The ongoing torture and medical neglect of Julian Assange

Nils Melzer, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and two medical experts visited Mr Assange in prison in May, 2019, concluding that his treatment constituted psychological torture, a form of torture aimed at destroying the personality o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Lancet (British edition) Vol. 396; no. 10243; pp. 22 - 23
Main Authors Hogan, William, Frost, Stephen, Johnson, Lissa, Schulze, Thomas G, Nelson, E Anthony S, Frost, William
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England Elsevier Ltd 04.07.2020
Elsevier Limited
Subjects
Assange, Julian Paul
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Ethics, Medical
Extradition
Health services
Human Rights
Longitudinal Studies
Medical treatment
Punishment
Torture
United States > US
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Summary:Nils Melzer, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and two medical experts visited Mr Assange in prison in May, 2019, concluding that his treatment constituted psychological torture, a form of torture aimed at destroying the personality of an individual.2 The situation has deteriorated since then, with continued abuses of Mr Assange's fundamental rights and the medical risks posed by COVID-19. Since February, 2020, there has been a string of hearings in the context of Mr Assange's US extradition trial. Human rights organisations and others have called for Mr Assange's release and condemned the extradition proceedings. Amnesty International has advocated for Mr Assange's release on bail.5 The Council of Europe considers7 Mr Assange's treatment to be among “the most severe threats to media freedom”.8 We reiterate our demand to end the torture and medical neglect of Julian Assange.1 IBAHRI states that, in view of Mr Assange being a victim of psychological torture, his extradition to the USA would be illegal under international human rights law.3 The World Psychiatric Association emphasises that withholding appropriate medical treatment can itself amount to torture,9 and under the Convention Against Torture, those acting in official capacities can be held complicit and accountable not only for perpetration of torture, but for their silent acquiescence and consent.
Bibliography:SourceType-Other Sources-1
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ObjectType-Correspondence-1
ObjectType-Commentary-2
ISSN:0140-6736
1474-547X
DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31444-6