ON THE DAY WE EXPECT THE DECISION ON JULIAN ASSANGE

Posted byiainlawson27Posted inUncategorized

This is an article first published in May 2021. Craig has served his sentence, we await to discover whether the journalist Julian Assange will be freed or whether he faces extradition to the USA. Attacks on our freedom of speech are becoming more common. Judges are creating new rules to control those who write, minus the protection of the giant news corporations. These are very dangerous times and good people must stay vigilant and vocal in defence of our freedoms.

THE POLITICS OF FEAR AND INTIMIDATION.

Craig Murray wrote last week about this topic  and his concern that he was being confronted with a fear of becoming cowardly, scared to continue writing and challenging authority here in Scotland.

Take a minute to think about that. A former British Ambassador, internationally known and widely respected for his defence of human rights held a fear about the consequences of freely writing about what he considered the truth here in his own country Scotland. What has happened to freedom of speech in our country? Have we joined the list of despot nations where such freedoms are denied?

A man who is one of the key friends and ally of Julian Assange who the Scottish courts are stopping appearing as a defence witness in his trial. What is going on and who, exactly who, and how many are behind it ?

He is but one of a string of blatantly political moves involving the police and courts in Scotland where Nicola’s Scottish Government is increasingly using the legal system as a tool to intimidate and silence her political opponents. You can call it a lot of things but in my view fascist Government gets closest.

Trumped up, often ludicrous or trivial allegations are created. The process is always the same, police raids, the seizing of all electronic equipment, long and expensive delays until the “offences” come to court where the defendants are found not guilty or sometimes the judgement confirms there is no case to answer, only confirming the malicious nature of the allegations in the first place.

If the public were to find out the ludicrous nature of most of the charges that were contrived against Alex Salmond they would be astonished at them being classified as sex crimes. I found them just plain ridiculous, a view subsequently shared by the jury when they came to court. It is the fact they ever came to court that is the main case against the Crown Office as being complicit in political prosecution.

Mark Hirst’s case was even more obvious as being clearly political. The comments he made in his video commentary could never be considered threatening, critical yes but never threatening. Nevertheless, his home was raided, his computer equipment seized, months of delay, jobs and income lost, legal expenses mounting, only to eventually come to court and the charges to be dismissed out of hand, no case to answer. Taxpayers money, police time, the court system fully engaged at public expense to pursue intimidation against a political opponent.

Most recently Dave Llewelyn who during the election made a remark about a prominent SNP husband and wife team only to find that the pair incredibly interpreted it as a threat to murder them and wanted him charged with attempted murder. That was a step too far even for our corrupted prosecution services but he has been through the process of the police raid, the seizure of his computer equipment and facing trial on much lesser charges in December, his legal Bill continues to climb.

Craig himself of course faces an eight month sentence for telling the truth. His reports on the Salmond trial revealed less evidence about the identity of his accusers than many in the Unionist media. What is more his reports accurately reflected the eventual decisions of the jury based on the full evidence, including the defence witnesses. The defence evidence was of course studiously avoided and ignored as it did not fit the disgustingly dishonest narrative the Unionist media were intent in delivering against Alex Salmond

Now to the crux of this, virtually all the complainants in all the above cases come from a known grouping within the SNP. A MOST REMARKABLE COINCIDENCE IS THAT NOT?

Now as we all know I or anybody else cannot name those involved without facing a long list of charges but I do want to raise a valid point.

The gift of anonymity is not a right, it is a privilege and if it is being subsequently used aggressively as a political weapon, as it is with the ongoing smearing of Alex Salmond and others then surely it must be subject to review at some stage.

Now many will be happy to ignore these warnings, others will be scared, intimidated, to say nothing. If they do, then not only will these tactics continue, they will escalate. Nobody will be safe, our freedoms will continue to be eroded. Evil, malicious evil, will grow as the poison spreads wider and wider.

Let me leave you with this thought. As part of the process of a huge fishing exercise against Alex Salmond, motivated by a desire to find more solid charges than the pathetic ones delivered by his accusers, the police investigated over 400 people involving 700 face to face interviews, encompassing all who he had contact with him over his entire life. This enormous effort, completely unheard off for anyone else facing similar charges, at huge public expense, turned up NOT ONE SINGLE CHARGE OR EVIDENCE OF INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR. 

