As a part of the ongoing international campaign to free Julian Assange, Trotskyists in Sri Lanka and India will hold protests in Colombo and near Chennai, in Tamil Nadu, on June 19.

The International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) and the World Socialist Web Site are mobilising workers and youth internationally to demand freedom for the WikiLeaks’ editor. While Ecuador provided Assange asylum at its London embassy six years ago, it is capitulating to political pressure from the US to silence the Australian journalist.

If Assange is forced out of the embassy, he faces the danger of falling into US hands and being tried on espionage charges that carry the death sentence. His only “crime” has been to expose illegal wars and military intrigues of American imperialism and its allies.

The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) will hold its rally outside the main Fort Railway Station in Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital.

On the same day, Indian supporters of the ICFI will protest at the central bus terminal in Sriperumbudur, a global auto and electronic manufacturing hub about 40 kilometres from Chennai, the capital of the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Both campaigns support the demonstration and rally to be held on June 17 in Sydney, organised by the Socialist Equality Party in Australia.

The major powers and their subordinate governments are attempting to block the free and democratic flow of information through Internet and social media. In line with the US-led assault on Assange, Google and Facebook are censoring the World Socialist Web Site and other left-wing and anti-war web sites. The Sri Lankan and Indian governments are also stepping up their efforts to curb access to the Internet and social media.

The defense of Julian Assange is part of the fight to defend freedom of speech and expression and all democratic rights.

We urge workers, students, young people and the oppressed masses to support this campaign and join the demonstrations in Sri Lanka and India.

Sri Lanka protest

Fort Railway Station in central Colombo
Tuesday June 19, 4.00 p.m.

India protest

Sriperumbudur bus terminal
Tamil Nadu
Tuesday June 19, 5.00 p.m.