Fed Up WikiLeaks Emails Media List Of 140 ‘False And Defamatory’ Claims Not To Report As True – OpEd
By Adam Dick
Julian Assange and WikiLeaks have not just been targeted by the United
States government in response to their publishing of US government
secrets. They have also been subjected to false reporting in the media.
In an email sent to media organizations on Sunday, WikiLeaks details
that, due to “a pervasive climate of inaccurate claims about WikiLeaks
and Julian Assange, including purposeful fabrications planted in large
and otherwise ‘reputable’ media outlets,” Wikileaks is providing in the
email a list of false and defamatory claims about WikiLeaks and Assange
for journalists and publishers “to ensure they do not spread and have
not spread falsehoods about WikiLeaks or Julian Assange.” A Reuters report counts a total of 140 items in the email’s “Defamation List.”
The email, which is marked at its beginning as a “confidential legal
communication” and “not for publication,” has been posted online —
something people associated with WikiLeaks, which specializes in
publishing information sought to be kept secret, would seem likely to
have anticipated.
Included in the email’s Defamation List are
claims you may have seen in multiple media reports regarding WikiLeaks
or Assange. The list advises that it is “false and defamatory to suggest
that Julian Assange is, or has ever been,” for example, “charged with
an offence by the United Kingdom or Sweden” or “an agent or officer of
any intelligence service.” Also declared “false and defamatory” are
suggesting that Assange “has been accused by any person of raping them”
or “has ever met or communicated with [former Donald Trump presidential
campaign Chairman] Paul Manafort.”
The list also includes many
“false and defamatory” suggestions in regard to and Assange and
WikiLeaks together, including that either of them has ever “directed,
conspired, or colluded in a criminal manner with its sources;” “colluded
with or conspired with, or compromised the integrity of its journalism
for, any political campaign or State;” or “suppressed materials critical
of Israel, Russia or any other State.”
Notably, the email’s
Defamation List also terms as “false and defamatory” claims denying the
status of WikiLeaks as a media organization and Assange as an “editor,
journalist, publisher, author and documentary maker.” Indeed, the email
further notes that WikiLeaks and Assange have won awards for their
journalistic efforts, as well as that WikiLeaks has “a perfect record of
accurately verifying its publications.” Such information may be helpful in defending
Assange and WikiLeaks against any charges in America, where journalists
and media organizations have substantial basis for arguing they are
protected from prosecution for publishing the secret government
information they receive.
Read the WikiLeaks email, including links to supporting materials, here.
This article was published by RonPaul Institute.
Please keep an open mind – I pray !! The article “Pentagon Accounting Fraud” and all that money that is being held/funneled to the Pentagon, why can’t that money be used to build the wall ??!! It is money that is already there, Nancy will be happy that we will not have to tax the taxpayers. Then trump can get quickly his money for the wall. Then the govnt. can open again. Please talk and share this concept !!