The Chris Hedges Report Podcast with Craig Murray

Craig Murray, the former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, was removed from his post after he made public the widespread use of torture by the Uzbek government and the CIA. He has since become one of Britain’s most important human rights campaigners, a fierce advocate for Julian Assange and a supporter of Scottish independence. His coverage of the trial of former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, who was acquitted of sexual assault charges, saw him charged with contempt of court and sentenced to eight months in prison. The very dubious sentence, half of which Murray served, upended most legal norms. Murray was sentenced, his supporters argue, to prevent him from testifying as a witness in the Spanish criminal case against UC Global Director David Morales being prosecuted for installing a surveillance system in the Ecuadorean Embassy when Julian Assange found refuge that was used to record the privileged communications between Assange and his lawyers. Morales is alleged to have carried out this surveillance for the CIA. Murray has published some of the most prescient and eloquent reports from Assange’s extradition hearings and was one of a half dozen guests, including myself, invited to Julian and Stella’s wedding in Belmarsh Prison in March 2022. Prison authorities denied entry to Craig, based on what the UK Ministry of Justice said were security concerns, as well as myself from attending the ceremony. Joining me to discuss what is happening to Julian and the rapid erosion of our most basic democratic rights is Craig Murray.