DREAMTIME AQUARIUM

Give us a few details about yourself (connection to Greece, studies, etc.)

 

I am a Greek-Australian. I had the "privilege" of living in Greece during the military junta that spanned from 1967 to 1974. My family had to leave due to political persecution. Of course, in those days, it wasn't possible to state "political persecution" on a Greek emigration application. One fine summer's day, we embarked on the ship "Patris" as "ordinary" migrants and 36 days later, we were unloaded in Melbourne, Australia. Not long after, in 1975, I once again had the "privilege" of experiencing "democracy"; Gough Whitlam, democratically elected Prime Minister of Australia, was sacked by the Queen of England. Thus, from my tender years, it looked like I had inherited the family propensity to be drawn to the eye of the storm.

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After Whitlam's sacking, political life in Australia turned into an endless flatliner. The only trace of any real political landscape was in my own home. And even though Life outside was telling me that "politics" should be avoided at all cost, I couldn't see how one could be free and fulfilled without being political. In the words of Aristotle, “...it is evident that the state is a creation of nature, and that man is by nature a political animal... Now, that man is more of a political animal than bees or any other gregarious animals is evident. Nature, as we often say, makes nothing in vain, and man is the only animal whom she has endowed with the gift of speech... And it is a characteristic of man that he alone has any sense of good and evil, of just and unjust... and the association of living beings who have this sense makes a family and a state.”

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Despite the inevitable hurdles I faced as the child of an immigrant working class family, I did well at school and got into the Law Faculty at Melbourne University. I was then admitted to practise law in the State of Victoria, in Australia (as barrister and solicitor). Later, I was also admitted (as solicitor) in Northern Ireland. I obtained concrete experience in the area of human rights, both professionally and through many years of pro bono work (e.g., in 1993, I was one of the cofounders of "Women Lawyers Against Female Genital Mutilation"). My most recent law-related activism activities are in bullet point form below:

• I am the lead author of a French creative non-fiction (written under the pen name Katya Stiletti) “Juste Une Gifle?” ("Just One Slap?" currently being translated into English), which was presented as part of the “Law, Justice and Development Week 2017” organised by the World Bank Group. The French publisher “Les éditions des femmes-Antoinette Fouque” described this book as a “highly technical and documented book [...] unquestionably a fine work around violence.”

• I participated in the international stakeholder FGM conference in Paris held on 27 November 2018 (“Mainstreaming efforts to end Female Genital Mutilation: Final Agenda and Logistics”).

• I was a peer reviewer of the “Compendium of International and National Legal Frameworks on Domestic Violence" published in February 2019, by the World Bank Group.

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On the creative side, I write fictional works under pen names. I am the author of a cyberpunk novella called "Amaranthine Historica" written under the pen name O. Lemniscate (currently being translated into Greek). I am also a screenwriter. In 2018, I completed my feature length political thriller that covers themes relating to freedom of the press, freedom in general, justice and rebellion. I'm looking for a filmmaker, to carry it on to the next stage.

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Now, it seems new corruption stories have emerged (South African-based "Daily Maverick" published that Emma Arbuthnot attended, along with her husband, all-expenses-paid secretive gatherings of the organizations Tertulias and Tatlidil in 2014 that included numerous UK foreign policy officials). What are your views on Emma Arbuthnot's involvement?

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Indeed, I have filed a couple of complaints regarding Julian Assange, in an effort to expose the dilapidated UK judicial system. For me, this was a concrete way of raising political consciousness amongst the public regarding the real context of the situation--i.e., that there is no hope of getting a fair hearing when big political interests are at stake. To date, The UK has managed to systematically trample over all domestic and international human rights laws. It's performing an extrajudicial killing through judicial process; "Murder by Torture"... And most of the world is watching as if this were "Murder by Death", the 1976 American comedy!

