Contributed by Joe Montero

The Julian Assange story keeps on rolling along. Imprisoned in one way or another since 2012, he has emerged as a beacon for those fighting against the encroachments on press freedom and other basic rights. The treatment of Julian Assange is testimony to the rise of big brother government and corrupt ties to the world of corrupt big business.

The Australian citizen and highly awarded journalist and publisher has been hounded for exposing wrongdoing by the powerful. They seek to permanently silence him and use this as an example to warn others. This of us involved in this battle have long been aware of this. Many others haven’t. Which brings us to the most important achievement of the campaign for Julian’s freedom. This is that society at large has become aware of what is at stake.

Contrast this with how the governments directly concerned have reacted. Washington has continued to hunt the man. London has revealed itself as a toady for Washington. Canberra has meekly followed, starting from outright hostility towards Assange, and morphing to silence. It has been rather awkward sacrificing an Australian citizen because anther and more powerful government wants it that way.

This year has seen a significant shift. First, the Australian government under Anthony Albanese has undergone a considerable shift. It has turned and come out against this injustice, to the extent that it has repeatedly conveyed to the other two governments Australia’s call to free their prisoner. But they haven’t been given the respect that one would expect by those who are supposed to be allies.

The fact that the Australian parliament was capable of voting by an overwhelming majority to call for Julian Assange’s freedom is huge, and it was the irresistible strength of Australian public opinion that compelled this.

London is beset with a collapsing government, more intent of survival than anything else. Where in the past, it had been able to manipulate the judicial system, there now appears to be shift. This doesn’t mean that the Lords on the high Court have suddenly become fans of the WikiLeaks founder. They are looking out for themselves, and the bonds with the government have become a little more tenuous. A softening towards the Assange case is one outcome. This is to Julian’s advantage.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is heading for inglorious defeat at the 4 July election. This too may be to Julian’s advantage.

Critics have pointed out the preparedness of these judges to flout the law and what is supposed to be proper judicial process for good reason. Now. Julian’s legal team can press the new advantage. Campaigners have greater opportunity to lift the pressure to a new level.

Washington has its own troubles. The persecution became deadly earnest under Donald Trump’s administration and continued more vigorously under Joe Biden. The Biden administrations appears to be heading in the same direction of Sunik’s in London.

With his own campaign in mind Trump has now said in an interview with podcaster Tim Pool just before he addressed the national convention of the Liberation Party in Washington, that he is ‘very seriously’ considering pardoning Assange if he becomes the President for his second time.

He said, “Well, I’m going to talk about that today, and we’re going to give it very serious consideration. And we’re going to have a couple of other things to say in the speech that I think you’re going to love.”

The significance of this is that Trump has a good nose for finding an opportunity. He knows that he can score brownie points by pressing an advantage when it comes. He may or may not mean it. American public opinion has turned towards Assange. Trump’s statement contributes toward a more favourable climate and makes it more difficult for the Biden administration to continue with the persecution.

The presidential election takes place on 5 November, which means, it’s unlikely that the case will be resolved until next year.