Wikileaks: Ecuador Cuts Off Internet Access for Julian Assange

Wikileaks have warned that they've lost communication with their founder Julian Assange, who is a fugitive who has taken asylum in the embassy of Ecuador. Apparently, the Ecuador govt has suddenly cut off Julian Assange's internet access. The govt of Ecuador is refusing to comment on the matter.

Julian Assange's internet link has been intentionally severed by a state party. We have activated the appropriate contingency plans.

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) October 17, 2016

http://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-news/ecuador-govt-cuts-off-julian-assanges-internet-access-wikileaks-3088864/


Wikileaks has been hosting and making available to the public a large trove of emails hacked from the Clinton campaign, obtained from undisclosed sources. Atlanticist hawks within the US security establishment are accusing Russia of having hacked Clinton campaign emails and provided them to Wikileaks - but have yet to provide explicit proof of their allegations, in spite of repeated requests to do so.

Given the fact that the US election is in its final few weeks before actual voting occurs, the timing of the Ecuador govt's actions against Assange seems very conspicuous.

When NYT is publishing illegally-obtained tax records on Donald Trump, there seems to be no punitive action against them. But Assange of Wikileaks now seems to be the recipient of punitive action designed to shut him up. Leaving aside whether Assange is heroic underdog vs biased stooge - if NYT has the right to publish illegally-obtained tax records on Donald Trump, then Assange/Wikileaks have the same right to publish hacked email records from the Clinton campaign.

If the US govt has pushed Ecuador's govt to silence Assange, then the US govt has an obligation to disclose this fact to the American people, especially since such action would have an impact on the US elections. Selective intervention by the US govt in relation to the US electoral process could taint that electoral process.