IN PICTURES
Protests across several European cities in support of Julian Assange, and more from around the world
Moving, surprising, inspiring, terrifying, shocking ... This is a selection of images from our planet, over the last 48 hours.
Pro-Assange campaigners shows signs reading, ‘freedom’, during a protest in Berlin, Germany, 20 February 2024. Julian Assange is facing his final extradition hearing at the High Court on 20 to 21 February. Assange is facing 175 years in a US prison if the hearing goes against him. EPA-EFE/Filip Singer
Pro-Assange campaigners during a protest in Naples, Italy, 20 February 2024. Julian Assange is facing his final extradition hearing at the High Court on 20 to 21 February. Assange is facing 175 years in a US prison if the hearing goes against him. EPA-EFE/CESARE ABBATE
Women hold a placard with the portrait of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, during a rally to support him, at Place de la Republique in Paris, France, 20 February 2024. Julian Assange is facing his final extradition hearing at the High Court on 20 to 21 February in London. Assange is facing 175 years in a US prison if the hearing goes against him. EPA-EFE/TERESA SUAREZ
People hold banners that read “Free Assange” in front of the UK consulate to protest against the extradition of Julian Assange to the USA on February 20, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. The two-day hearing in London determines whether Julian Assange can appeal against the extradition order approved by then-Home Secretary Priti Patel in June 2022. The WikiLeaks founder is facing life imprisonment in the US for publishing thousands of classified military and diplomatic documents in 2010, which were provided by US army whistleblower Chelsea Manning. Between 2012 and 2019, Assange received asylum in Ecuador on the grounds of political persecution. Since 2019, he has been held at London’s Belmarsh Prison as the US extradition case has proceeded. (Photo by Javier Mostacero Carrera/Getty Images)
Pro Julian Assange supporters protest at the Royal Courts of Justice on the second day of Julian Assange’s extradition appeal hearing in London, Britain, 21 February 2024. Julian Assange is facing his final extradition hearing at the High Court on 20 to 21 February. Assange is facing 175 years in a US prison if the hearing goes against him. EPA-EFE/NEIL HALL
Pro-Assange campaigners form a human chain in front of the US Embassy, during a protest in Berlin, Germany, 20 February 2024. Julian Assange is facing his final extradition hearing at the High Court on 20 to 21 February. Assange is facing 175 years in a US prison if the hearing goes against him. EPA-EFE/Filip Singer
A supporter of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has her mouth taped with a ‘Free speech’ slogan on the second day of Julian Assange’s extradition appeal hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Britain, 21 February 2024. Julian Assange is facing his final extradition hearing at the High Court in London on 20 to 21 February. Assange could face up to 175 years in a US prison if the hearing goes against him. EPA-EFE/NEIL HALL
Campaigners from Avaaz stage a protest outside the UN before a United Nations Security Council vote on a US-proposed draft resolution, which calls for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, at United Nations headquarters in New York, New York, USA, 20 February 2024. Thousands of Israelis and Palestinians have died since the militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip on 07 October 2023, leading to Israeli strikes on the Palestinian enclave. EPA-EFE/EDUARDO MUNOZ
Hindu devotees and visitors walk up the colorful 272 steps to the Batu Caves Temple outside Kuala Lumpur in Gombak, Malaysia, 21 February 2024. An escalator will be built at Batu Caves this year as an alternative to the 272 steps to reach the Sri Subramaniar cave temple, which is more accessible to the disabled and elderly visitors. EPA-EFE/FAZRY ISMAIL
A mosaic artwork titled ‘MLGA-15’ by French artist Invader on display during an auction preview titled ‘Street Art’ at Julien’s Auctions in Gardena, California, USA, 20 February 2024. The auction goes live 22 February 2024. EPA-EFE/CAROLINE BREHMAN
People place flowers at the Central Shaheed Minar monument during Language Martyrs’ Day and International Mother Language Day in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 21 February 2024. On 21 February every year, Bangladesh celebrates State Language Day or Language Martyrs’ Day, which commemorates the Bengali Language Movement demonstrations in 1952. EPA-EFE/MONIRUL ALAM
A foreign tourist walks past a decoration celebrating the Year of the Dragon at a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, 20 February 2024. The National Economic and Social Development Council has revised its 2024 economic growth forecast down to 2.2 to 3.2 percent, from the earlier prediction of 2.7 to 3.7 percent, after the economy experienced a 1.9 percent growth rate in 2023. EPA-EFE/RUNGROJ YONGRIT
Ukrainians ring bells as a tribute to the activists killed during anti-government protests in 2014, at the memorial for Maidan activists, dubbed the ‘Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred’, not far from Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, 20 February 2024. Ukrainians mark the 10th anniversary of the escalated violence in Maidan which resulted in at least 100 people being killed. The protests eventually led to the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych, creating political rifts through the country that erupted into a violent conflict between separatists and government forces in the eastern part of the country in the spring. EPA-EFE/SERGEY DOLZHENKO
Hindu devotees and visitors are seen on the foot of the colorful 272 steps to the Batu Caves Temple outside Kuala Lumpur in Gombak, Malaysia, 21 February 2024. An escalator will be built at Batu Caves this year as an alternative to the 272 steps to reach the Sri Subramaniar cave temple, which is more accessible to the disabled and elderly visitors. EPA-EFE/FAZRY ISMAIL
Supporters of presidential candidate Khalifa Sall, a former mayor of Dakar and government minister, run away from tear gas shot by police to disperse Sall’s unauthorized campaign rally in Dakar, Senegal, 20 February 2024. Senegal’s outgoing President Macky Sall – unrelated to Khalifa Sall – pledged to organize the presidential elections ‘as soon as possible’ after the Constitutional Council overruled his decision to delay the vote which was scheduled for 25 February 2024. A new date for the elections has not yet been announced. EPA-EFE/JEROME FAVRE
Palestinians stand at their window after an Israeli airstrike on the Rafah refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip, 21 February 2024. More than 29,100 Palestinians and over 1,300 Israelis have been killed, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), since Hamas militants launched an attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip on 07 October 2023, and the Israeli operations in Gaza and the West Bank which followed it. EPA-EFE/HAITHAM IMAD
A veiled Iranian woman walks next to a wall painting in a street in Tehran, Iran, 21 February 2024. Iranians will vote for the parliamentary and assembly of experts elections on 01 March 2024. EPA-EFE/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
A veiled Iranian woman walks next to a wall painting of white horses in a street in Tehran, Iran, 21 February 2024. Iranians will vote for the parliamentary and assembly of experts elections on 01 March 2024. EPA-EFE/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
A model wears a creation, part of the Antonio Marras women’s Fall/Winter 2024/25 collection, presented at Milan’s Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, 21 February 2024. The women’s Fall/Winter 2024/25 collection is presented from 20 to 26 February. EPA-EFE/Daniel Dal Zennaro
A model wears a creation, part of the Antonio Marras women’s Fall/Winter 2024/25 collection, presented at Milan’s Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, 21 February 2024. The women’s Fall/Winter 2024/25 collection is presented from 20 to 26 February. EPA-EFE/Daniel Dal Zennaro
Dutch Queen Maxima (L) visits an inspiration session for more art and culture at school in Middelburg, The Netherlands, 21 February 2024. During this meeting it will be discussed how organizations can offer students equal opportunities with the help of art and culture in education. EPA-EFE/ROBIN UTRECHT
Visitors look at the artwork ‘The Muti-ed Makhoti: Sheila’s Ball’, in the exhibition ‘Shooting Down Babylon’ of South African artist Tracey Rose, in the Kunstmuseum in Bern, Switzerland, 21 February 2024. The exhibition runs from 23 February until 11 August 2024. EPA-EFE/PETER KLAUNZER
Visitors look at the artwork ‘Hard block on cotton’, during a media tour prior to the opening of the exhibition ‘Shooting Down Babylon’ of South African artist Tracey Rose, in the Kunstmuseum in Bern, Switzerland, 21 February 2024. The exhibition runs from 23 February until 11 August 2024. EPA-EFE/PETER KLAUNZER. DM
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The Assange issue is one of the most hypocritical on Earth. During the dictatorial government of Rafael Correa he was granted asylum in Ecuador´s embassy in London, so showing the world an alleged support of free press and liberty. While in Ecuador the then president was threatening and prosecuting journalists and the media. One of the main newspapers, El Universo, was about to be closed due to a lawsuit of about 40 million dollars. Only international intervention avoided it. It was one of the many, many cases in which the freedom of speech was attacked in Ecuador during the decade when Correa was in charge, from 2007 to 2017.