WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The use of the US Espionage Act in indicting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange may set a precedent and potentially threaten the work of journalists, Senator Ron Wyden said in a statement.
« This is not about Julian Assange. This is about the use of the Espionage Act to charge a recipient and publisher of classified information », Wyden stated on Thursday. « I am extremely concerned about the precedent this may set and potential dangers to the work of journalists and the First Amendment ».
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in a press release said the US decision was a « direct assault on the First Amendment ».
