The trial of the century

"Every time we witness an injustice and do not act, we train our character to be passive in its presence and thereby eventually lose all ability to defend ourselves and those we love." ― Julian Assange

On Friday October 2, the Progressive International will convene a planetary cast of activists, artists, thinkers, and political representatives to stand with Julian Assange in the fight for truth and justice against extradition to the United States.

The event takes its inspiration from the Russell-Sartre Tribunal of 1966, when representatives of 18 countries gathered to hold the United States accountable for their war crimes in Vietnam, in the absence of an international authority that dared to do so.

Friday’s public event will put the United States government on trial for its crimes of the twenty first century — from atrocities in Iraq to torture at Guantánamo Bay to the CIA‘s illegal surveillance program — and draw attention to the extradition case of Julian Assange for revealing them, a case that will shape the future of publishing, journalism, speech, and democracy for decades to come.

Wikileaks has been an inspiration to social movements around the world. Now it is time for social movements to stand with Assange. Our collective freedom is at stake.

Confirmed speakers:

Roger Waters, rock musician, co-founder of Pink Floyd

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, former president of Brazil

Yanis Varoufakis, former finance minister of Greece, MeRA25

Rafael Correa, former president of Ecuador

M.I.A., musician and activist

Slavoj Žižek, philosopher

Pamela Anderson, actress and activist

Srećko Horvat, philosopher, co-founder of DiEM25

Alicia Castro, trade unionist and Argentine diplomat

John McDonnell, former Shadow Chancellor, Labour Party

Jennifer Robinson, human rights lawyer

Angela Richter, artist and activist

"We demand the immediate release of Julian Assange"