ACTIVISTS held an international tribunal into the Julian Assange case in Washington DC today.

The tribunal, organised by the Progressive International in partnership with the Wau Holland Foundation was held at the National Press Club.

This was the same venue where, in 2010, WikiLeaks founder Mr Assange first premiered Collateral Murder, the leaked video which documented some of the war crimes committed by the US army in al-Amin al-Thaniyah, Iraq.

The film sparked a charge of espionage from the United States government for which Mr Assange is awaiting extradition to the US from Britain.

The tribunal was co-chaired by journalist Amy Goodman and philosopher Srecko Horvat.

Members of the tribunal included Stella Assange, WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson, human rights attorney Steven Donziger, British MP Jeremy Corbyn, whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg and professor Noam Chomsky.

Ahead of the tribunal Mr Horvat said: “Our tribunal is gathering courageous voices of dissent to demand justice for those crimes and to demand President Biden to drop the charges against Mr Assange immediately.”

Former member of Mr Assange’s legal team Renata Avila said: “The Espionage Act is one of the most dangerous pieces of legislation in the world: an existential threat against international investigative journalism.”

Mr Corbyn told the Morning Star ahead of the tribunal: “WikiLeaks exposed crimes of the US empire in Afghanistan, Iraq, as well as the exercise of corporate power around the world. 

“The perpetrators of these crimes walk free. They should be held accountable for the lives they destroyed and the futures they stole.

“Power-challenging journalism empowers citizens to organise against crimes and for a better world.”

Mr Chomsky is set to tell the tribunal that Mr Assange should be freed “without any further unconscionable delay.”

Partners of the tribunal include Democracy Now, Defending Rights & Dissent, Courage Foundation, DiEM25, The Intercept and The Nation.