FOLLOW US ON:
GET THE NEWSLETTER
CONTACT US
Julian Assange ‘faces execution or Guantanamo detention’
01.11.2011
10:45 am
Topics:
Tags:

image
 
If things weren’t serious enough for Julain Assange, the Guardian reports that the Wikileaks founder could be at “real risk of the death penalty or detention in Guantánamo Bay if he is extradited to Sweden on accusations of rape and sexual assault, his lawyers claim.” According to the report:

In a skeleton summary of their defence against attempts by the Swedish director of public prosecutions to extradite him, released today, Assange’s legal team argue that there is a similar likelihood that the US would subsequently seek his extradition “and/or illegal rendition”, “where there will be a real risk of him being detained at Guantánamo Bay or elsewhere”.

“Indeed, if Mr Assange were rendered to the USA, without assurances that the death penalty would not be carried out, there is a real risk that he could be made subject to the death penalty. It is well known that prominent figures have implied, if not stated outright, that Mr Assange should be executed.”

The 35-page skeleton argument was released by Mark Stephens, Assange’s lawyer, following a brief review hearing this morning at Belmarsh magistrates court.

The WikiLeaks founder, who is on conditional bail while his extradition case is being considered, appeared for no more than 15 minutes in the dock, while supporters including Jemima Khan and Bianca Jagger looked on and waved support from the public gallery.

He later emerged to give a brief statement to a large number of reporters, saying: “Our work with WikiLeaks continues unabated. We are stepping up our publications for matters relating to Cablegate and other materials.

“These will shortly be available through our newspaper partners around the world – big and small newspapers and human rights organisations.”

The skeleton argument outlines seven points on which Assange’s lawyers will contest his extradition, which was sought by the Swedish DPP, Marianne Ny, following accusations from two women that he had sexually assaulted them in separate incidents in August.

One accusation, that Assange had sex with one of the women while she was asleep, would amount to rape under Swedish law if proven. Both women had previously had consenting sex with Assange.

The other points of argument include:

• That the European arrest warrant (EAW) is not valid, because Ny is not the authorised issuing authority, and it has been sought for an improper purpose – ie “simply in order to question him and without having yet reached a decision on whether or not to prosecute him”. This, they argue, would be in contravention of a well-established principle “that mere suspicion should not found a request for extradition”.

• That there has been “abuse of process” as Assange has not had full disclosure of all documents relating to the case, in particular text messages sent by one of the women, in which she allegedly said she was “half asleep” (ie not fully asleep) at the time they had sex, and messages between the two women in which they allegedly spoke of “revenge”.

• That the “conduct” of the Swedish prosecutor amounts to abuse of process. Assange’s lawyers cite the fact that the rape allegations were initially dismissed and then reopened by a second prosecutor, that the prosecutor has refused Assange’s offers of interview, and that it has not made documents available to Assange in English. They also cite the leak of part of the prosecution case to the Guardian as “a breach of Mr Assange’s fair trial and privacy rights”.

• That the alleged offences would not be considered crimes in the UK, and therefore, they argue, an EAW between the two countries would not be valid.

• That the extradition attempt is politically motivated, and that his trial would be prejudiced because of his political opinions or because, they argue, of his gender.

Assange’s team will make their case on 7 and 8 February, when Assange will return to court for the full extradition hearing. The case for his extradition is being argued by the Crown Prosecution Service on behalf of the Swedish prosecutor; the full prosecution case is not expected to be released before that date.

District Judge Nicholas Evans agreed at this morning’s hearing to ease the terms of his bail conditions, which require Assange to wear an electronic tag and report daily to a police station close to the stately home on the Suffolk/Norfolk border where he is staying. For the nights of 6 and 7 February Assange will be permitted to stay in London.

 
Via The Guardian
 

Posted by Paul Gallagher
|
01.11.2011
10:45 am
|
Soviet Animation: ‘Interplanetary Revolution’, 1924
01.09.2011
08:07 pm
Topics:
Tags:

image
 
Here’s an interesting curiosity of Soviet animation called Interplanetary Revolution. It was written and directed by Zenon Komisarenko, Youry Merkulov and Nikolai Khodataev in 1924, as a piece of propaganda showing how the Soviet revolution drives “blood sucking international capitalists to desperation.” The film’s subtitle is a prediction to an “event very likely to happen in 1929”. Hm. The Wall Street Crash, anyone?

Interplanetary Revolution. A tale about Comrade Cominternov, the Red Army Warrior, who flew to Mars and vanquished all the capitalists on the planet!

Made with stop motion and cell animation, it has been described by one reviewer on imdb as “More a curiosity than a work of art.” I’ll let you be the judge of that.
 

 
Previously on DM

Soviet Jazz Funk from the 1970s


 
With thanks to Zé Manel Pinheiro
 

Posted by Paul Gallagher
|
01.09.2011
08:07 pm
|
Julian Assange Coloring Book
01.09.2011
09:28 am
Topics:
Tags:

image
 
Here’s a fun way to get your message across - The Julian Assange Coloring Book:

Love him or loathe him, hero or villain, Julian Assange is probably the most talked about person alive today.
WikiLeaks, with Julian as editor-in-chief, has caused quite the stir, and with mirror sites sprouting up around the globe, they will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

“Collateral murder”, “Cablegate”, sexual misconduct charges against Julian in Sweden, calls for his assassination by the CIA, intrigue, suspense, and conspiracy theories - it all makes for pretty serious stuff.