Given those facts is it not very strange Mr Salmond’s “offences” only happened to involve so many known friends, colleagues and supporters of the FIRST MINISTER? Wonder what odds you would get from Labrokes for that one?

Our legal and political system has been corrupted. They need fixed. Who is going to do it is the problem?

Folk who care about freedom must speak out because it needs all the people of Scotland to fix this.

The judgement delivered in the Assange case will highlight whether these important freedoms still exist in England. I await the judgement with pen in hand.

I am, as always

YOURS FOR SCOTLAND

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32 thoughts on “ON THE DAY WE EXPECT THE DECISION ON JULIAN ASSANGE”

      2. Unfortunately, I can’t send my comment to you Iain as I just gave up and deleted it since I was going out anyway. However, I’ve just posted a comment on the article ‘ The Public Demand….’ which has very similar content and it wasn’t blocked.

        Like

  4. Those in power use a simple tool “The process is the Punishment”. It matters little if an investigation or a police complaint is successful. They will put you through sleepless nights, financial loss, newspaper headlines etc. Every system takes months to grind through the machine.The outcome matters little as they just move to another part of the slow grind.

    The NuSNP have become the experts at this type of vindictive attack.
    The TransActivists are unleashed. The Newspapers are briefed by a source. The Police are called in. Internal investigations are launched.

    “The Process is the Punishment” look at how that is now being increasingly used.

    Liked by 20 people

  6. Well said Iain and clootie, absolutely spot on.
    Our legal system stinks these days, and like you Iain I wonder who is going to sort it. There surely must be someone in that profession who is scunnerd by this and brave enough to speak up. If not, it looks as if we are all Donald Ducked.

    I really despair at times, I really do.

    Liked by 16 people

    1. It is a rock and a hard place Carol – none of us wants to be law breakers – or worse, violent – and yet our legal system and democracy has failed. Our MSPs and Councillors need to step up and speak up or I really fear where this will end. The guilt will rest as heavily on the silent as it does on those who go beyond the pale. For democracy to work our democratic representatives must represent us, not their own career interests.

      Liked by 13 people

  7. If I new who the protected were I would sacrifice my own liberty and name them for the cause of real truth justice and liberty, and the Scottish people.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Hypothetically, it is not just the names but the texts showing the criminal conspiracy and the nature of their evidence that needs to be seen to show folk what went on. Unless this is outside Scotland it would be immediately taken down – so there is both real risk and a need for a website beyond Sturgeons reach – England maybe …
      But seriously I don’t know where we stand legally with discussing this so we all need to apply care for our own sake and for Iain – authority has become a fearful thing.

      Only ALBA would be prepared to speak out I think and could do so with Westminster parliamentary privilege. Maybe they have plans?

      Liked by 12 people

      1. You have the recently released Craig Murray being visited by the Police over WHO leaked the messages to Kenny MacAskill rather than investigating the content of the messages themselves which are actual evidence of a criminal conspiracy. If that does not show how corrupt the whole thing is I don’t know what would. They are a disgrace to the badge. Just following orders does not cut it.

        Remember that exhaustive investigation into who leaked the Decision Report and the crucial email, about not seeking an interdict that evening from Salmond’s lawyer to Paul Cackette lawyer for the SG, that was sent to David Clegg? No me neither. Instead we got a woeful ICO ‘investigation’ instead that seemed to have been carried out by someone even more inept than Judith Mackinnon.

        I think the late Big Tam said it best in The Untouchables: “What are you prepared to do?”

        If there are no decent people in the Crown Office, police or media who will stand up to this corruption then at some point the common citizen must. If those in positions of power can break the law then why should anyone else follow it and obey it?

        Liked by 9 people

    2. Hi Tony. I suggest you search out some mainstream media articles that are still available online. Those articles will have been legally checked over before publication and subsequently as the mainstream media of course operate to a much higher standard than that of your average blogger like Craig Murray for example. At least that is what the likes of the honourable Lady Dorrian would like you to believe. With that in mind it should be impossible to make any kind of jigsaw identification from those articles.

      Look for The Daily Record article by David Clegg of 15 January 2019 titled SNP ‘MYSTERY MAN’ SPEAKS OUT AMID SALMOND AND STURGEON ‘SMEAR’ CLAIMS. This article contains a blatant falsehood designed to fool the ignorant or lazy. In the article Clegg, probably at the request of the actual woman herself and not Mr Aberdein, changes the date from early March (09 March to be precise) to late March when she became aware of ‘suspicions’.

