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FILE - In this May 1, 2019, file photo, protesters demonstrate outside court where Julian Assange will appear in London. The Justice Department has charged Assange with receiving and publishing classified information. The charges are contained in a new, 18-count indictment announced May 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

The Latest: Assange lawyer says charges threaten journalists

 By The Associated Press  May 23, 2019 at 5:55pm
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on U.S. charges against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange (all times local):

5:10 p.m.

A lawyer for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange says the “unprecedented charges” against his client threaten all journalists looking to inform the public about actions taken by the American government.

Assange was charged in a new 18-count indictment Thursday with soliciting and publishing classified information.

Barry Pollack, his lawyer, says the indictment charges Assange with “encouraging sources to provide him truthful information and for publishing that information.”

Pollack says the case poses a threat to all journalists doing their job.

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4 p.m.

The U.S. has filed new charges Thursday against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, accusing him of placing the United States at risk of serious harm by publishing thousands of secret and classified documents, including the names of confidential sources for American armed forces.

In an 18-count, superseding indictment, Justice Department prosecutors allege that Assange directed former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in one of the largest compromises of classified information in U.S. history.

The case presents immediate questions about media freedom, including whether the Justice Department is charging Assange for actions — such as soliciting and publishing classified information — that journalists do as a matter of course. Department officials say they believe Assange strayed far outside First Amendment protections.

The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

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The Associated Press
The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter
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