By Parker McKenzie
As the screening of the documentary ITHAKA at Cameo Cinema in Belgrave approaches, John Shipton — the father of Julian Assange — spoke to the Star Mail about his son’s extradition case and health, the making of the documentary and Mr Assange’s brief time spent at Monbulk High School.
The documentary, directed by Ben Lawrence, was filmed over two years in Europe and the United States, as Mr Assange continues to fight to prevent being extradited to the United States on espionage charges. It will screen at Cameo Cinema on 17 April, followed by a question and answer session with Mr Shipton.
77-year-old Mr Shipton said he returned from the United Kingdom in late March after visiting Belmarsh Prison to witness Mr Assange’s wedding.
“Julian isn’t doing the best, but he’s very happy to put his life and his family’s life in good order by getting married,” he said.
“He’s entering his 14th year of arbitrary detention on the day after Palm Sunday.”
Through his organisation Wikileaks, Mr Assange published a series of leaks provided by a United States intelligence analyst in 2010, revealing the United States had killed civilians in unreported incidents throughout the Afghanistan War.
Sweden issued an international arrest warrant for Mr Assange over allegations of sexual misconduct in November 2010 and after losing his extradition appeal, Mr Assange took refuge and was granted asylum in the Embassy of Ecuador in London where he remained until 2019.
Despite no longer facing extradition to Sweden, Mr Assange was charged by the United States under the espionage act after his asylum was revoked. He is currently fighting his extradition to the United States in the British courts.
Mr Shipton said in the past decade, support for Mr Assange has grown among the public and the Australian Government.
“In 2013 there was just Andrew Wilkie and Peter Whish-Wilson supporting, now there are 29 other parliamentarians in the Assange group in federal parliament, giving you an indication of the constant growth,” he said.
“As well the leader of the opposition Anthony Albanese said in a caucus that enough is enough and the Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce when he was in Washington said Assange must be freed.”
Mr Shipton said if Mr Assange’s appeals are rejected, the average time for appeals and sentencing will mean he will have spent 27 years in arbitrary detention or detained before he can serve out a sentence in Australia.
“It looks like two or three more years of court cases in the United Kingdom. Julian’s defence has applied for another court case, an appeal, a decision on that is coming,” he said.
“If the decision is in the negative for Julian, he will go to the European Court of Human Rights. That will be fought over a period of two years.”
Mr Assange “went to a lot of schools” throughout his childhood and teenage years, and spent two terms at Monbulk High School.
Mr Shipton said many people in the hills are both supportive and curious about Mr Assange because he spent time in the Dandenong Ranges as a teenager.
“People are concerned for Julian’s wellbeing because he’s an Australian and did some really earth-shattering things, so the public could understand what governments do, what the United States has done and what war crimes are committed,” he said.
“Thank you for the support people give and for the long memory, treasuring the time Julian spent here in the hills.”
Cameo Cinema is located at 1628 Burwood Highway, Belgrave.
