Foreign Minister will not comment on Assange’s case

Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Labor Party) said in a written response to Bjørnar Moxnes of Rødt that he would not comment on the legal process in the Julian Assange case. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum / NTB

By NTB | 21.12.2021 10:09:27

Culture and entertainment: To a written question from Rødt’s Bjørnar Moxnes, Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Labor Party) replied that it was not natural for him to comment on independent legal proceedings in the UK.

– In general, I would like to emphasize that the protection of journalists, human rights defenders and other vulnerable people is a high priority in Norway’s foreign policy, wrote the Minister of Foreign Affairs in his reply to Moxnes.

Moxnes has asked the Secretary of State to come to the scene to prevent the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Nearly two weeks ago, a British appeals court ruled that Julian Assange could be extradited to the United States. Since 2019, he has been imprisoned at Belmarsh High Security Prison outside London pending British court proceedings on a US extradition request.

– Norway expects the UK, the United States and all other countries to comply with their international human rights obligations, Huitfeldt wrote, indicating that he is concerned that freedom of expression and independent media are under increasing pressure.

Moxnes was not happy with Huitfeldt’s response.

– The Foreign Minister’s tacit approval of Norway’s closest ally that killed Assange is a shameful betrayal of freedom of expression and human rights, he told NTB.

(©NTB)