The US, in order to get its hands on Julian Assange and subject him to an unfair trial, has promised the UK that it won't imprison him in brainwashing conditions at the outset.

But it reserves the right to change that decision later. Wrong as it would be to imprison Assange for journalism, the worst thing that has happened so far is the UK's decision that it will in general extradite journalism suspects to the US, agreeing to the US claim that journalism is "espionage".