 

In my view, Emma Arbuthnot should be investigated, at least for "misconduct in public office" involving failure to disclose a conflict of interest, and for the crime of torture (Criminal Justice Act 1988 s.134). Your readers are probably aware of the fact that I filed a complaint against her with the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO). My complaint was rejected, and the Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman (JACO) found no fault on the part of the JCIO. I wrote back to the JACO clarifying that my JCIO complaint was not about case management, but about Emma Arbuthnot's personal conduct. I wrote the following:

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"Not only did Lady Emma Arbuthnot dissimulate her serious conflicts of interest, all evidence I provided to the JCIO shows that she flagrantly misused her judicial status—as judge and supervisory chief magistrate in the Assange case—outside of court. No fair-minded and informed observer would assess said personal conduct outside of court as proper conduct. It is clear, therefore, from the evidence provided in my JCIO complaint that Lady Emma Arbuthnot misused her judicial status outside of court for personal gain or advantage; i.e., to protect and further her own personal interests, and those of her husband and son. My complaint was therefore in line with "The Judicial Conduct (Judicial and other office holders) Rules 2014-Supplementary Guidance"  published on the JCIO website (indicating the rules and regulations applied by the JCIO).

"Guidance to the Rules

Rule 6: The JCIO may only consider a complaint that contains an allegation of misconduct by a judge or other office holder. Such misconduct relates to the judge’s personal behaviour for example: a judge shouting or speaking in a sarcastic manner in court; or misuse of judicial status outside of court. It does not relate to decisions or judgments made by a judge in the course of court proceedings. The only way to challenge such matters is through the appellate process."

Since my initial complaint, further strong evidence has come to light regarding Lady Emma Arbuthnot's personal conduct outside the court, in connection with high-level political, military and intelligence players exposed by Mr Assange and WikiLeaks.   (...) Your Office decided that "it was reasonable" for the JCIO to proceed in this way. I am greatly surprised that your Office came to that conclusion; especially as it seems to place beyond the scope of criticism, a judge who (in breach of the applicable 2014 Rules & Regulations) has managed to use one of the Queen's public courts, to conduct her own personal business. As I stated in my last email: "Emma Arbuthnot failed to disclose her conflicts of interest at the relevant time (i.e., prior to the updating of the Guide to Judicial Conduct 2018) and that having successfully covered her tracks she continued, nevertheless, to preside in and over hearings as chief magistrate ‘responsible for… supporting and guiding district judge colleagues’. The extent of Emma Arbuthnot’s conflicts of interest was discovered only recently, through the rigorous work of investigative journalists cited in my JCIO complaint and... Commodum Ex Injuria Sua Nemo Habere Debet (a wrongdoer should not be enabled by law to take any advantage from his actions)"."

 

I'm waiting for a response and I'm hopeful, especially since the recent statement of "The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute" (IBAHRI). IBAHRI Co-Chair, a retired Australian High Court judge, the Hon Michael Kirby, commented: "The IBAHRI is concerned that the mistreatment of Julian Assange constitutes breaches of his right to a fair trial and protections enshrined in the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, to which the UK is party. It is deeply shocking that as a mature democracy in which the rule of law and the rights of individuals are preserved, the UK Government has been silent and has taken no action to terminate such gross and disproportionate conduct by Crown officials. As well, we are surprised that the presiding judge has reportedly said and done nothing to rebuke the officials and their superiors for such conduct in the case of an accused whose offence is not one of personal violence. Many countries in the world look to Britain as an example in such matters. On this occasion, the example is shocking and excessive. It is reminiscent of the Abu Grahib Prison Scandal which can happen when prison officials are not trained in the basic human rights of detainees and the Nelson Mandela Rules." This criticism by a highly esteemed judge of the highest court in Australia, marks a huge breakthrough and also shames, unequivocally, a derelict Australian government that has, thus far, acquiesced to this torture.

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When did you get interested in the Assange case?

 

I got interested in the Assange case early on, that is to say in 2010, when the "sex" allegations sprang up. "Sex" scandals are a classic weapon, used to politically assassinate those capable of influencing public opinion. The same weapon was used against three men affiliated with WikiLeaks. An article entitled "Smearing WikiLeaks" of 29 June 2019, by Sharyl Attkisson uncovers a wide-ranging strategy to combat “the WikiLeaks Threat,” to “sabotage or discredit” WikiLeaks supporters using “social media exploitation” and “disinformation.”  It makes for interesting reading.

