Hindi English Translation || Editorial || An unjust pursuit: On U.S.’ relentless pursuit of Julian Assange

An unjust pursuit: On U.S.’ relentless pursuit of Julian Assange

Julian Assange deserves (योग्य होना, उचित ठहराना) freedom, not persecution (उत्पीड़न, भेदभाव, सजा) for investigative journalism

The United States’s relentless pursuit of Julian Assange received a fillip (प्रोत्साहन, प्रेरणा) after the British Home Secretary, Priti Patel, gave the go-ahead (आगे बढ़ो, स्वीकृति, अनुमति) to extradite (अपराधी देना, प्रत्यर्पण करना) him to the U.S. Wanted for criminal charges (आरोप, अभियोग, शुल्क), which include violation (उल्लंघन, तोड़ना, गैर-अनुपालन) of the country’s Espionage (जासूसी) Act of 1917, Mr. Assange could face punishment ranging up to 175 years in prison if convicted in the U.S. The charges were framed (plan, devise, orchestrate, engineer, coordinate) under the Donald Trump administration (प्रशासन, सरकार, शासन) after accusing him of collaborating (सहयोग करना, साथ मिलाकर काम करना) with U.S. soldier Chelsea Manning who published classified (वर्गीकृत, गोपनीय, विशेषाधिकार) documents and communications on wikileaks.org, the website run by Mr. Assange. Mr. Assange is the first journalist to have been charged under the First World War era Act. Ironically (विडंबनापूर्ण रूप से, अप्रत्याशित रूप से), during the tenure (कार्यकाल) of Mr. Trump’s predecessor (पूर्वज, पूर्वगामी), Barack Obama (U.S. President Joe Biden was the Vice-President then) the Justice Department had concluded that it would not pursue (engage in, go in for, prosecute, conduct; be intent on, aim for) criminal charges against Mr. Assange and WikiLeaks as it would pose (constitute, present, create, cause (a problem or danger or risk)) grave (crucial, terrible, awful, serious) threats to the country’s press freedom laws, particularly the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution that guarantees (support, back, vouch for; promise, give one’s word, give an assurance) freedom of expression. The cables (cable television; a system of delivering television programming to consumers via radio frequency (RF) signals through coaxial cables, or light pulses through fibre-optic cables) and documents published by WikiLeaks reveal the severe abuse (misuse, misapply, misemploy, mishandle) of international and humanitarian (compassionate, humane, socially concerned) law, war excesses (uncontrolled behaviour; unrestricted conduct; extreme, violent actions which are unacceptable) and crimes committed in Iraq and Afghanistan by the U.S. government among others, besides (except, except for, apart from, other than, barring, excluding) shining a light on the inner workings of the elite (high society people; the group of most powerful people in a society; best) in democracies and autocracies (totalitarianism, absolute rule, dictatorship) across the world. The diplomatic cables in particular (particularly, specifically, especially), initially released after careful redaction (it means that certain text contained in a document filed with the Court (or a judgment provided by the Court) is concealed from view for privacy protection; Hiding some text in a document for privacy) by media organisations, and other documents went on to form the bulwark (support; protection, guard) of a large repertoire (collection, stock, reserve, store) of investigative journalism (It means the unveiling of matters that are concealed either deliberately by someone in a position of power, or accidentally, behind a chaotic mass of facts and circumstances - and the analysis and exposure of all relevant facts to the public. (Courtesy UNESCO)). In a rational world, the perpetrators (someone who does immoral, harmful, and illegal activity; offender, criminal, wrongdoer/evil-doer, culprit) of the excesses revealed by WikiLeaks would have been pursued for justice while Mr. Assange would have been released from his harsh and extended (prolonged, protracted, long-lasting, extensive, lengthened, continued) stay in a British prison.

