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Byron Shire
July 16, 2026
Letters

Assange

By The Echo

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Gareth W R Smith, Byron Bay

Her Majesty the Queen, Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA

‘Madam,

Journalist Julian Assange is being held in one of your prisons, the notorious Belmarsh. According to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, “Mr Assange showed all symptoms typical for prolonged exposure to psychological torture, including extreme stress, chronic anxiety and intense psychological trauma.” His legal rights have been trampled even to the point of eavesdropping on sacrosanct communications between himself and his legal team, whilst crucial documentation for his defence has been withheld. Clearly, he is a political prisoner with no hope of a fair and just legal hearing.

Your Majesty, you used your Royal Prerogative of Mercy on behalf of convicted murderer, Steven Gallant who, thanks to your intervention, is to be considered for release on parole ten months early. On the other hand, Julian Assange, innocent of any wrongdoing, posted millions of top secret documents about high level gross violations of human rights, like the infamous US gunship massacre of innocent civilians in Baghdad (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLic1Y3re-A. He is being persecuted while the US apache helicopter murderers remain at large. How much more deserving of your intervention is Julian whose only “crime” has been to tell the truth about nefarious acts which powerful forces would prefer kept hidden? In my Change.org petition 4,420 people called on you to order Mr Assange’s release (http://chng.it/KwmkTyL4). We all hope you

will use your good office to uphold the law and [to] order the release of this good man.

This letter was read out publically at a rally of support for Julian Assange in Byron Bay, NSW 2481, Australia.

I have the honour to be, Madam, Your Majesty’s humble and obedient servant.’

Gareth W R Smith

Byron Bay

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Become one of the supporters who helps keep independent, local journalism alive in the Byron Shire by contributing anything from as little as the cost of a coffee each month.

You're Wonderful, Thank you for supporting independent journalism in the Byron Shire