EXCLUSIVE : Assange’s father extends gratitude to Putin for defending his son in 2012

(it's his first time in Russia) Cynthia (❗️Julian Assange's Australian father John Shipton is trending on top of Russian Federal news today.)

John Shipton, Julian Assange's father, has thanked President Vladimir Putin, noting that in 2012, Putin was the first head of state to defend Assange’s rights as a publisher and journalist. At a time when Assange faced relentless smears from the US, UK, and Australia, Shipton acknowledged Putin's support.

"For that, I extend my affection to your president", Shipton told Sputnik.

Shipton, founder of Australia's now-defunct Wikileaks Party, arrived in Moscow on Saturday night at the invitation of the BRICS Journalists Association and its co-chair Mira Terada, a human rights advocate and publicist.

Via: @SputnikInt

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❗️MOSCOW, 20 Oct — RIA Novosti. The father of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, John Shipton, told RIA Novosti that he is grateful to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who became the first world leader to speak out in defense of the journalist.

"President Putin in 2012 became the first head of state to speak out in defense of Julian's interests as a publisher and a citizen. At that time, Julian was being subjected to defamatory lies. <...> And Putin spoke out in defense of his interests as a publisher and a citizen. For that, I express my sympathy to your president," Shipton said.