Yet, the dogged (determined, resolute, purposeful, single-minded, committed) pursuit (quest, search, chase; activity) of Mr. Assange has been renewed (restart, resume, take up again, recommence) by the Biden administration. The only guarantee that it has provided is that it will not hold him in a maximum security prison, which has strict confinement (imprisonment, internment, custody) rules, and that if convicted (declare guilty, find guilty, sentence), he could serve his sentence (punishment, prison term, prison sentence) in his native Australia if he requested it. Its position runs (be in charge of, manage, administer, direct, control, oversee) counter to its stated aim of bringing the U.S. back to the forefront (fore, front, front line) of world democracies that promote values (principles, moral principles, ethics, moral values, moral standards, code of behaviour, rules of conduct) enshrined (to enclose in, preserve, treasure, protect (as valuable)) in the West (The Western world/civilization consisting of the majority of Europe & the North America) as pivotal, such as freedom of expression accorded (give, grant, confer on, bestow on, vest in) to the press. Subjecting (put through, expose to, lay open to, submit to) Mr. Assange to trial will be a blow (setback, misfortune; shock) against media freedom in the U.S. and will also criminalise (make something (an activity) illegal) investigative journalism, particularly one that is pointed at the inner workings of the deep state (shadow government; influential decision-making bodies believed to be within government and it can be any agencies (e.g., military or any other)). Mr. Assange’s representatives have filed an appeal (plea, urgent request, entreaty, petition) before the British High Court. With the present Labor party-led Australian government — Mr. Assange remains an Australian citizen — also expressing its displeasure at the continued pursuit, the onus (responsibility, liability, obligation, duty, burden) is on the British judiciary to do right by him.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.unjust (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अन्यायपूर्ण, पक्षपाती, अनुचित
English Meaning - biased, unfair, prejudiced; unreasonable, unjustifiable, groundless.

2.deserve (verb)

Hindi Meaning - योग्य होना, उचित ठहराना
English Meaning - justify, be worth, be qualified for, have a right to.

3.persecution (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उत्पीड़न, भेदभाव, सजा
English Meaning - oppression, victimization, harassment, discrimination, punishment.

4.fillip (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रोत्साहन, प्रेरणा
English Meaning - stimulus, boost, incentive, encouragement, motivation.

5.go-ahead (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आगे बढ़ो, स्वीकृति, अनुमति
English Meaning - approval, permission, consent, authorization, assent.

6.extradite (verb)

Hindi Meaning - अपराधी देना, प्रत्यर्पण करना
English Meaning - to surrender a fugitive (a person who has escaped from being confined/accused of crime) from one (country’s) jurisdiction to another by mutual agreements between the two countries; hand over, deport, banish/expel.

7.charge (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आरोप, अभियोग, शुल्क
English Meaning - accusation, allegation, indictment.

8.violation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उल्लंघन, तोड़ना, गैर-अनुपालन
English Meaning - contravention, breaking, non-compliance.

9.espionage (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जासूसी
English Meaning - the act of spying; obtaining secret or confidential (political or military) information of a country and/or disclosing it without the permission of that country; undercover work, infiltration, counter-intelligence.

10.administration (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रशासन, सरकार, शासन
English Meaning - government, regime, authority, leadership, management.

11.collaborate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सहयोग करना, साथ मिलाकर काम करना
English Meaning - conspire, collude, cooperate; work together, join up.

12.classified (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - वर्गीकृत, गोपनीय, विशेषाधिकार
English Meaning - secret, confidential, privileged, restricted, private, personal, intimate.

13.ironically (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - विडंबनापूर्ण रूप से, अप्रत्याशित रूप से
English Meaning - paradoxically, unexpectedly, strangely.

14.tenure (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्यकाल
English Meaning - term of office, period in office, period of office, time in office.

15.predecessor (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पूर्वज, पूर्वगामी
English Meaning - previous holder of the post; forerunner, precursor, antecedent.

16.pursuit (noun)

English Meaning - quest, search, chase; activity.

17.relentless (adjective)

English Meaning - constant, continuous, non-stop, unceasing; determined, resolute, purposeful, dogged, single-minded, tireless, adamant.

18.investigative journalism (noun)

English Meaning - It means the unveiling of matters that are concealed either deliberately by someone in a position of power, or accidentally, behind a chaotic mass of facts and circumstances - and the analysis and exposure of all relevant facts to the public. (Courtesy UNESCO)

19.the Espionage Act of 1917 (noun)

English Meaning - a First World War-era law; The Espionage Act of 1917 makes it a crime to interfere with or attempt to undermine or interfere with the efforts of the U.S. armed forces during a war, or to in any way assist the war efforts of the nation’s enemies. The Espionage Act of 1917 was passed by Congress on June 15, 1917, two months after the United States entered World War I.

20.convict (verb)

English Meaning - declare guilty, find guilty, sentence.

21.frame (verb)

English Meaning - plan, devise, orchestrate, engineer, coordinate.

22.run (verb)

English Meaning - be in charge of, manage, administer, direct, control, oversee.

23.pursue (verb)

English Meaning - engage in, go in for, prosecute, conduct; be intent on, aim for.