 

In 2015/2016, when the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) stated that Assange’s situation was “unreasonable” and “disproportionate” and demanded his immediate release, I was confident that the case would be resolved quickly. However, my hopes were illusory. Both Sweden and the UK, disregarded the UNWGAD ruling. After the 2016 US elections, the mainstream media went for the kill. Hillary "RussiaGator" Clinton, invented the Russiagate horror show, and suddenly the whole world was out to lynch the one and only person who offended and reoffended by publishing truth—truth about war crimes, mass murder, rape and pillage, all whitewashed and sanitised under the title "Military Secrets". Everyone turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to the war crimes and the war criminals, and all they wanted was the blood of the messenger. None of this hysterical hypnosis would have been possible without the manipulation of the mass media. Once the full-on mind control was set, the killing machine started cruising on autopilot and it was relatively easy for the UK court system, to prepare for the final blows. Hillary Clinton's wish ("Can't we just drone this guy?") became May's and Johnson's command. Assange was suddenly at the mercy of the merciless Chief Magistrate Lady Arbuthnot (totally enmeshed in the Defence and Security service establishment) who was on cue for the role of the executioner.

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What is at stake for all of us, wherever we are, if he is sent to the USA?

 

This is the "last free generation"! That is what Julian Assange said in his last pre-blackout interview. 

 

If Julian is sent to the USA, we'll have to live with this, his last thunderous truth, and suffer the barbarism of his prophecy.

 

What will change if he is extradited, for journalism and law worldwide?

 

Marx said, "The press in general is a realisation of human freedom," which is the basis of all other freedom. "The absence of freedom of the press makes all other freedoms illusory."

 

Prior to Assange and WikiLeaks, journalism had pretty much sunk to "infotainment" and propaganda. "News" was written by stenographers and spoken by talking heads. Our news was fake, our freedom was fake, our democracy was fake. Assange revolutionised journalism by bringing truth to the public. And just as the truth was beginning to set us free, the fakers decided to rip his tongue out. If Assange is extradited that will mark the end of all journalism, all free speech, all free expression. If Assange is extradited, our freedom will go with him. And without freedom of speech, what "law" will be left that we can speak about? Without freedom of expression, what thought will be able to thrive? We might as well rip up the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and anything else that might remind us of Article 19.

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Your complaint is about a very special relationship between judge Emma Arbuthnot and her family, with certain companies and governments, as well as the UK secret service. Can you explain those relationships to us?

 

The Arbuthnot Family seems to have more tentacles than the Lernaean Hydra (the gigantic, nine-headed water-serpent, which haunted the swamps of Lerna). The investigative report entitled "Julian Assange’s judge and her husband’s links to the British military establishment exposed by WikiLeaks” states the following:

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“It can also be revealed that Lady Arbuthnot has received gifts and hospitality in relation to her husband, including from a military and cybersecurity company exposed by WikiLeaks. These activities indicate that the chief magistrate’s activities cannot be considered as entirely separate from her husband’s.”

“At a time when Lady Arbuthnot was in her former position as a district judge in Westminster, she personally benefited from funding together with her husband from two sources which were exposed by WikiLeaks in its document releases.”

“Although the payments were entered into the parliamentary register of interests, the parties in the court case were not informed about them. Although Assange’s trial has attracted significant criticism around the world, Lady Arbuthnot did not consider it necessary to mention these payments to the parties, public and media.”

“There is no suggestion that Lord Arbuthnot was asked to, or did, exert any pressure on Lady Arbuthnot, nor that she succumbed to any such pressure, but there is an appearance of bias which could have been avoided had this connection been revealed and had Lord Arbuthnot avoided meeting those individuals at that time.”

“Thus at the same time Lady Arbuthnot was presiding over Assange’s legal case, her husband was holding talks with senior officials in Turkey exposed by WikiLeaks, some of whom have an interest in punishing Assange and the WikiLeaks organisation.”

