[artinfo] Fwd: WikiLeaks: Stop the crackdown

Thu Dec 9 20:41:19 CET 2010

 Dear friends,

 <http://www.avaaz.org/en/wikileaks_petition/?cl=850538428&v=7730>The
chilling intimidation campaign against WikiLeaks (when they have broken no
laws) is *an attack on freedom of the press and democracy.* We urgently need
a massive public outcry to *stop the crackdown -- let's get to 1 million
voices* and take out full page ads in US newspapers this week!

[image: Sign the
petition]<http://www.avaaz.org/en/wikileaks_petition/?cl=850538428&v=7730>

The *massive campaign of intimidation* against WikiLeaks is sending a chill
through free press advocates everywhere.

*Legal experts say WikiLeaks has likely broken no laws. Yet top US
politicians have called it a terrorist group and commentators have urged
assassination* of its staff. The organization has come under massive
government and corporate attack, but WikiLeaks is only publishing
information provided by a whistleblower. And *it has partnered with the
world's leading newspapers (NYT, Guardian, Spiegel etc)* to carefully vet
the information it publishes.

*The massive extra-judicial intimidation of WikiLeaks is an attack on
democracy.* We urgently need a public outcry for freedom of the press and
expression. *Sign the petition to stop the crackdown and forward this email
to everyone* -- let's get to 1 million voices and take out full page ads in
US newspapers this week!

http://www.avaaz.org/en/wikileaks_petition/?vl<http://www.avaaz.org/en/wikileaks_petition/?cl=850538428&v=7730>

*WikiLeaks isn't acting alone* -- it's partnered with the top newspapers in
the world (New York Times, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, etc) to carefully
review 250,000 US diplomatic cables and remove any information that it is
irresponsible to publish. *Only 800 cables have been published so far.* Past
WikiLeaks publications have exposed government-backed torture, the murder of
innocent civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan, and corporate corruption.

The US government is currently pursuing all legal avenues to stop WikiLeaks
from publishing more cables, but *the laws of democracies protect freedom of
the press.* The US and other governments may not like the laws that protect
our freedom of expression, but that's exactly why it's so important that we
have them, and why only a democratic process can change them.

*Reasonable people can disagree* on whether WikiLeaks and the leading
newspapers it's partnered with are releasing more information than the
public should see. Whether the releases undermine diplomatic confidentiality
and whether that's a good thing. Whether WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange
has the personal character of a hero or a villain. *But none of this
justifies a vicious campaign of intimidation to silence a legal media outlet
* by governments and corporations. Click below to join the call to stop the
crackdown:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/wikileaks_petition/?vl<http://www.avaaz.org/en/wikileaks_petition/?cl=850538428&v=7730>

Ever wonder why the media so rarely gives the full story of what happens
behind the scenes? This is why - because when they do, governments can be
vicious in their response. And when that happens, *it's up to the public to
stand up for our democratic rights to a free press and freedom of
expression. Never has there been a more vital time for us to do so.*

With hope,
Ricken, Emma, Alex, Alice, Maria Paz and the rest of the Avaaz team.

SOURCES:

Law experts say WikiLeaks in the clear (ABC)
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2010/s3086781.htm

WikiLeaks are a bunch of terrorists, says leading U.S. congressman (Mail
Online)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1333879/WikiLeaks-terrorists-says-leading-US-congressman-Peter-King.html

Cyber guerrillas can help US (Financial Times)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d3dd7c40-ff15-11df-956b-00144feab49a.html#axzz17QvQ4Ht5

Amazon drops WikiLeaks under political pressure (Yahoo)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101201/tc_afp/usdiplomacyinternetwikileakscongressamazon

"WikiLeaks avenged by hacktivists" (PC World):
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/212701/operation_payback_wikileaks_avenged_by_hacktivists.html

US Gov shows true control over Internet with WikiLeaks containment
(Tippett.org)
http://www.tippett.org/2010/12/us-gov-shows-true-control-over-internet-with-wikileaks-containment/

US embassy cables culprit should be executed, says Mike Huckabee (The
Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/01/us-embassy-cables-executed-mike-huckabee

WikiLeaks ditched by MasterCard, Visa. Who's next? (The Christian Science
Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Horizons/2010/1207/WikiLeaks-ditched-by-MasterCard-Visa.-Who-s-next

Assange's Interpol Warrant Is for Having Sex Without a Condom (The Slatest)
http://slatest.slate.com/id/2276690/

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