      Also check out The Telegraph article of 18 March 2020 by Steve Bird and Izzy Lyons titled ALEX SALMOND’S FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF SAYS HE MET WITH NICOLA STURGEON AFTER LEARNING OF ‘COMPLAINTS’.

      That is just two but there are a lot more. I will probably be doing some articles on them soon going through each of them.

      Liked by 10 people

      1. I Complement you John on your blogs , I have read them all and makes for disturbing reading of the corrupt FM and Cabal surrounding the Fit up of Alex Salmond , May his revenge be swift and fruitful of that disgusting harem of liars.

        Liked by 9 people

      2. Thanks Russ. It’s been hard going through the submitted evidence, indexing and writing articles about it as it just makes me so angry. That people could be involved in something so evil beggars belief at times and yet it is there in black and white in their own evidence.

        We should never forget though that they failed in their plot. They can’t go after Alex Salmond again either as then he would have nothing to lose in releasing the memory stick with all the messages/texts and emails on it for everyone to see.

        Liked by 9 people

    3. Nobody should need to do this Tony. Justice is supposed to be fair and honest and the public have the right to expect those who administer it to act when it is being intentionally abused by malicious people.

      Liked by 11 people

      1. I know that Ian, but no one seems to be willing to put themselves in harms way for the cause of freedom,truth and real justice.
        Freedom from tyranny is worth a couple of months in the jail. Our enemies in London and Scotland need to be gone, by whatever means necessary.
        For they have and will continue to show Scotland no mercy, it’s long overdue the patriots of Scotland showed our enemies foreign and domestic the same thing.

        Liked by 5 people

  8. Currently there is no law in Scotland which addresses anonymity in rape cases. Andrew Tickell has an article published in the Edinburgh Law Review addressing that issue in detail concentrating on the accusers, while Aamer Anwar has written in detail questioning the right of anonymity of the accused (if found innocent).

    If you read the Court Documents on the Craig Murray case (in detail), and also read (in detail) the IPSO guidance – there is an overwheming case for a law to be established in Scotland that adresses all such issues – not least because the current use of an ancient convention for the press that is employed is where the “four corners of the jigsaw” are established andwithin which “jigsaw identification” may prove inevitable.

    @Iain: In concert with your fellow bloggers, and if possible with journalists, but crucially – in the public interest – discuss raising a Petition in the Scottish Parliament to have the issues openly discussed and a law established.

    Happy to discuss in more detail – but imho best done in private.

    Liked by 9 people

  9. The trouble is that those of us who inform ourselves see how bad this is – most people would agree but most people are not informed and do not see the net tightening around them. They are tired, stressed, caught up in their own troubles. Head down. How do we make folk aware of sites like this? Billboards? Facebook? Leafleting? For the blog sphere to save us we must make it the main platform for folk, rather than the the printed, online or broadcast MSM.

    Liked by 10 people

    1. A very famous person living outside the UK could publish a book. It could be ghostwritten for them by an anonymous someone living here.

      First find your willing very famous person.

      Liked by 5 people

  10. Any projected constitution for a Scottish state must enshrine the absolute right to intellectual dissent, even on matters considered by many to be «human rights». Legions of modern Moses are seeking to carve on the stone of law «rights» that are effectively personal matters and in extreme cases mere personal whims and fancies.
    The direction in which the SNP government could be headed is one in which even the expression of a deeply held point of view, whether philosophical, scientific or religious might be deemed suspect and threatening, something citizens would be advised to fear and report so that such views might be suppressed.
    History shows that the suppressing of views, like the burning of «offensive» books, is not usually the end of the matter.
    The near misanthropic nature of authority’s handling of a viral infection has demonstrated how thin is the veneer of freedom in the domaine of national government, worldwide.
    In principle humans are born free, yet as a birthday gift systems of many kinds offer the bling of chains. For some, surprisingly, that is a source of comfort.

    Liked by 3 people

  11. At least some of the alphabet women must have had enormous pressure applied to them to have come up with the ridiculous allegations against Alex Salmond that they did. That these were taken seriously shows us that the whole thing was contrived.