So where does the Julian Assange Coloring Book fit in?

Well, simply put, it’s not “serious stuff”. It’s a coloring book about Julian Assange (with the occasional WikiLeaks page for good measure).

Coloring in is fun and relaxing - try it and see!

If you fancy coloring in Julian Assange, then try your hand here.
 
image
 
With thanks to Maria Guimil
 
More coloring book pics of Mr Assange after the jump…
 

READ ON
Posted by Paul Gallagher
|
01.09.2011
09:28 am
|
Bjork Kicks-off 3-Day Karaoke Campaign Against Take-over of Icelandic Resources
01.08.2011
11:53 am
Topics:
Tags:

image
 
Icelandic singer Bjork is hosting a three-day karaoke marathon to draw attention to her country’s natural resources and a possible takeover by a Canadian energy company, the Toronto Sun reports.

The off-beat singer has launched a petition to call for a referendum to stop the takeover of HS Orka by Vancouver-based Magma Energy.

HS Oka produces geothermal and thermal power.

Concerns raised last summer after the sale was made public were put to rest in September, Magma Energy said, after a special committee appointed by the Icelandic government “concluded that Magma acted in full compliance with Icelandic law.”

Even though Magma Energy announced on its website in December is has completed obligations for the purchase of 98.53% of HS Orka, the wire service AFP reported Bjork said “the fight to keep it in the hands of the Icelandic people is not over,” during a press conference Thursday.

On her website, Bjork encouraged people to come to the event and sing their favourite songs.

“Elves, hidden people, sports people, hobby musicians and professionals ... everyone who cares for Iceland, come and join forces and perform a powerful ode to the nature of Iceland,” a press release for the event said, the Iceland Review reported. “Let’s bring our natural resources back to us with song.”

Bjork was set to perform along with other well-known Icelandic musicians.

For more information about the campaign, check here and click English version.  Now, here’s a video, via Icelandic Chronicles, of Bjork singing Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart” at the karaoke, from 6 January 2011.
 

 
With thanks to Norn Cutson
 

Posted by Paul Gallagher
|
01.08.2011
11:53 am
|
Dilma Rousseff - Brazil’s First Female President Sworn into Office
01.02.2011
12:13 pm
Topics:
Tags:

image
 
Brazil’s first female President, Dilma Rousseff has been sworn into office. At her swearing in, President Rousseff said:

“I know the historical significance of this decision. Today, all Brazilian women should feel proud and happy.”

Rousseff, a former Marxist guerilla who was imprisoned and tortured during Brazil’s long dictatorship for her involvement in a series of bank robberies in the 1970s, said at her 40-minute inauguration speech, “That at times this tough path made me value and love life much more. It gave me, more than anything else, courage to confront even bigger challenges. It’s with this courage that I’m going to govern Brazil.”

Rousseff has appointed nine women to her cabinet of 37 ministers - a record for Brazil, and traveled to the event in a Rolls Royce surrounded by female security guards - another first - she also said:

““The most determined struggle will be to eradicate extreme poverty. We can be a more developed and fairer country.
I will not rest while there are Brazilians without food on their table, homeless in the streets, and poor children abandoned to their luck.”

The new President gave support to “the ‘free press’ than the silence of the dictatorship.”

“I come to open doors for many other women can be presidents.

I come not to praise my biography. My commitment is to protect the weak, and govern for all.

We are experiencing the awakening of a new Brazil; innovation will be a key tool to be competitive in international markets”.

The destiny of a country depends not only on its government but of all people who live in it, I’ll be with everyone.

I extend my hand to the opposition parties. From now on I am the president of all Brazilians.”

 

 
With thanks to Danielle Delgado
 

Posted by Paul Gallagher
|
01.02.2011
12:13 pm
|
Jarvis Cocker: ‘Cunts Are Still Running The World’
12.15.2010
04:03 pm
Topics:
Tags:

image
 

 
Like Mr. Cocker, I hope one day this song will become obsolete. But until then…
 
With thanks to Suzanne Moore
 

Posted by Paul Gallagher
|
12.15.2010
04:03 pm
|
Footage of British Police Brutality Against Disabled Journalist
12.13.2010
03:19 pm
Topics:
Tags:

image
 
Jody McIntyre is a blogger, journalist and political activist. He is also disabled. Last week, Jody took part in the demonstrations against the British government’s hike in university tuition fees. During the demo, Jody was dragged from his wheelchair in an “unprovoked” attack by police, as he explained to East London Lines:

“I was in Parliament Sq with my brother and we saw everyone running to one of the corners so we ran and made our way to the front.

“One policeman hit me with his baton in the shoulder then suddenly four or five of them picked me up, and dragged me from my chair. They carried me quite violently and against my will and put me on the pavement.

