Wikileaks founder Julian assange speaks from balcony of Ecuador's embassy

– I have asked President Obama to do the right thing. U.S. must end their witch hunt of WikiLeaks and end their FBI investigation and promise not to prosecute our staff and our supporters, said Wikileaksfounder Julian Assange.

Assange spoke at length about how journalists, newspapers and others must be able to investigate “crimes committed by those who have power” and that this would not be punished:

– The United States must promise to stop persecuting them. This applies to Wikileaks as much as the New York Times.

He spoke of a world where journalists cower under the threat of being prosecuted for what they write and also directed a special appeal to the U.S. to release Bradley Manning, the soldier who was arrested in May 2010 on suspicion of leaking classified information to WikiLeaks and detained after two years without trial.

– If Bradley Manning did what he is accused of then he is an example to us all, he is a hero and one of the world’s foremost political prisoners. Now he must be released.

– The United States must come Back to the revolutionary roots the country was once founded on.

Finally Assange urged everyone to continue to fight against those who oppose WikiLeaks work:

– There is a consensus among those who oppress, there must also be a complete consensus when we answer this.

Julian Assange thanked the people of the United States, Great Britain, Sweden and Australia “who defended me when their government not done it.” He also thanked the eleven Latin American countries, WikiLeaks staff, the site’s sources, his family and the staff at Equadors Embassy, the country’s president and the people.

– And to my family and my children who have been denied their father, we will soon be united.

Asange mentioned nothing about the extradition to Sweden, for a crime he did not commit, which now threatens him.

Sadly i doubt this will make.. any politicians come to their senses. Its not easy to simply do the right thing if you’re an arrogant prick.