The No Extradition Assange Campaign, aiming to oppose the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States, is innovatively launching a virtual political rally within a virtual universe. Assange, currently held in London's Belmarsh prison since April l l 2019, is battling extradition to the US on charges related to leaking classified information about US agency misconduct during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. His potential sentence could span up to 175 years in prison under the US Espionage Act.
As the creator of WikiLeaks, Assange has played a significant role in exposing governmental misconduct by releasing sensitive information to the public. However, these actions have made him a target for various agencies, notably in the United States. The campaign, backed by Assange and his family, is organizing virtual political rallies to amplify public support after his latest extradition appeal was rejected by a British court in June. The virtual event, scheduled for August 26 in Wistaverse – a non-profit metaverse within the Polygon blockchain 's Sandbox ecosystem – will feature prominent figures like Julian Assange's wife Stella Assange, WikiLeaks co-founder and editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson, and British politician Jeremy Corbyn, among others.
The aim of the rally is to expand its outreach, given its virtual nature, and also to bolster public awareness about Assange's case. John Rees, founder and director of the Campaign for No Extradition Assange, stated that the rally intends to emphasize the pressing nature of the case and encourage people to actively protest against the extradition, as it poses a direct threat to press freedom. The virtual event will be hosted in a setting resembling London's Crown Court, where Assange's final appeal is expected to take place within the UK court t system. Additionally, the virtual environment will include messages from Assange himself.
After WikiLeaks' emergence, several civil rights and press freedom organizations rallied to support Assange, urging US authorities to drop the extradition charges. In the closing days of former US President Donald Trump's term, cryptocurrency donations exceeding $400,000 were made to Assange's defense team in hopes of securing a presidential pardon. Furthermore, a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) managed to raise $53 million to support WikiLeaks and its co-founder in 2022.
