>US prisons universally break basic human rights...
>There should be no extradition to the USA whatsoever until they stop doing so.
That's a strong statement. Especially given that "US Prisons" are managed/run by literally hundreds of different governmental authorities including the the Federal Government, state governments and local governments.
Which prison system(s) (specifically) are you referring to? Please provide actual evidence for your claim if you wish your assertion to be taken seriously.
Please note that I'm not really disagreeing with you. Rather, I find your blanket statement to be too broad and, as such, not convincing.
The truth is more nuanced and complex. Reducing it to an inaccurate assertion doesn't add to any attempt to draw attention to, or improve, prison conditions in the US or anywhere else.
While I take no position for or against your opinion that "There should be no extradition to the USA," that's something that citizens of countries with extradition agreements should take up with their governments.
The US has many faults, but other countries adopting extradition treaties with the US isn't one of them.
The whole US system considers it OK to use solitary confinement. But solitary confinement is a breech of basic human rights. So every US system is in breech until solitary confinement stops.
The existence of an extradition treaty doesn't mean that UK courts are compelled to extradite anyone until/unless US prisons cease breeching basic human rights.
>The whole US system considers it OK to use solitary confinement.
There is no "US Prison System." Rather, there are hundreds of prison systems in the US.
What's more, state governments operate independently from our Federal Government. Often, local governments operate independently from government at the state and Federal levels.
We have a Federal system. In fact, you can go from one state to another (and sometimes even from one county to another) and have the same activity be legal in one place, and illegal in another.
As such, trying to lump all of the US together is ignorant and best, and disingenuous at worst.
As for solitary confinement, I don't think it's a good idea. And I would like to see such treatment end.
Fortunately, in the city where I live, the use of solitary confinement has been restricted and there will may well be a vote this month[0] to end solitary confinement altogether in city facilities.
At the same time, the state government has dithered[1] and has yet to change the law.
My point is that regardless of what anyone may think about the appropriateness of solitary confinement, getting rid of such treatment everywhere in the US is, and will be, a long process. And more's the pity.
>The existence of an extradition treaty doesn't mean that UK courts are compelled to extradite anyone until/unless US prisons cease breeching basic human rights.
That sounds like a reasonable position.
Perhaps you should discuss that with your local MP or perhaps the Home Secretary. The US, while a party to that treaty, didn't force it on the UK. Your elected representatives made that decision on your behalf. If you don't like it, do what we did in my city -- elect people to change it.
It doesn't matter if state prisons violate human rights (and many do), because Assange isn't going to a state prison. He's going to a federal prison, and those facilities are much nicer, and their staff better trained. They're also monitored up the wazoo by lawyers for rights violations.
Assange's team would need to show that the prison he would be assigned to regularly and currently violates human rights, and he simply can't do that.
This is a Federal prison that holds this kind of prisoner. It holds prisoners in solitary confinement. Solitary confinement is torture and is a human rights violation.
Not really. It is perfectly compatible that (1) the UK has an extradition treaty with the US that requires that the US respects human rights for extraditions to actually happen, (2) the US does not respect human rights of prisoners, (3) therefore the UK never actually extradites anyone until 2 changes.
There should be no extradition to the USA whatsoever until they stop doing so.