UMD journalism school hosts screening of Julian Assange documentary 'Ithaka'

John Shipton, Mark Feldstein and Barry Polack talk at the front of the stage after the panel (Tariq Jernigan/ The Black Explosion)

The University of Maryland’s journalism school hosted a screening of the 2021 film ‘Ithaka: A Fight To Free Julain Assange,’ for students and staff.

There have been several screenings of the film and panels by several universities to raise awareness for Assange's case around the United States.

Julian Assange— founder and owner of Wikileaks— said he made the website to protect journalists and whistleblowers in the film. Over 700,000 classified United States documents were sent to Wikileaks’ inbox to be revealed.

Assange’s case of espionage was the first in the United States where a journalist was charged. The Wikileaks founder was charged with 17 criminal counts including “one count of conspiracy to receive national defense information, three counts of obtaining national defense information and 13 counts of disclosure of national defense information,” according to a CNBC report. He could spend a maximum of 175 years in prison for these charges. 

After the screening, attendees asked questions to a panel featuring Assange’s brother Gabriel Shipton, Assange’s father John Shipton and Assange’s U.S. attorney Barry Pollack.

“The government says that Julian Assange endangered national security by releasing these documents and… threatened government informants. What do you have to say to that?” asked an attendant at the screening.

Pollack was quick to strike down any claims that said Assange endangered national security. 

“There’s zero evidence that is true, including U.S. government studies by the Department of Defense,” the attorney said.

John was asked how he keeps fighting for his son and his everyday commitment to the cause.

“Once you have children, things change. Mothers and fathers put their lives on the line for their kids,” John said.  “It’s not something you reach inside yourself and grab… it's something that compels you.”

According to Pollack, a large majority of newspapers—including the New York Times— used Wikileaks as a source when writing their articles.

Journalism professor Mark Feldstein said a lot of journalists don’t see that this is a threat to freedom of press. If the United States is successful in their attack on Assange, the next step is attacking established publications such as The New York Times or The Washington Post, according to Feldstein, an expert witness on Assange’s case. 

“The more respected media outlets have all kind of agreed that this is a gross overreach and a threat to the freedom of the press,” Feldstein said.

There has been no evidence presented that Assange endangered national security and if he did that’s the price we pay for a free press, according to Pollack.

“We don’t allow the United States government to be editor and chief and decide what stories will bring damage to national security,” Pollack said.