Ep 200 Assange Extradition Decision Imminent New Audio Evidence Released feat Mohamed Elmaazi

Guest: Mohamed Elmaazi. Journalist Mohammed Elmaazi and I had this conversation the week before Christmas just as new exculpatory evidence, audio of conversation between Julian Assange and a State Department official, was released by Project Veritas. We are also now in the final weeks leading up to the court decision on Assange's extradition from the United Kingdom to the United States and there have been many people, including some pretty influential people, urging Trump to pardon Assange. In our conversation we reviewed some of the events and players and skullduggery over the years since the early days of Wikileaks. Plus there is a bonus episode with our thoughts on whether Assange will be pardoned, who we think are the most influential people lobbying Trump for and against a pardon and how things might play out if Assange is pardoned. Even The Guardian, whose behavior toward Assange has been contemptible, made an editorial statement opposing extradition. Mohammed commented on it on Twitter: "This editorial statement by The Guardian on Julian Assange is spot on. If only they made this clear years ago rather than 3 weeks before the judge is due to give her decision." I'd also like to mention a few of the things have happened recently since we recorded this interview. First. there was breaking news about members of the UK parliament now lobbying for an Assange pardon and also German MPs have formed a working group to free Julian Assange.  Mohamed Elmaazi is a journalist with experience in human rights law, with degrees from American University in Cairo and SOAS. He writes for Sputnik News, he publishes The Interregnum blog and he has been a contributor to Open Democracy, The Canary, the Grayzone and The Real News Network.   FOLLOW Mohamed on Twitter at @MElmaazi. Find his writing at Sputnik News, The Canary and visit his blog The Interregnum Around the Empire is listener supported, independent media. Pitch in at Patreon: patreon.com/aroundtheempire or paypal.me/aroundtheempirepod. Find all links at aroundtheempire.com.  SUBSCRIBE on YouTube. FOLLOW @aroundtheempire and @joanneleon.  SUBSCRIBE/FOLLOW on iTunes, iHeart, Spotify, Google Play, Facebook or on your preferred podcast app. Reference Links: Assange Supporters Denounce 'Lies', 'Smears' and 'Fabrications' Outside The Guardian Headquarters, Mohamed Elmaazi Audio Recordings Confirm Assange Spoke to US State Dept to Stop Publication of Unredacted Cables, Mohamed Elmaazi German MPs Form 'Free Julian Assange' Working Group Amid Growing Calls for a Trump Pardon, Mohamed Elmaazi Assange's Removal From Embassy Was Coordinated on 'Direct Orders From the US President', Court Told, Mohamed Elmaazi (Mohamed interview of Cassandra Fairbanks) Tucker Carlson interview with Stella Moris "Project Veritas" Leak: Julian Assange Asked Clinton State Department For Help Mitigating Damage Of Unintentional 2011 Data Dump, Real Clear Politics Glenn Greenwald on Tucker Carlson show re: Assange