24.pose (verb)

English Meaning - constitute, present, create, cause (a problem or danger or risk).

25.grave (adjective)

English Meaning - crucial, terrible, awful, serious.

26.First Amendment (noun)

English Meaning - The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prevents the government from making laws that regulate an establishment of religion, prohibit the free exercise of religion, or abridge the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, the freedom of assembly, or the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, as one of the ten amendments that constitute the Bill of Rights.

27.guarantee (verb)

English Meaning - support, back, vouch for; promise, give one’s word, give an assurance.

28.freedom of expression (noun)

English Meaning - the ability of an individual or group of individuals to express their beliefs, thoughts, ideas, and emotions about different issues free from government censorship, restraint, or legal penalty.

29.cable (noun)

English Meaning - cable television; a system of delivering television programming to consumers via radio frequency (RF) signals through coaxial cables, or light pulses through fibre-optic cables.

30.abuse (noun)

English Meaning - misuse, misapply, misemploy, mishandle.

31.humanitarian (adjective)

English Meaning - compassionate, humane, socially concerned.

32.excesses (noun)

English Meaning - uncontrolled behaviour; unrestricted conduct; extreme, violent actions which are unacceptable.

33.besides (preposition)

English Meaning - except, except for, apart from, other than, barring, excluding.

34.shine a light (phrase)

English Meaning - to examine something more precisely in order to make it more clear.

35.elite (noun)

English Meaning - high society people; the group of most powerful people in a society; best.

36.autocracy (noun)

English Meaning - totalitarianism, absolute rule, dictatorship.

37.in particular (phrase)

English Meaning - particularly, specifically, especially.

38.diplomatic (adjective)

English Meaning - tactful, sensitive, subtle, delicate; consular, foreign-policy.

39.redaction (noun)

English Meaning - it means that certain text contained in a document filed with the Court (or a judgment provided by the Court) is concealed from view for privacy protection; Hiding some text in a document for privacy.

40.go on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - continue, carry on, proceed.

41.bulwark (noun)

English Meaning - support; protection, guard.

42.repertoire (noun)

English Meaning - collection, stock, reserve, store.

43.rational (adjective)

English Meaning - practical, realistic, sensible, reasonable.

44.perpetrator (noun)

English Meaning - someone who does immoral, harmful, and illegal activity; offender, criminal, wrongdoer/evil-doer, culprit.

45.extended (adjective)

English Meaning - prolonged, protracted, long-lasting, extensive, lengthened, continued.

46.dogged (adjective)

English Meaning - determined, resolute, purposeful, single-minded, committed.

47.renew (verb)

English Meaning - restart, resume, take up again, recommence.

48.confinement (noun)

English Meaning - imprisonment, internment, custody.

49.sentence (noun)

English Meaning - punishment, prison term, prison sentence.

50.run counter to (phrase)

English Meaning - to have an opposite effect.

51.bring back (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - reintroduce, relaunch, reinstitute.

52.at/in/to the forefront of (phrase)

English Meaning - be in a leading/front/important position in an important activity; spearhead, van guard, front line, leading position.

53.forefront (noun)

English Meaning - fore, front, front line.

54.values (noun)

English Meaning - principles, moral principles, ethics, moral values, moral standards, code of behaviour, rules of conduct.

55.enshrine (verb)

English Meaning - to enclose in, preserve, treasure, protect (as valuable).

56.the West (noun)

English Meaning - The Western world/civilization consisting of the majority of Europe & the North America.

57.pivotal (adjective)

English Meaning - central, vital, significant/important, crucial/critical.

58.accord (verb)

English Meaning - give, grant, confer on, bestow on, vest in.

59.subject (to) (verb)

English Meaning - put through, expose to, lay open to, submit to.

60.trail (noun)

English Meaning - court case, judicial proceedings, legal action.

61.blow (noun)

English Meaning - setback, misfortune; shock.

62.criminalise (verb)

English Meaning - make something (an activity) illegal.

63.deep state (noun)

English Meaning - shadow government; influential decision-making bodies believed to be within government and it can be any agencies (e.g., military or any other).

64.appeal (noun)

English Meaning - plea, urgent request, entreaty, petition.

65.displeasure (noun)

English Meaning - annoyance, irritation, vexation; dissatisfaction, discontent, disfavour, disapproval.

66.onus (noun)

English Meaning - responsibility, liability, obligation, duty, burden.

67.the judiciary (noun)

English Meaning - a branch of government in which judicial power is vested.