Brazil's Lula sticks up for Assange

Thu, 09 Dec 2010

Brasilia - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stuck up Thursday for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and called those keen on protecting freedom of expression to protest over his arrest in Britain.

"The lad was arrested and I see no protests in favor of freedom of expression. There is nothing. The lad only posted what he read onto the website. Guilt rests not on the person who disclosed (the leaked documents), but on those who wrote them," Lula said in Brasilia.

The leftist Lula, a former trade union leader, has himself come under fire by press freedom advocates for his plans to create an agency to regulate media content. He is set to leave office after eight years on January 1.

Assange, 39, is in Wandsworth Prison in London after Sweden sought his extradition on rape charges. Sweden denies this has any connection with US efforts to bring Assange to justice for gradually releasing 250,000 leaked US diplomatic cables.

Assange has denied the Swedish allegations, saying they are part of a smear campaign.

Lula said he will order the publication on the Brazilian Presidency's blog of a protest against Assange's arrest.

"I think we have to stand up for freedom of expression. Here are my protests and my solidarity," he said.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/357428,brazils-lula-sticks-assange.html.