In Defense of Wikileaks

 Journalists, health professionals, academics and others associated with the Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma-Australasia have called upon the Australian Government to provide all appropriate support to Julian Assange. 

He is entitled to all of the usual protection and rights afforded to Australian citizens and journalists, whether in this country or overseas.

The Dart Centre Australasia, part of an international network dedicated to improving media coverage and community understanding of violence and trauma-related issues, works to ensure the safety and well-being of media professionals. We are particularly concerned by the incitations to violence against Mr. Assange. We urge the Australian Government to condemn such comments in strong and unequivocal terms, and to take all possible steps to protect Mr. Assange’s safety.

In a December 14 letter to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Dart Australasia Managing Director Cait McMahon called upon the Australian Government to stand up for the democratic principles of the presumption of innocence and freedom of information. The letter was approved by the directors of Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma-Australasia, an independent, Melbourne-based organization working in partnership with the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, a project of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.

Read the full text of that letter in the PDF document posted here. Journalists and others who wish to add their names to the letter to the Prime Minister may do so here.