SRRT Resolutions 2011: Resolution in Support of WikiLeaks

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Resolution in Support of WikiLeaks

Adopted by SRRT Action Council, January 8, 2011

WHEREAS, WikiLeaks is a non-profit organization that publishes submissions of secret documents from anonymous sources and news leaks;

WHEREAS, WikiLeaks has recently made available thousands of important documents concerning United States foreign and military policy;

WHEREAS, WikiLeaks is performing a vital watchdog role by expanding citizens' knowledge on matters of vital public concern following in the steps of Daniel Ellsberg who courageously made the Pentagon Papers available to the public;

WHEREAS, Support for WikiLeaks should be a concern for all those who believe in the right to know and intellectual freedom, and most especially librarians;

WHEREAS, WikiLeaks and its founder and volunteers are under tremendous pressure to stop publishing leaked documents by many governments, elected officials, and prominent personalities;

WHEREAS, WikiLeaks spokesperson, Julian Assange, has not received equitable due process under the laws of the United Kingdom; having been briefly detained, and his movements are currently restricted due to supposedly unrelated matters; and,

WHEREAS, The °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±app has signed a joint letter with many other organizations asking the United States government to reverse its order to US government agencies blocking access to WikiLeaks, in support of publishers' and citizens' first amendment rights, and against the possible application of the Espionage Act against WikiLeaks; therefore be it

RESOLVED that the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±app

  1. Supports the rights of WikiLeaks to publish leaked government documents;
  2. Commends the efforts of WikiLeaks to expunge from documents names and other material deemed potentially harmful to innocent people;
  3. Commends WikiLeaks for performing a public service by making available important documents related to foreign and military policy;
  4. Urges libraries to link their websites to the WikiLeaks website; and
  5. Condemns the harassment of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, and other volunteers.

Moved by Al Kagan. Seconded by Mike Marlin.