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This urgent action involves calling your Members of the European Parliament (MEP) to make your voice heard. Julian is not only the candidate that best fits the rationale behind the Sakharov prize but also, of the three candidates, the one for whom the prize would have a life-saving impact: winning the most high profile human rights award the European Union has to offer would make it impossible for the UK to extradite and the US to pursue the case, and it is the most immediate way for Julian to be released. Julian Assange is the victim of a political case. The Sakharov Prize is a prize for freedom of thought and has a history of being given to political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela in 1988.
Calling our Elected Representatives is a very useful thing everybody can do. Do not just call the representative that you agree with politically the most. The objective is to make European representatives aware of the importance and urgency of Julian’s release, and that his freedom crosses political boundaries and matters to European citizens.
The three finalists:
- Imprisoned WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy representing the people of Ukraine
- The Truth Commission of Colombia
The decision will be taken on Wednesday (19 October) by the Presidents of the political groups of the European Parliament. A list of the decision-makers to contact, how to contact them and tips about how to approach the conversation can be found further down this page.
The best way to carry your message to a MEP is to develop your argument verbally. In this way, you can adapt your speech to her/his answers, and express your great concern about the subject on which you are calling. MEPs do not receive many calls from citizens, then they are particularly sensitive to it.
Example conversation:
YOU: Hello, I’m [YourName], I’m an European citizen calling from [YourCountry], and I would like to talk to Mrs/Mr MEP, please.
ASSISTANT: Mrs/Mr MEP is not available, I am her/his assistant. Can I help you?
YOU: As far as I understand there will be a decision on the 19th of this month about the winner of the Sakharov prize, and I want to know whether Mrs/Mr MEP is aware of the importance of Julian Assange’s nomination and the fact that he is a political prisoner in need of the European Parliament’s protection through this prize.
ASSISTANT: I see. We had calls before. I have no time.
YOU: But it is very important! This is the most important press freedom case of our time and it affects European citizens and press freedom within the EU because it is an attack on freedom of thought, citizens’ right to know and the Parliament’s ability to take decisions based on factual, undisputed information about corporate crimes and war crimes committed by foreign powers.
ASSISTANT: All candidates are strong and it is not up to the individual MEP.
YOU: Of course all candidates are worthy a nomination but of the candidates Julian Assange is the one that is clearly the most deserving of this prize and for him the prize actually can make the difference between life and death, freedom and indefinite imprisonment for upholding the rights enshrined in the EU Charter! Julian Assange has been held in a high security UK prison for almost four years, he is not serving a sentence, and he faces 175 years if he is sent to the United States. Sakharov himself said that “the most powerful weapon is not the bomb, it’s the truth”, and truth is on the side of citizens and of justice.
ASSISTANT: Ok, I’ll speak with Mrs/Mr MEP about it.
YOU: Thank you very much for listening to me. If you wish, I can send you reference documents. I’ll call you again shortly to know what he/she thought. Have a good day.
And then, call the next MEP.
Tips
Stay polite and be yourself. Whatever happens, don’t forget the basic rules of courtesy and common sense. Whether you agree or disagree with the individual answering to you, and whatever the views of other members of her/his political group, don’t give a negative image of people who are advocating with the same purpose as you.
Most of the time, you will exchange with a Parliamentary assistant, and not directly with a MEP. It’s not a problem: engage the conversation. Assistants play an important role in the development of the MEPs’ positions.
If a question to which you don’t have the answer comes up, don’t panic. You are not expected to be an expert, only a concerned citizen. Tell the MEP you will research the answer and contact him/her back with more information, and come and ask us.
If you’re still not comfortable with the arguments, don’t give up. Ask what is the MEP’s position on the subject, and ask what are their arguments.
During a phone call, don’t hesitate to offer to call back with more information, to send documents, references, etc. and in a less urgent context, to meet with the MEPs. Sometimes, Parliamentary assistants will ask you to send an e-mail. Don’t hesitate to call back later to check if they’ve read it and what they thought of it. Documents to send include:
- the book by UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer on the case of Julian Assange: see this, French; German; and by email, this video of his presentation.
- A video of Stella Assange on why Julian Assange should win the Sakharov prize
- Amnesty International statement: Julian Assange’s ‘politically motivated’ extradition must not go ahead
- Reporters without Borders recent statements on Assange
- You can find other statements on the Don’t Extradite Assange Campaign’s Statements page
Who Decides the Final Winner
The following people will decide on the 19th of October (this Wednesday) as Presidents of the political groupings represented in the European Parliament:
Mr. Manfred Weber, President of the EPP (centre-right political group)
CONTACT: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28229/MANFRED_WEBER/home
His assistants: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28229/MANFRED_WEBER/assistants
Ms. Iratxe Garcia Perez, President of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, S&D (Centre-left political group)
CONTACT: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28298/IRATXE_GARCIA+PEREZ/home
Her assistants: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/28298/IRATXE_GARCIA+PEREZ/assistants
Mr. Stéphane Séjourné, President of Renew (Liberal pro-Europe group, formerly ALDE)
CONTACT: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/197508/STEPHANE_SEJOURNE/home
His assistants: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/197508/STEPHANE_SEJOURNE/assistants
Ms. Terry Reintke and Mr. Philippe Lamberts, co-presidents for the The Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA), composed of mainly Green party and regionalist parties
Ms. Terry Reintke (co-President)
CONTACT: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/103381/TERRY_REINTKE/home
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/103381/TERRY_REINTKE/assistants
Mr. Philippe Lamberts (co-President)
CONTACT: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/96648/PHILIPPE_LAMBERTS/home
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/fr/96648/PHILIPPE_LAMBERTS/assistants
Mr. Marco Zanni, President Identity and Democracy (right-wing, Eurosceptic nationalist)
CONTACT: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/124780/MARCO_ZANNI/home
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/197508/STEPHANE_SEJOURNE/assistants
Mr. Raffaele Fitto & Mr. Ryszard Legutko, Co-Presidents for the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), a soft Eurosceptic, anti-federalist political group
Mr. Raffaele Fitto (Co-President)
CONTACT: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/4465/RAFFAELE_FITTO/history/9
Assistants for Mr. Raffaele Fitto: Alessandro Scuncio, Katia Bellantone
Mr. Ryszard Legutko (Co-President)
CONTACT: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/96796/RYSZARD+ANTONI_LEGUTKO/home
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/96796/RYSZARD+ANTONI_LEGUTKO/assistants
Ms. Manon AUBRY and Mr. Martin Schirdewan, Co-Presidents for the Left Group (GUE/NGL)
Ms. Manon AUBRY. Co-President
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/197533/MANON_AUBRY/home
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/197533/MANON_AUBRY/assistants
Mr. Martin Schirdewan, Co-President GUE/NGL
CONTACT: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/190517/MARTIN_SCHIRDEWAN/home
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/190517/MARTIN_SCHIRDEWAN/assistants