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The same article ends as follows:  

 

“Conflicts of interest

 

Lord Arbuthnot’s links to the British military establishment constitute professional and political connections between a member of the chief magistrate’s family and a number of organisations and individuals who are deeply opposed to the work of Assange and WikiLeaks and who have themselves been exposed by the organisation.

UK legal guidance states that “any conflict of interest in a litigious situation must be declared.” Judicial guidance to magistrates from the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice is clear:

“Members of the public must be confident that magistrates are impartial and independent. If you know that your impartiality or independence is compromised in a particular case you must withdraw at once… Nor should you hear any case which you already know something about or which touches upon an activity in which you are involved”.

Our understanding is that Lady Arbuthnot has failed to disclose any potential conflicts of interest in her role as judge or chief magistrate. Lady Arbuthnot is known to have stepped aside from adjudicating two other cases due to potential conflicts of interest, but only after investigations by the media.”

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The other "Daily Maverick" investigative report entitled “The son of Julian Assange’s judge is linked to an anti-data leak company created by the UK intelligence establishment” exposes Emma Arbuthnot’s conflicts of interest vis-a-vis her son. That report ends on this note:

“The CIA has made clear that it is “working to take down” the WikiLeaks organisation. It was recently revealed that the CIA was given audio and video of Julian Assange’s private meetings in the Ecuadorian embassy by a Spanish security company. These included privileged discussions with Assange’s lawyers who are now representing him in the extradition case overseen by Alexander Arbuthnot’s mother, Lady Arbuthnot.”

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In the words of Prof. Nils Melzer (UN Special Rapporteur on Torture in his letter dated 29 October 2019):  

“It must be emphasized that it is the responsibility of the British State, and not of Mr. Assange or his defense counsel, to ensure that legal proceedings will be conducted in good faith, by independent and impartial judicial magistrates, and in full compliance with domestic and international law. The State’s duty to ensure due process protects an inherent public interest of systemic importance. Therefore, its effective enforcement cannot be left to the defendant’s discretion, or delegated to defense counsel, but must be proactively and consistently guaranteed by the State.”

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Why is this illegal, what part of it is illegal? Or is it just a moral issue?

 

All of it is illegal and all of it is immoral. The fact that we have tolerated this criminal behaviour by our rulers, says a lot about us, and our advanced and civilised society. The fact that we're not outraged by the millions of lives destroyed and mutilated by the Bushes and the Blairs, the Obamas and the Clintons, and now the Trumps and the Johnsons (the list is long), in illegal wars packaged nicely as "The War on Terror" or "Military Secrets", leaves me speechless.

 

Assange has been tied to the stake and we stand by as spectators and accomplices to this barbaric public stoning—many in the crowd have even picked up their own big stones. They dare not attack their murderous emperors; it's so much easier to kill the truth.

 

The UK spent over £13 million on policing up to 2015, keeping a 24-hour guard at the Ecuadorian embassy's doors, presumably because it has a special interest in pursuing "sex offenders". We see how quickly the UK has dealt with a certain Saxe-Coburg-Gotha person, subsequent to the Epstein sex trafficking scandal. We are therefore "confident" that in the UK, "nobody's above the Law" and justice strikes with equal vengeance. It is, therefore, disconcerting that the UK is unperturbed by Emma Arbuthnot’s justice! Her conduct seems to be contrary not only to the rights of the defendant, but also against the "public interest". After all, "justice must not only be done, it must also be seen to be done". Emma Arbuthnot could have put a slightly greater effort into disguising her violations of the law, but why would she when she knows her back is covered?

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When was this info made public and how?

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The extent of the Arbuthnot corruption came to light quite recently with the reports of Mark Curtis and Matt Kennard, in the "Daily Maverick". All their allegations are supported by evidence. As time goes by, I imagine that more dirt will be dug up by more journalists. The Arbuthnots belong to a set of people who truly believe in their divine right to (literally) get away with murder; in this case, murder through torture.

