International backing for Assange?
Meanwhile in a move that is sure to wind up the US, Russia has proposed that Assange should get a Nobel peace prize, The Guardian reported.
The Kremlin is believed to have suggested to non-governmental organisations that they should consider nominating Assange for the ultimate peaceful honour.
A source from inside President Dmitry Medvedev's office reportedly told Russian news agencies: "Public and non-governmental organisations should think of how to help him. Maybe, nominate him as a Nobel Prize laureate."
While it would appear that Russia is enjoying watching the US squirm, when WikiLeaks first revealed private US Embassy cables that described Russia as a ‘mafia state' and crticisied Russia's leaders, Russia was predictably miffed and Putin reportedly raged that the cable describing him as Batman and the president as Robin, was ‘unethical' and ‘arrogant'.
Fast-forward about a week and the news that Nato was secretly putting a plan in place incase Russia invaded one of its Baltic neighbours has got Russia's government up in arms.
Consequently, perhaps unsurprisingly, Russia's uber nationalist ambassador, Dmitry Rogozin, has reportedly backed Assange via Twitter, claiming that Assange's arrest is proof that there is ‘no media freedom' in the West. He allegedly goes on to say that Assange is the victim of ‘political persecution' and his human rights have been infringed.
Enjoying the backing from a more obvious direction, hundreds of demonstrators have hit the streets to support Assange in his native Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Protestors have reportedly branded the Aussie government ‘sycophants to the US' for bad-mouthing the WikiLeaks website and have scrambled together $250k to buy adverts in the New York Times newspaper in a bid to support Assange.
Apparently 700 people joined a rally in Sydney last Friday, as well as gatherings of around 350 in Melbourne and Brisbane to protest against Assange's extradition from the UK. Protestors reportedly chanted: "Assange is a hero of our time, telling truth is not a crime."
