Julian Assange ‘harassed’

LONDON: Julian Assange’s father has claimed his son was “harassed” by a prison cell search the day before the start of his court battle against extradition.

John Shipton visited the WikiLeaks founder at Belmarsh Prison in south-east London for two hours on Sunday.Speaking to reporters afterwards outside, Mr Shipton demanded Assange be released on bail. “For the life of me I can’t understand why Julian Assange is in jail having committed no crime, with family here that he can come and live with,” he said.

“Bail ought to be given immediately if the extradition order isn’t dropped.“Julian had a harassment today. He goes to court tomorrow. They searched his cell this afternoon just before he came down to see us.

“This plague of malice that emanates from the Crown Prosecution Service to Julian Assange must stop immediately.”Mr Shipton was accompanied on his visit by Greek economist Yanis Varoufakis, with both met by representatives from Reporters Without Borders, an organisation that defends freedom of information, as they left the prison.

Mr Shipton said it was “distressing” and “very upsetting” to see his son in jail, adding that he had told him his whole family would be supporting him.Mr Varoufakis said Assange was in a “very dark place” due to spending more than 20 hours a day in solitary confinement.