This archive report was first published on 2 November 2019.
On May 9, 2019, UN expert Nils Melzer visited Julian Assange, the 48-year-old Australian founder of Wikileaks, in a London prison. Melzer's visit came nearly a month after Assange's arrest at Ecuador's embassy, where he had been seeking asylum.
According to Melzer, the UK government is allegedly using psychological torture to kill Assange. This claim is based on new medically relevant information he received from several reliable sources.
“Mr Assange's health has entered a downward spiral of progressively severe anxiety, stress, and helplessness typical for persons exposed to prolonged isolation and constant arbitrariness,” Melzer stated in an email to AFP.
Unless the UK government takes immediate action to alleviate Assange's situation, Melzer warned that his continued exposure to arbitrariness and abuse may soon end up costing his life. The UN special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment emphasized that Assange's health is at risk of developing into a life-threatening situation involving cardiovascular breakdown or nervous collapse.
On November 1, 2019, Melzer released a statement urging the UK government to take measures to protect Assange's health and dignity. He noted that in May, he had urged the UK to take immediate action to protect Assange's health, but the government had shown outright contempt for his rights and integrity.
Assange is currently being held in prison for violating his British bail terms in 2012. However, Melzer pointed out that Assange is being held exclusively in relation to the pending extradition request from the United States. He continues to be detained under oppressive conditions of isolation and surveillance, not justified by his detention status.
Assange is facing extradition to the US over charges he violated the US Espionage Act by publishing a huge cache of military and diplomatic files in 2010. Melzer questioned why Assange is being held in inhumane prison conditions, especially when the officials responsible for the crimes he exposed continue to enjoy impunity.
