Wikileaks lawyers being watched

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Original Story

"I've noticed people consistently sitting outside my house in the same cars with newspapers," said Robinson. "I probably noticed certain things a week ago, but mostly it's been the last three or four days."

Robinson said the legal team was also experiencing "other forms of pressure" from Washington.

She pointed to a letter from a state department legal adviser – addressed to both Assange and her – which appeared to bracket together client and lawyer as if to suggest that WikiLeaks and its lawyers were one and the same.

The letter, which was released to the press, begins: "Dear Ms Robinson and Mr Assange. I am writing in response to your 26 November 2010 letter to US Ambassador Louis B Susman regarding your intention to again publish on your WikiLeaks site what you claim to be classified US government documents."

Robinson said: "By eliding client and lawyer, that was a very inappropriate attempt to implicate me. That is really inappropriate to come from the state department of all places; they understand very well the rules on attorney-client protocol."

"It's quite a serious situation," she said, adding that, according to the UN's Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, governments should ensure that lawyers "are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference" and that "lawyers shall not be identified with their clients or their clients' causes as a result of discharging their functions".

Extremely inappropriate action against Julian Assange's lawyers, but this shouldn't be much of a surprise to anyone. The US needs to learn that the rules apply to itself, too.

Katzenklavier

Jesus enough bold?

JustAnotherAsshole

I don't understand why they're fucking with Assange. There's no reason to anymore, the insurance file is out. This stuff will be leaked no matter what happens to him or the site.

EDIT: Also, what else do you expect from the U.S.?

FATTY_MCFUCKFACE

Wow, so now it's illegal to surveil someone who might lead you to a criminal suspect? 0/10 OP.

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FATTY_MCFUCKFACE wrote: »

Wow, so now it's illegal to surveil someone who might lead you to a criminal suspect? 0/10 OP.

Did you miss this part?

"According to the UN's Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, governments should ensure that lawyers "are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interference"

His lawyers are being watched and intimidated. And, aside from the trumped up rape charges, he is not a criminal suspect. The two woman he supposedly raped only decided to say he raped them after they discovered he had sexual relations with the both of them.

He even offered to stay in the country for questioning, but was told it wasn't necessary. As soon as he leaves, however, suddenly they want him back.

EDIT: And by lumping the client and lawyer together, they were attempting to implicate Assange's lawyer. That's a bit of a no-no.

JustAnotherAsshole

This is harassment and intimidation. If there were any charges, or if he were guilty, they'd snatch him up and bring him to the U.S. for trial right away. When has the U.S. ever respected other countries sovereignty anyway?

FATTY_MCFUCKFACE wrote: »

Wow, so now it's illegal to surveil someone who might lead you to a criminal suspect? 0/10 OP.

I don't think there are any charges, yet.

EDIT: This is the sort of stuff that happens when you have dirt on the U.S. government. I'm surprised he hasn't disappeared yet.

FATTY_MCFUCKFACE

The only reason he hasn't disappeared is because it's the U.S., and the government is run by a bunch of pussies who don't have the balls to tell leftists to fuck off when they would come crying. If he had dirt on Russia he'd already be dead.