    Nicola Sturgeon may seem to be in control of events at the moment, but if the real power in the land once decide that she is no longer useful then she will be dropped like a hot potato.

    The British state is ruthless when it deems it to be necessary.

    Liked by 7 people

  12. Craig Murray’s just out of prison and the reps of the witchfinder generals office turn up on his doorstep to question him on who blew the whistle on Murrells text messages (fighting on as many fronts as possible). They are obviously desperate to get their hands on this person or persons.

    As for real investigative journalism in Scotland and the UK for that matter, its under threat, Craig Murray’s imprisonment without proof just a keen reading of the law as interpreted in a judge’s mind, it too sounds the death knell of free truthful speech in Scotland.

    Assange has been in detention (Arbitrary) and prison since around 2010, he too has committed no crime other than reporting the machinations of US, and other governments, which we the public would not have had a clue were going on without Assange and his brave team at Wikileaks, even now Assange is being held without charge in the UK at the behest of the US.

    I can’t understand why the journalistic community isn’t up in arms about this travesty of justice, for if Assange is extradited to the US, it will surely set a precedent on journalists and journalism that will affect them as well, but then again many of these so called journalists, are already bought and paid for by government agencies.

    Sturgeon and the COPFS have wasted no time in catching up with the likes of the US in bending and twisting the laws of the land and redacting and obfuscating when they come under the spotlight, recent event have proven that.

    Liked by 8 people

  13. HERE IS A QUESTION FOR ALF BAIRD.

    My mother left her place, a doric speaker from a small farm housing 3 families outside of Alford, before her 16th birthday, to work in a hotel in Aberfeldy. She despised privilege, loved, loved her ain folk, died at the age of 43 of cancer.

    . She was a doric speaker. My faithers people, their tradition was Gaidhlig.

    These two languages constitute Scotland’s linguistic tradition. You talk about colonialism. I knew this without any tuition on the subject at 12 year old. .My fire rises when you dismiss half of Scotland. Do you really know colonialsim, talk of colonialism?

    Every time I hear and read your work my blood rises that wee bit further. I feel you are on our side but I see the argument that elevates Scots and diminishes Gaelic. I feel an overwhelming compulsion, come the day, to remind you that sophistry and treachery in your speech will be treated one and the same. There will be a reckoning or the Brit payroll in Scotland will persist andr we will be nothing,.

    You are either for the Scots or you are simply another divider, using a contrived, neo-sophisticated way of destroying us.

    Gaelic is nothing to you. Therefore Scots which is my tongue also, is obviously nothing to you.

    I doubt you. I doubt you.because you dismiss Gaelic, which is half of the Scots. . No Scot worth a*fuck can do that and therefor i distrust you having never spoken to you.

    Stand for both of Scotland’s languages or stand for f all.

    Liked by 1 person

  15. I have found only small quantities of objective information on this, and many other U.S. foreign-policy topics, in Western mainstream news-media. Every culture/nation has its own propaganda and core beliefs, true and false; though some culture/nations — usually the biggest, most powerful — are much more corrupt and brutal than the smaller, weaker ones. …

    The following excerpt is taken from an essay by freelance journalist Chris Hedges, titled “What happened to Assange will happen to the rest of us”. It was published Nov.2, 2020 for/by Common Ground magazine.

    “Assange earned the enmity of the Democratic Party establishment by publishing 70,000 hacked emails belonging to the Democratic National Committee and senior Democratic officials. The emails were copied from the accounts of John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman. The Podesta emails exposed the donation of millions of dollars to the Clinton Foundation by Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two of the major funders of Islamic State. It exposed the $657,000 that Goldman Sachs paid to Hillary Clinton to give talks, a sum so large it can only be considered a bribe.

    It exposed Clinton’s repeated mendacity. She was caught in the emails, for example, telling the financial elites that she wanted ‘open trade and open borders’ and believed Wall Street executives were best positioned to manage the economy, a statement that contradicted her campaign statements. It exposed the Clinton campaign’s efforts to influence the Republican primaries to ensure that Donald Trump was the Republican nominee. It exposed Clinton’s advance knowledge of questions in a primary debate. It exposed Clinton as the principal architect of the war in Libya, a war she believed would burnish her credentials as a presidential candidate. Journalists can argue that this information, like the war logs, should have remained hidden, but they can’t then call themselves journalists.”

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