“Eventually after about 5 minutes, my brother was let through.

“What was even more shocking though, later on I had moved to the other side of Parliament Sq and I was sitting in my wheelchair in space in the middle of the road. A policeman recognized me from the earlier incident and came running over, pushed me out of my chair and dragged me across the road. This was completely unprovoked.”

Jody has yet to decide if he will pursue a complaint against the police, but was eager to highlight this was not an isolated incident.

“I’ve been to a lot of these protests and people are always violent with me,” he said.

“Even though I’m in a wheelchair, I like to think we’re all equal human beings. There was plenty of violence towards students yesterday, and even though I’ve had media attention, all of this violence is equally disgraceful. But this is standard police behavior.”

 

 
Previously on Dangerous Minds

Not Just Berkeley and London The International Student Movement is on Fire


London Riots Not Quite Anarchy as Prince Charles’ Car Attacked


Students Demonstrate Outside Tory HQ London


 

Posted by Paul Gallagher
|
12.13.2010
03:19 pm
|
15-year-old Tells Establishment to Stick It
12.10.2010
08:10 pm
Topics:
Tags:

 
“We are now the generation at the heart of the fightback.”
 
With thanks to Suzanne Moore
 

Posted by Paul Gallagher
|
12.10.2010
08:10 pm
|
Artist Ai Weiwei Under House Arrest
11.05.2010
09:43 am
Topics:
Tags:

image
 
The artist and digital activist Ai Weiwei is currently under house arrest in his native China, according to the Guardian. Weiwei, who has embarrassed Chinese authorities on several occasions with his campaigns on sensitive issues, says he has been placed under house arrest until Sunday night because he planned to hold a party to mark the demolition of his newly built studio.

Earlier this week Weiwei, best known for his bird’s nest design for China’s Olympic Stadium, and his Sunflower Seeds exhibition,  was ordered to demolish his recently completed $1.2m studio in Shanghai, which had been built after a personal invitation from the local mayor two years ago. The studio was to form part of a new cultural area, where Weiwei was to teach architecture. Authorities now claim the studio had been erected without the relevant planning permission and has to be demolished. In response Weiwei said:

“I was very surprised because the whole process was under government supervision and they were very enthusiastic in pushing it,” he said.

“Two years ago quite a high official [from Shanghai] came to my studio to ask me to build a studio in this newly developed cultural district in an agricultural area. I told him I wouldn’t do it because I had no faith in government, but he somehow convinced me, saying he had come to Beijing from Shanghai, and so I said OK.

“Half a dozen artists were invited to build studios there because they wanted a cultural area. I’m the only one singled out to have my studio destroyed.”

Weiwei decided to hold a huge party before demolition work began, today Ai tweeted that national security officers visited him to say he could not leave his Beijing house until midnight on Sunday - the day of the event. As the Guardian reports:

They appear to have been concerned by the size of the party as well as its nature. Thousands of people had said they wanted to attend after Ai issued an open invitation via Twitter. Chinese authorities are always nervous about large unauthorised gatherings.

“They came last night and tried to interview me, saying I should not do it because it was getting too big,” he said.

“I told them: ‘I cannot cancel my party, because it is our only chance before the building is destroyed.’ Then they suggested I said I was under house arrest. I said: ‘This is ridiculous, because I’m not under house arrest and I’m not going to lie to the public.’”

Ai said he suggested they could either let the party go ahead and stop it if there was any wrongdoing, or ask the Shanghai government not to demolish the building – even if it were only a temporary stay of execution. Had they done so, he would have called off the party.

The police returned today and announced he was under house arrest after he reiterated that he would go unless they stopped him by force.

“They said it was an order they had received … They were very polite and very embarrassed,” he added.

“This is the general tragedy of this nation. Everything has to be dealt with by police. It is like you use an axe to do all the housework because this is the only tool you have.”

 

 

 

Posted by Paul Gallagher
|
11.05.2010
09:43 am
|
Surreally terrible political ads
03.16.2010
09:45 pm
Topics:
Tags:

 
First there is Vernon Robinson for Congress. This is just fuckin’ terrible. He’s really trolling after the low IQ voters, isn’t he?
 

 
And then there is this one, for Diane Benson from Alaska. I think the message here is supposed to be “She’s got experience cleaning up messes” (and of course “She loves dogs!”) but they don’t really spell that out all that well and the ad goes from being merely ineffectual to actually being confusing for the viewer. Ultimately it gets no point across whatsoever.

The same cannot be said about the video below…
 

 
The problem I have with this one is simply that it doesn’t have the courage of its convictions. If he’d had the balls to portray the evil, grinning Wall Street magnate actually pissing on the little people, this man would be in office now (or at the very least have made a guest appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live after a fleeting YouTube viral video success).
 
And then there is this one where the old guy forgot to take his meds, then throws a rock in the lake. What’s he supposed to be running for???
 

 
Here Mike Gravel tries gamely to explain the rock throwing video. Here he does a rap. I think he should do a duet with Ron Paul.

Via Huffington Post

Posted by Richard Metzger
|
03.16.2010
09:45 pm
|
Page 3 of 3  < 1 2 3