Julian Assange and his fiancee Stella Moris are bringing legal action against Justice Secretary Dominic Raab and the Governor of Belmarsh Prison, accusing them of preventing the couple from marrying behind bars.
They believe that the UK authorities are preventing their wedding because of a US-backed military campaign against Wikileaks’ publisher and campaigner.
The September revelation that Assange was being held hostage in London’s Embassy of Ecuador by the CIA revealed how the agency had planned to murder or kidnap him during Assange’s seven-year exile. His family and friends were also monitored by the agency and misinformation was spread against them.
Stella, 38, a lawyer, said: ‘Those catch-or-kill plans were not implemented but other hostile measures were and this is the sting in the tail.
It was discovered that the CIA had devised plans to kill or kidnap Assange in September while he had been exiled at the Embassy of Ecuador, London. His family and friends were also tracked by the agency, which led to misinformation campaigns against Assange.
‘It’s part of an enormous conspiracy against Julian which makes itself felt in all that we try to do.
‘A wedding would be a moment of happiness, a bit of normality in insane circumstances. Julian has to have something to hold onto because his daily life in Belmarsh is difficult and there’s so much uncertainty.
‘Our love for each other is the one thing which has carried us through and being married would be another bulwark in our emotional defences.
‘There is no reason for political interference in what is a basic human right. The CIA revelations show the lengths some agencies are willing to go to in their persecution of Julian.’
Assange (50) and his fiancée have been married for five years. They have two children, are Catholics, and both have practiced Catholicism. Since May, they have asked for assistance in arranging their Belmarsh wedding.
He is being held on remand in the maximum security jail while the US tries to extradite him to face allegations of conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following Wikileaks’ publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.
Stella, 38, a lawyer, said: ‘Those catch-or-kill plans were not implemented but other hostile measures were and this is the sting in the tail’
Stella claims that Stella’s wedding will not result in her being extradited. This is because Max (two years old) and Gabriel (4-year-old), are British citizens. She has also rights to residence, as she’s been living in Britain for over 20 years.
The couple filed legal action Friday to open the door for a judicial hearing. The Justice Secretary Jenny Louis and Belmarsh Governor Jenny Louis are the defendants in this case.
Stella approached the prison chapel to inquire about organizing a marriage ceremony. Stella approached the prison chaplain to ask about arranging a ceremony. After receiving an initial reply, there was no more help. On October 7, Assange formally asked the Governor’s office to agree to a Belmarsh wedding, but he has had no reply.
On October 14, the couple’s lawyers asked the prison to grant permission for Stella and a registrar from Greenwich Register Office to visit Assange together, so the couple could give notice of their intention to wed. Three follow-up requests have failed to secure any reply.
Their legal action says this creates ‘a total and indefinite barrier not only to the claimants marrying, but even to them beginning the statutory process for the same’.
Ms Louis has told the couple’s legal team she was obliged to refer the wedding request to the Crown Prosecution Service. Their lawyers claim that this is not relevant because he hasn’t been charged with anything in the UK.
In the legal action, Mr Raab & Ms Louis are accused of using their power over Assange and acting irrationally, unfairly and depriving their children and spouse their human rights. They have until November 12th to reply.
Assange fled to Ecuador’s Embassy in 2012 in order to avoid his extradition via Sweden to the USA. He faced allegations of sex offenses for which he wasn’t charged. These charges were dismissed later. In 2019, he was removed by police from the Embassy and placed in Belmarsh.
Since then, he has been waiting for the US decision to exile him. Assange won’t be released until the US drops its case.