Assange Plea to Pamela Anderson: ‘Save My Life’

Among the close supporters of Julian Assange is Canadian actor Pamela Anderson, who recently visited him in prison in super-max Belmarsh Prison in southeast London.

Back in 2010, Sweden opened an investigation into possible sexual misconduct or crimes, although Assange has  always claimed the allegations made by his acquaintances were politically motivated and designed as a vehicle for extradition to the US. . The Swedish authorities closed the investigation in 2017 because they saw no way of moving it forward.

During Anderson’s brief visit with Assange in prison, the WikiLeaks founder is reported to have intimated to her to, “save my life.”  This seems to be further indication that Assange may indeed be in grave danger, and may not survive his protracted ordeal should proceeding go in favor of the US and British governments who are determined to make an example out of the award-winning journalist.

Anderson is keenly aware of the potential fate awaiting Assange should the UK and Sweden manage to hand him over to the United States government, and was able to share many of her thoughts and concerns during a recent interview with German magazine Der Spiegel.

Actress Pamela Anderson with WikiLeaks editor Kristinn Hraffsson outside of Belmarsh Prison on May 7, 2019.

The following is a transcript from an interview conducted between Der Spiegel and Pamela Anderson:

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Ms. Anderson, you visited Julian Assange at Belmarsh High Security prison in London several days ago. What was the purpose of your visit?

Anderson: I visited him because he’s my friend. I wanted to support him, I wanted to give him a hug. And I think he and WikiLeaks have given the world important information, on U.S. war crimes and other wrongdoings by powerful people. It’s just not right to put him in a high security prison for publishing truthful documents.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How was the visit?

Anderson: It was horrible. I went with Kristinn Hrafnsson, the editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks. We had to leave our fingerprints and take off our shoes and socks. Eventually, we sat in a little interrogation room with cameras all over. Total surveillance.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What was your impression of Assange?

Anderson: When he finally appeared, it struck me that he is much thinner than he was when I saw him the last time inside the Ecuadorian Embassy about a year ago. He lost about 10 kilograms.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How are the conditions under which he is being held?

Anderson: He is confined to a little cell for at least 23 hours a day. He can’t send letters because he has no addresses with him. He can’t get books from the prison library, he’s not getting access to legal documents to prepare himself for his extradition trial. He has no access to news except the BBC and Channel 4, although the guards took the TV set away again.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How and when did you get in contact with Assange?

Anderson: I met him through Vivienne Westwood. Vivienne said I should meet him. I wanted to know how I could become a better political activist, a more effective activist. How can I help people to become career activists?

SPIEGEL ONLINE: You visited him at the Ecuadorian Embassy around 20 times. What were your experiences with him like?

Anderson: I think he is extremely intelligent. He is funny. He is a great guy. I was really intimidated when I met him for the first time. His image was larger than life. People loved or hated him. He obviously sparks reaction.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Eventually, you became friends?

Anderson: Yes. He was interested in the work I am doing for animal rights and different environmental causes. And I love people who really risk their lives, who put their lives on the front line to reach change. The world needs more people like Julian Assange.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: You are supporting him in his fight against extradition because you admire his courage?

Anderson: Not just that. Julian’s case is about freedom of speech, the right to know. There are a lot of skeletons in America’s closet. I am a Canadian living in America, and I see so many people just brainwashed, though there is so much to be done, against climate change, against the destruction of the environment.

SPIEGEL: Following your career as an actress and model, you began working on environmental issues — on behalf of organizations like PETA and Sea Shepherd, for example, which is fighting against the slaughter of whales. Isn’t that something quite different from what Assange is doing and his struggle in the digital world.

Anderson: Yes, but Paul Watson, who is one of the founders of Greenpeace and later Sea Shepherd, is very much like Julian Assange. Their fighting spirit is just the same.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Do you plan to continue supporting Assange?

Anderson: There is this terrible smear campaign against Julian going on. I was just in Texas and the way they talk in the news about him, people basically think: We’re gonna bring him home with his head on a stick.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Are you criticized by people for supporting Assange?

Anderson: Yes, I am — especially in Hollywood. People are coming up and saying to me: “How can you dare to support this person?” I often ask them back: Why are you getting so angry? And they don’t know.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: But you will continue to support Julian Assange and WikiLeaks?

Anderson: I will. Because there will be no justice without public support. We have to be very strong and outspoken. When I met Julian in prison he said: “Save my life.”

READ MORE ASSANGE/WIKILEAKS NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Wikileaks Files

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