Public appearance: WikiLeaks founder Julian
Assange will reportedly speak at the Cambridge Union next week, his
first public speech for four months Julian Assange, the controversial founder of the WikiLeaks website,
will address Cambridge University students later this month, according
to a student newspaper.
The 39-year-old Australian will speak
to the Cambridge Union Society, one of the oldest student debating
societies on Tuesday, March 15, Cambridge student newspaper The Tab
said. He is expected to discuss his life and career during the early evening visit. Lawyers
for Assange this week lodged papers at the High Court for an appeal
against a ruling that he should be extradited to Sweden to face sex
offence charges. No date has yet been set for a hearing. The extradition ruling was made last month at Belmarsh Magistrates' Court in south-east London. He
is accused of sexually assaulting one woman and raping another during a
week-long visit to Stockholm in August, which he denies. After
the extradition ruling Assange criticised the European arrest warrant
system and said he had 'always known' he would have to appeal against
the decision. The ruling against him came as a result of 'a European arrest warrant system run amok', he claimed. He
said: 'There was no consideration during this entire process as to the
merit of the allegations made against me, no consideration or
examination of even the complaints made in Sweden and of course we have
always known we would appeal.'
More... Assange's speech at the Cambridge Union will precede an address by historical writer and broadcaster Professor Niall Ferguson. Organisers said a large turnout was likely for the talk, which will mark Assange's first public speech for four months.
Free speech crusader: Julian Assange;s
supporters hold placards as they wait for his arrival at an extradition
hearing last month.
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