WikiLeaks founder makes speech from balcony of Ecuadorean embassy thanking supporters and asking US to end 'witch-hunt'
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 19 August 2012
"The WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, has urged the United States to end its "war on whistleblowers" as he used a dramatic appearance on the balcony of the Ecuadorean embassy to thank supporters for backing his fight against extradition.
Assange thanked the nation of Ecuador for taking a "stand for justice" in giving him political asylum, while warning that the United States risked shunting the world into an era of journalistic oppression.
He appeared on the balcony of the South American country's embassy in London, where he has been taking refuge for two months as he seeks to avoid extradition to Sweden to face questioning on sexual assault allegations.
Assange thanked the leaders and people of Ecuador for supporting him and also staff at the London embassy "who have shown me hospitality and kindness, despite the threats we all received".
He thanked the governments and people of Argentina, Brazil and other Latin American countries who defended the right to asylum and people in the US, UK, Sweden and Australia who supported him in strength even when their governments did not.
"As WikiLeaks stands under threat, so does the freedom of expression and the health of all our societies. We must use this moment to articulate the choice that is before the government of the United States of America," he said......"
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