 

What do you expect from such a corrupt system?

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The more corrupt the system, the more fragile it becomes. If the public loses faith in the judicial system, it will lose faith in any so-called "democracy" myth peddled out to sedate. A corrupt system brought under the light is doomed to fail. And that's what I expect will happen here. I believe in collective intelligence and I believe that the power of the people (i.e., real democracy) will overpower the collective stupidity of the "powerful few".

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If the system is so corrupt can we expect a fair trial for someone who became USA’s public enemy No. 1?

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It's because this trial is so unashamedly a "sham", that we can expect it to backfire (bull's-eye) in the eyes of at least three of the "Five Eyes" (anglophone intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA). The fallout will affect all conspirators, including Sweden and Ecuador. Pandora's box (or the Aeolus bag containing all of the winds, for your Greek readers) has been opened and they won't be able to weather the storm that's coming, irrespective of who they neutralise or eliminate. If these people bothered to open a History book, they would know what happens when tyrants kill a Socrates, a Jesus, or a Spartacus.

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And what can we do, as citizens for Assange, while the court hearing happens?

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"The secret of happiness is freedom. The secret of freedom is courage." (Thucydides)

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Since this article will be published in Greek, I have to express my admiration at the avant-garde methods of Greek protesters. I remember a group of young Greek protesters following the murder of the 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, on 16 December 2008, when they seized the Greek National TV (NET) studio while its news bulletin was on, holding a banner and superimposing themselves over the broadcast of Karamanlis, the former prime minister. The longer message was as follows:

“Our action is the result of the accumulated oppression that is plundering our lives and not only an emotional outburst resulting from the assassination of Alexis Grigoropoulos by the police. We are another collective, part of the uprising that is taking place. We interrupt this ERT broadcast (national broadcaster) in protest against MSM sedation. We believe that MSM systematically cultivates fear. Instead of informing, they misinform. They tell you this multifaceted uprising is nothing but blind rage. They present social upheaval as criminal, rather than political. They selectively obscure the facts. They project an uprising as nothing more than an intermittent spectacle. MSM has become a means of suppressing free and creative thinking. We must organise. No authority will offer solutions to our problems. We need to connect with one another. We need to turn public spaces, streets, squares, parks, and schools into spaces of expression. Let’s open dialogue with one another and co-ordinate our words and actions. Let’s switch off our fears and our TVs, let’s step outside and take back our lives. We denounce police violence. We demand the immediate release of all arrested protesters. Let’s seize our human emancipation and freedom.”

I remember the huge banners, hung over the Acropolis, urging people to resist. I have full faith in the Odyssean mind!

 

As for the French, the Yellow Vests took on the cause early on, and made Assange part of their protests (since November 2018). They have crossed the channel, in busloads, on at least two or three occasions, to protest outside Westminster Magistrates Court (where extradition hearings are usually held), outside Belmarsh Prison (i.e., the British Guantanamo) and outside Woolwich Crown Court (aka the "terrorist court", where Assange's Westminster court hearing is unusually being heard, with the "truth terrorist" stuck in a glass cage and unable to participate).

 

Amazing contributions have been made by artists worldwide.

 

Journalists unions, and over a thousand journalists have joined the battle.

 

The same goes for doctors, jurists and anti-war veterans.

 

There are action groups all over social media—on Twitter and Facebook, as well as alternative social media (Mastodon, VK, Gibberfish etc).

WikiLeaks is on most mainstream social media. If you wish to follow me my Twitter handle is @Katya_Compass.

 

Take action! If you think you’re small and unimportant, just remember: “Even the largest avalanche is triggered by small things”.

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Please leave your comments below.

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"The secret of happiness is freedom. The secret of freedom is courage." Thucydides

 

While you're here don't forget to visit the rest of this website.

"Dreamtime Aquarium" is a literary space for those not on the same page as everybody else...

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Email: DreamtimeAquarium@protonmail.com 

Twitter: @Katya_Compass

You can find me also on alternative social media such as, Mastodon and Gibberfish (as Katya's Compass)

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