Because Julian Assange Journalist: The Reason The President Of Mexico Offers Asylum To The Founder Of Wikileaks

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange (Source: Commons Wikimedia)

JAKARTA - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has offered political asylum to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Obrador offered asylum because of Assange's profession as a journalist.

This was revealed by Obrador after the British high court rejected the request of the United States (US) to extradite Assange to the US. "Assange is a journalist and deserves the opportunity," said Obrador, quoted by Reuters, Tuesday, January 5.

Obrador also asked the Mexican Foreign Minister to speak with the British government regarding Assange's release. Obrador emphasized that Mexico is willing to offer asylum to a figure who shocked the world in 2010.

For Obrador, Assange is a figure of freedom of opinion capable of uncovering the world's “authoritarian” workings. For this reason, Obrador deemed all forms of detention or crimes against Assange as a form of torture.

Obrador's move later drew criticism from former US President Obama administration official Mark Feierstein. Obrador, said Mark, had made efforts that could damage US relations.

Instead of appearing as an icon of freedom of expression, Mark said Obrador himself was incapable of fighting for freedom of opinion in his country. Mark recalled how Obrador frequently attacked Mexican journalists who questioned his policies.

Not to mention regarding the status of Mexico as the least secure country for journalists. Therefore, Obrador's stance is in support of Assange, especially with that reason being seen as political.

Previously, Wikileaks was famous in the world in 2010. At that time, Wikileaks published a video of the US military attack with Apache helicopters that massacred dozens of people in Baghdag in 2007.

After that, they then released thousands of secret documents of countries in the world. As a result, all citizens of the world regard Assange as a figure of freedom of expression.