorian embassy for one thing 7 in the hope is that he was put into a belmarsh prison for almost 2 years so his mental and physical health has been seriously deteriorating but it wasn't just his mental and physical health here in the united kingdom but what could happen to him if he were to be sent to the united

states he would have had to serve that sentence if found guilty and convicted in any tax colorado joe that's one of america's most notable. laureus jails in fact home to some of the world's worst criminals last a large truck killed a terrorist you name it there in that most notorious prison and that's exactly what you did assault was going to be had it so that huge sentence that prospect of the future like that was something that really meant a judeans meant to house was really at breaking point i his lawyer says that he was having suicidal tendencies and forced hundreds of times a day to sign is pretty much the key reason why the judge today said that that is so stupid that's a fate that he was not going to be facing having said that as i do mention it's not in terms of journalistic freedoms we're still out a point where the fact is not over just yet we understand that a decision on whether or not you know sons will be granted bail or not will come on wednesday and of course the united states is at healing at this verdict today they

still are on the hunt for judas signs in essence they still want to see judas sold extradited to the united states to the back to really isn't over yet but in terms of supporters and campaign is it outside the criminal court here today it wasn't just your innocence that was in the dock but actually the fundamental tenets and principles of the rights and freedoms of expression and the press but also for the public to access information as well so it is a big day for tourists but there's still a long way to go when it comes to journalistic freedoms. where you know we discuss the implications of the most fun with a number of the scientist most prominent supporters. i wasn't sure what to expect but i'm so happy that he's. been discharged for whatever reason it's fantastic i mean there's so many people who've been campaigning for an awful long time against this injustice when he's gone through 1011 years of hell 1st on the house arrest

and in belmarsh prison for the simple crime of journalism which isn't a crime he's standing up for freedom of speech he's done nothing but tell the truth he's been treated as a political prisoner object or that it's mental health has suffered an unknown people opposed to him has said that that is the case this is this is not just about him personally it's about journalism it's about freedom it's about freedom of speech it's about freedom of the press and all those things are being undermined both in this country are by the actions of the people in the united states they're trying to get him to be extradited in the pushing this action here was a real absolutely remarkable decision 95 percent of the judges remarks were in favor for us i mean favor of execution she threw my political ticker in the usual public interest depends only in the last moments of a decision that she cited the american prison system so brutal so pressing to you would be at risk of suicide if i sent him to be america or america saw and

not going to know this is the end of the story will go to a higher court so this is just because it is a terrific day what she said about markets much more worrying because she said there's no public interest there's no we there's no defense for journalists. like proper journalists or you to actually do what most journalists do because very seriously there's no public interest but these are these were very very bad remarks by the way this is a victory and the chains you need to celebrate the potent thing is the final results of julian room be extradited according to the decision of the judge i don't know he's very who are saying that the only reason the on. the reason why this for the sion has been stopped is his fragile health condition and the high risk of suicidal journalists around the world should be very very worried about today's outcome is very very worrying. the judge basically creamy now lies

journalistic activities in these a political case. and. it's not over it's not over yet. has been looking at the events that led up to a songes long fight for freedom. jr and his son has come a long way from an obscure activist to freedom fighter or traitor depending on who you are squarely one thing you can deny him though is that he led the charge that we kill leaks to dig up the secrets that america's intelligence colossus spent billions of dollars burying and he succeeded.

field reports from iraq military logs from afghanistan sensitive documents from guantanamo bay none of which made the u.s. look particularly good i would argue that it's closer to being the high tech terrorist it isn't it i mean international community i'm not for the death penalty so if i'm not for the death i don't want to do it illegally shoot the son of a. great discredit to this nation should be assassinated he should be treated as an

enemy combatant it didn't take long for a son to experience firsthand what it means to be uncle sam's public enemy the us went after the whistleblower launching a probe into his actions at the same time a seemingly unrelated sexual assault investigation was opened. in sweden a son himself though claimed it was all part of americas to extradite him by all means possible the pressure mounted so when 2012 a son requested asylum from ecuador and holed up in the country's embassy in london this kicked off what would become a long 7 years of confinement with even the u.n. calling for an end to this suffering various forms of deprivation of liberty to which julian assad has been subjected constitute a form of arbitrary detention the working group maintains that the arbitrary

detention of mr signage should be brought to an end instead the old things short from bad to even worse for a son ecuador's new president who was looking for warmer relations with the u.s. seemed to take personal offense when we can leaks wrote about corruption allegations against him sanj was shown the door artie's video agency ruptly turned out to be the only outlet to catch the moment a son was literally carried out of the building some 7 years after he stepped in it . was. once u.k. law enforcement got their hands on a son they threw him in prison a proper one but the u.s. government is looking to try him under american law where the whistleblower faces more than a 100 years behind bars now every cording that emerged in line has sparked another

wave of calls to pardon the whistleblower in the tape ironically julian a son she was trying to help u.s. authorities minimize the fallout of the 2011 leaks. out here is that it's more or. but we have been calling. me. every day trying to explain. the holdback don't trump since your given pardons to people please consider putting those who at great personal sacrifice expose the deception and criminality of those in the deep state mr president if you grant only one act of clemency touring at a time in office please free julian a'sssos you alone can save his life on hoping that he will pardon julian assange it's the right thing to do so far trump has remained deaf to the pleas the julian assange has saga has been going for so long

it feels like it could be over any minute but flashing back to how it's been going so far it seems like we've just turned the page on another chapter dude and i found out for what i have known of him is a very resilient person but he has been brought to the breaking point to 10 years of persecution. joint persecution for political reasons by 3 didn't by the united kingdom by the us by ecuador and none of this is being addressed he's not being compensated and not receiving justice for the ill treatment you know suffered he should not have been brought to a point where you are suicidal he has been prosecuted to a point where you have been broken and now they basically the system is getting him out and you know obviously that is a legal obligation but in the fens the system has succeeded in intimidating the

world and passing the message that this is what's going to happen to you if ever you have the idea of publishing our dirty. secrets and making that known to the world. well that's a quick recap of our top story this hour a british judge has ruled against extraditing julian a son's death. to the u.s. due to concerns over his mental help the u.s. has said it will appeal the court's decision will remain in custody had all the appeal there is a chance he could be released on bail before then a decision will be made on witness thing stateside the wiki leaks co-founder faces 17 counts of spying and one of conspiracy to government computer if i'm guilty he would face up to 175 years in prison and in another development today the president of mexico said he's prepared to give political asylum. well if you'd like to have your say and not or indeed any of.