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To paraphrase @popehat, this is just how federal prisons are. (OK, I don't know how such prisons are in the UK, but presumably they're bad.) That's a Bad Thing
by md_ 5y ago
To paraphrase @popehat, this is just how federal prisons are. (OK, I don't know how such prisons are in the UK, but presumably they're bad.)
That's a Bad Thing, for sure. But I suspect most of Assange's fans aren't upset about the treatment of Assange because they oppose the carceral state; it's because they're fans of Assange.
In other words, if you say "I'm opposed to the conditions of Assange's detention", I suspect you're not saying you oppose the normal conditions of legal detention--which perhaps you should--but, rather, that you are opposed to the fact that those norms we happily apply to millions are being applied to Assange.
- Macha 5y agoIt's not unheard of for one western country to refuse extradition to another because of poor standards of prison systems. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/10/dutch-court-blocks-extradition-of-man-to-inhumane-uk-prisons https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/10/dutch-court-bl... From what I've found, the UK in particular is not in a huge position to throw stones given the standards of their prisons result in this being yet another area where they're a sort of mini-USA. But e.g. the Swedish system would be better.
- Mirioron 5y agoPrisons shouldn't be allowed to be that way to begin with.
- md_ 5y agoAgreed! I wish more people would focus on that, instead of being focused on one particular prison resident (and far from the most sympathetic, in my view).
- pessimizer 5y agoI'm completely opposed to the normal conditions of legal detention in the US, especially when applied to journalists and political prisoners. Just saying this because you think it's necessary.