He praised the Russian president for being the first world leader to speak out in the publisher’s defense
John Shipton, the father of WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange, has said that he is grateful to Russian President Vladimir Putin for supporting his son amid his persecution by Western authorities.
Shipton arrived in Moscow on Sunday at the invitation of Russian journalist Mira Terada, the co-chair of the BRICS Journalists’ Association.
“In 2012, President Putin became the first head of state to speak out in defense of Julian’s interests as a publisher and citizen,” Shipton told RIA-Novosti news agency.
Putin came forward when only “defamatory lies” were spread about his son in the media, Assange’s father said. “For this, I express my sympathy to your president,” he added.
