Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/11/world/europe/julian-assange-wikileaks-ecuador-embassy.html
Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, was
arrested in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London on Thursday 4/11. He is set to
face a charge in the US of conspiring to commit unlawful computer intrusion
based on allegations that, in 2010, he agreed to help former Army intelligence
analyst Chelsea Manning break an encoded part of a password that would allow
her to access a classified military network under another user’s identity. At a
court hearing, he was found guilty of jumping bail, and he was detained in part
because of the extradition warrant issued by the US. Assange had been living in
the Ecuadorian Embassy since 2012, but on Thursday, Ecuador decided to withdraw
his asylum after becoming increasingly frustrated with his actions -- they
claim he interfered with other states’ internal affairs. Assange plans to fight
the extradition.
This issue calls to attention debates over First
Amendment press freedoms. Although, in this situation, prosecutors seem to be
avoiding using the First Amendment in their case, even though traditional
journalism does not extend to helping people gain illicit access to classified
networks. The charges were for conspiracy in Pentagon computer network hacking,
rather than violations of the Espionage Act.
Questions
- What kinds of limitations do you believe should be
placed on journalists, if any at all?
- What consequences do Assange/s published archives of
secret documents / information on WikiLeaks have on the country? Do you
believe his actions are / should be legal?
- Although this issue will not be resolved quickly, what
do you think will happen in the long run?
I think it's not possible to draw definitive lines on the limitations on journalists and publishing because freedom is speech is so vague. However, I think in this case the first amendment is not considered because the US is more concerned with penalizing him for aiding Chelsea Manning in illegally accessing information. This has less to do with publishing any information. However, when discussing the other secret documents he has shared I think that his actions should be deemed illegal is publishing the information will put a large amount of people at risk at that time. Assange's release of classified information can reveal US plans and weaknesses to enemies which can result in danger for US citizens. I think that Assange will have a similar sentencing to Chelsea Manning.
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