Security News > 2020 > December > UN Rights Expert Urges Trump to Pardon Assange
A UN rights expert on Tuesday urged outgoing US President Donald Trump to pardon Julian Assange, saying the WikiLeaks founder is not "An enemy of the American people".
"In pardoning Mr Assange, Mr President, you would send a clear message of justice, truth and humanity to the American people and to the world," said Melzer, the UN special rapporteur on torture.
Melzer has previously condemned the conditions at Belmarsh, saying the "Progressively severe suffering inflicted" on Assange is tantamount to torture.
Melzer said Assange "Has not hacked or stolen any of the information he published obtained it from authentic documents and sources in the same way as any other serious and independent investigative journalists conduct their work."
"Prosecuting Mr. Assange for publishing true information about serious official misconduct, whether in America or elsewhere, would amount to 'shooting the messenger'," Melzer wrote.