Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin Photo: fmprc.gov.cn

 Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday that the case of WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange is a mirror to the hypocrisy of the UK and the US, both of which have claimed to safeguard the press freedom. The remarks were made following the approval by the UK government of Assange's extradition to the US on Friday.

In a Friday statement, WikiLeaks stressed that Assange "committed no crime and is not a criminal," noting that he is a "journalist and a publisher" who "is being punished for doing his job," according to the CNN.

The statement said anyone who cared about freedom of expression should be "deeply ashamed" that UK Home Secretary Priti Patel had approved Assange's extradition.

The WikiLeaks, the website founded by Assange, has exposed large amount of information about the US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as the fact that US' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) carried out cyber hackings, said Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a press conference.

The US government has for more than a decade made up sexual harassment, espionage, computer abuse and other charges, through secret surveillance, global manhunt, behind-the-scenes deals and other means to try to suppress and arrest Assange, Wang pointed out.

The UK has spared no effort in cooperating with the US in arresting and extraditing Assange and moving the process forward quickly, which fully demonstrates the loyalty of the UK to the US and the fact that the two countries have cooperated in the cross-border repression of certain individuals, Wang said.

The Assange case is a mirror to the hypocrisy of UK and US, both of which have boasted to safeguard the press freedom, Wang said. 

For the US and the UK, individuals who expose secrets of other countries are heroes, but those exposing secrets and evil deeds of the two countries and their partners are criminals; the US and the UK always accuse other countries of political persecution for suppressing the media, while defending themselves over suppressing the media by saying they did it in accordance with the law, Wang said.

The world is paying close attention to Assange's human rights and personal fate, and we believe that fairness and justice will be upheld in the end and that hegemony cannot do whatever they want forever, Wang noted.

According to the BBC, Assange is wanted by the US authorities over documents leaked in 2010 and 2011, which the US says broke the law and endangered lives. The Wikileaks documents related to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Global Times