A group of 65 UK and international doctors has written an open letter, expressing their concerns over WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's health conditions, saying they are so bad he could die at any moment inside the prison
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th November, 2019) A group of 65 UK and international doctors has written an open letter, expressing their concerns over WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's health conditions, saying they are so bad he could die at any moment inside the prison.
The letter, circulating online, was addressed to the UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel, asking for Assange to be moved from Belmarsh prison in London to a university hospital.
"We write this open letter, as medical doctors, to express our serious concerns about the physical and mental health of Julian Assange," the open letter read.
Doctors based their assessment on the eyewitness accounts of his court appearance in London on October 21 and the November 1 report by Nils Melzer, the United Nations special rapporteur on torture.
"Our concerns were further heightened by the publication on 1 November 2019 of a further report of Nils Melzer, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, in which he stated: 'Unless the UK urgently changes course and alleviates his inhumane situation, Mr Assange's continued exposure to arbitrariness and abuse may soon end up costing his life,' a 16-page document cited Melzer as saying.
Last week, WikiLeaks announced that Sweden discontinued its investigation against Assange over a rape allegation, which began in 2010. However, the whistleblower is still serving a prison sentence in the United Kingdom over breaching his bail conditions and the United States has asked for his extradition after indicting him on Espionage Act-related charges.
The whistleblower could get 175 years in prison for espionage if extradited to the United States, and it is up to the UK court to decide on this matter.
