<story><title>Survivor of CIA Torture and Rendition Supports Assange at Extradition Trial</title><url>https://dissenter.substack.com/p/khaled-el-masri-survivor-of-cia-torture</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>doublesCs</author><text>&amp;gt; The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) confirmed nine years after that El Masri was “severely beaten, sodomized, shackled, and hooded, and subjected total sensory deprivation—carried out in the presence of state officials of Macedonia and within its jurisdiction.”&lt;p&gt;&amp;gt; Macedonia’s “government was consequently responsible for those acts performed by foreign officials…Those measures had been used with premeditation, the aim being to cause Mr. Masri severe pain and suffering in order to obtain information,” the ECHR additionally found.&lt;p&gt;&amp;gt; (...)&lt;p&gt;&amp;gt; “The U.S. diplomatic cables revealed the extent of pressure brought upon the German authorities (and in parallel, relevant Spanish authorities) not to act upon the clear evidence of criminal acts by the USA even though by then exposed,” Goetz added.&lt;p&gt;Then some Americans are confused that many in the western world don&amp;#x27;t like American influence. I find it outrageous that these things happen, and I wouldn&amp;#x27;t want my government to consider such a country an ally.</text></comment>
<story><title>Survivor of CIA Torture and Rendition Supports Assange at Extradition Trial</title><url>https://dissenter.substack.com/p/khaled-el-masri-survivor-of-cia-torture</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>elmo2you</author><text>&amp;gt; .. in the United States, it will likely be excluded as irrelevant because the Espionage Act does not allow a public interest defense.&lt;p&gt;Remind me again, what made the USA any better than North Korea or any other off-the-rails criminal regime?&lt;p&gt;If this statement about the Espionage Act is correct, then why is there even a discussion whether Assange will get a fair trial in the USA? It&amp;#x27;s plain as daylight that he never will, even for that specific fact only.&lt;p&gt;In fact, any country that signed and ratified the UN&amp;#x27;s UDHR, should be barred from extraditing anyone to the USA. Especially for cases like these.&lt;p&gt;If this involved an African, Asian or a Middle Eastern country, the USA and EU would no doubt threaten with bombing the country into submission, if they would continue to violate basic human right in order to cover up their criminal actions.</text></comment>