Julian Assange's Family Begins US Tour To Demand His Freedom

Julian Assange’s father, John Shipton, begins a month-long, 17-city U.S. tour in Miami as his son languishes in Belmarsh Prison in London awaiting a US appeal against the denial of his extradition.

Organized by Assange Defense, John and Gabriel Shipton, Julian Assange’s father and brother will begin the #HomeRun4Julian tour in Miami on June 6 via a live-streamed event. The Shiptons are scheduled to make stops on both coasts and the Midwest before concluding the tour in the nation’s capital.

Assange’s family members will meet with activists, press, and policymakers to raise awareness of the importance of protecting whistleblowers and journalists, and to advocate for the release of Julian Assange, whom the United Nations has declared “arbitrarily detained” since 2010.

“My brother Julian Assange has effectively been a prisoner for over a decade because he published evidence of war crimes,” Gabriel Shipton said in a Thursday statement.

“The U.S. government wants to make an example out of him to deter journalists and whistleblowers,” he added.

And John Shipton, the WikiLeaks founder’s father said, “Gabriel and I are excited to talk to the American public on why protecting journalism and freeing Julian is so important to a free press.”

Watch the kickoff event in Miami here, live at 7pm(Eastern) on Sunday: