{"id":259496,"date":"2024-04-15T12:00:51","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T11:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=259496"},"modified":"2024-04-12T08:10:24","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T07:10:24","slug":"five-years-at-belmarsh-a-chronicle-of-julian-assanges-imprisonment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2024\/04\/five-years-at-belmarsh-a-chronicle-of-julian-assanges-imprisonment\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Years at Belmarsh: A Chronicle of Julian Assange’s Imprisonment"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Screen shot from the HM Chief Inspector of Prisons’ 2021 report on His Majesty’s Prison Belmarsh<\/p><\/div>\n

Calls for Assange’s freedom are renewed as the WikiLeaks founder marks five years in Belmarsh prison.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

11 Apr 2024<\/em> – At the behest of the United States government, the British government has detained WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in His Majesty’s Prison Belmarsh for five years.<\/p>\n

Assange is one of the only journalists to be jailed by a Western country, making the treatment that he has endured extraordinary. He has spent more time in prison than most individuals charged with similar acts.<\/p>\n

Since December 2010, Assange has lived under some form of arbitrary detention.<\/p>\n

He was expelled from Ecuador\u2019s London embassy on April 11, 2019, and British police immediately arrested him. Police transported Assange to Belmarsh, a maximum-security facility often referred<\/a> to as \u201cBritain\u2019s Guantanamo<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Around the same time, the U.S. Justice Department unsealed an indictment that alleged that Assange had conspired with U.S. Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning to commit a \u201ccomputer intrusion.\u201d The following month the DOJ issued another indictment with 17 additional Espionage Act charges.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

2019<\/h2>\n

On May 1, Assange was sentenced by a British court to 50 weeks in prison as punishment for seeking political asylum from Ecuador while Sweden was attempting to extradite him. His sentence was longer<\/a> than the six-month sentence that Jack Shepherd, the \u201cspeedboat killer\u201d received for \u201cbreaching bail.\u201d<\/p>\n

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer visited Assange on May 9. Two medical experts, who specialize in examining potential torture survivors, accompanied Melzer. He reported<\/a> on May 31 that \u201cAssange showed all [the] symptoms typical for prolonged exposure to psychological torture, including extreme stress, chronic anxiety and intense psychological trauma.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few weeks after Melzer\u2019s visit, prison administrators moved Assange to the medical ward. A WikiLeaks spokesperson said<\/a> that their former editor-in-chief\u2019s health had \u201ccontinued to deteriorate,\u201d and he had \u201cdramatically lost weight.\u201d A defense lawyer indicated that it had become impossible to \u201cconduct a normal conversation with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Australian journalist John Pilger, a friend and supporter of Assange, shared, \u201cWhen I saw him a couple of weeks ago he wasn\u2019t very well then. But then he\u2019s been in an embassy in a confined space without natural light for almost seven years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe needs a great deal of diagnostic care and rehabilitation. He\u2019s gone through an extraordinary physical and mental ordeal. And now he\u2019s having to go through this,\u201d Pilger added.<\/p>\n

Assange completed his prison sentence in September, however, District Judge Vanessa refused<\/a> to release him on bail because she believed he would \u201cabscond again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Former British ambassador Craig Murray attended<\/a> a hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court on October 21, 2019, and shared what he witnessed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was badly shocked by just how much weight my friend has lost, by the speed his hair has receded and by the appearance of premature and vastly accelerated aging. He has a pronounced limp I have never seen before. Since his arrest he has lost over 15 kg [33 pounds] in weight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Murray continued, \u201cWhen asked to give his name and date of birth, he struggled visibly over several seconds to recall both.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do not understand how this process is equitable,\u201d Assange declared. \u201cThis superpower had 10 years to prepare for this case, and I can\u2019t even access my writings. It is very difficult, where I am, to do anything. These people have unlimited resources.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Murray, it was a \u201creal struggle\u201d to address the court. \u201c[H]is voice dropped and he became increasingly confused and incoherent. He spoke of whistleblowers and publishers being labeled enemies of the people, then spoke about his children\u2019s DNA being stolen and of being spied on in his meetings with his psychologist. I am not suggesting at all that Julian was wrong about these points, but he could not properly frame nor articulate them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was plainly not himself, very ill and it was just horribly painful to watch. Baraitser showed neither sympathy nor the least concern. She tartly observed that if he could not understand what had happened, his lawyers could explain it to him, and she swept out of court,\u201d Murray added.<\/p>\n

\"\"
(Photo: Alisdare Hickson<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2020<\/h2>\n

Assange remained in Belmarsh prison\u2019s medical ward until mid-January. During that time, he lived in conditions that amounted to solitary confinement. The harsh confinement ended<\/a> only after his legal team and several prisoners petitioned administrators to move him into a wing with other prisoners.<\/p>\n

In February, the first of two hearings on the U.S. extradition request were held. The proceedings focused on matters of extradition law, and Assange\u2019s attorneys complained about alleged abuse after the first day.<\/p>\n

SBS Australia reported<\/a>, \u201cThe WikiLeaks founder was stripped naked twice, handcuffed 11 times and had his legal case files confiscated by guards at London’s Belmarsh Prison on Monday, his lawyers told the hearing.\u201d<\/p>\n

District Judge Vanessa Baraitser claimed there was nothing that she could do to ensure Assange was treated humanely.<\/p>\n

Assange was forced to observed proceedings in his own case from within a glass box. Jen Robinson, one of Assange\u2019s attorneys, said that he was \u201cunable to pass notes in a confidential and secure way. He\u2019s unable to seek clarification from his legal team and give instructions during the course of the proceedings.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was difficult for Assange to participate in his defense, and yet, Baraitser denied a request to allow him to sit with his attorneys in the courtroom.<\/p>\n

Not long after the week-long hearing, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the majority of the world. It greatly intensified the hardship of imprisonment.<\/p>\n

Vaughan Smith, a friend who allowed Assange to live with him under\u00a0house arrest\u00a0in 2010,\u00a0wrote\u00a0on April 9 that Assange was \u201cconfined alone in a cell 23 and a half hours every day. He gets half an hour of exercise and that is in a yard crowded with other prisoners. With over 150 Belmarsh prison staff off work self-isolating, the prison is barely functioning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know of two COVID-19 deaths in Belmarsh so far, though the [Ministry] of Justice have admitted to only one death. Julian told me that there have been more, and that the virus is ripping through the prison,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n

On March 25, Assange\u2019s legal team went before Baraitser and asked that he be granted bail. There were widespread calls for the release of detainees and prisoners in order to halt the spread of COVID. But Baraitser denied the request.<\/p>\n

Belmarsh did not allow visitors from March 22 to the last week of August. He was unable to see his partner Stella or his two children, Gabriel and Max.<\/p>\n

When Stella visited<\/a> Julian, he was not allowed to hug his children unless he wanted to be in solitary confinement for two weeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cJulian said it was the first time he had been given a mask because things are very different behind the doors,\u201d Stella shared. \u201c[H]e looked a lot thinner. He was wearing a yellow armband to indicate his level of prisoner status, and you could see how thin his arms were.\u201d<\/p>\n

The U.S. Justice Department issued another indictment<\/a> in June that added to Julian Assange\u2019s stress by accusing the WikiLeaks founder of conspiring with \u201chackers\u201d affiliated with \u201cAnonymous,\u201d \u201cLulzSec,\u201d \u201cAntiSec,\u201d and \u201cGnosis.\u201d Some of the new allegations were sourced to Sigurdur \u201cSiggi\u201d Thordarson<\/a>\u2014a serial criminal, lying sociopath, and convicted pedophile.<\/p>\n

Although the pandemic impacted public and press access to proceedings, Baraitser went forward with the second part of the extradition hearing in September. Assange\u2019s legal team called several witnesses to help challenge the extradition request. It lasted a month.<\/p>\n

Dr. Quinton Deeley, who works for the National Health Service (NHS), conducted an Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) test and interviewed Assange for six hours in July. He was diagnosed with Asperger\u2019s syndrome.<\/p>\n

Assange told Deeley he feared he would be held in isolation in a U.S. prison. He was afraid of the fresh indictment. He was also concerned about the fate of Joshua Schulte, who was held in harsh confinement conditions prior to his trial for disclosing the \u201cVault 7\u201d materials to WikiLeaks.<\/p>\n

If extradited, Deeley determined Assange\u2019s risk of suicide would be high under the circumstances. He said Assange \u201cruminates about prospective circumstances at length,\u201d and it causes a \u201csense of horror.\u201d And, \u201cHe would find it an unbearable ordeal, and I think his inability to bear that in the context of [an] acute worsening depression would confer high risk of suicide.\u201d<\/p>\n

A couple of months later, on November 2, Manoel Santos, a gay Brazilian who was facing deportation to Brazil, killed<\/a> himself. He was a prisoner who had become Assange\u2019s friend, and his death was incredibly devastating for Assange.<\/p>\n

\u201cJulian tells me Manoel was an excellent tenor,\u201d Stella Assange shared. \u201cHe helped Julian read letters in Portuguese and he was a friend. He feared deportation to Brazil after 20 years, being gay put him at risk where he was from,\u201d she said. (Jair Bolsonaro, an anti-gay fascist, was president of Brazil.)<\/p>\n

There was also a COVID outbreak<\/a> in Assange\u2019s prison block in November. \u201cI am extremely worried about Julian. Julian\u2019s doctors say that he is vulnerable to the effects of the virus. But it\u2019s not just COVID,\u201d Stella declared.<\/p>\n

She added, \u201cEvery day that passes is a serious risk to Julian. Belmarsh is an extremely dangerous environment where murders and suicides are commonplace.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"From
(Photo: Alisdare Hickson<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2021<\/h2>\n

The year at Belmarsh started with a bittersweet victory. District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled that extraditing Julian Assange to the United States would be \u201coppressive\u201d for mental health reasons.<\/p>\n

Although Baraitser refused to uphold certain protections that would protect Assange\u2019s freedom of expression, the judge acknowledged<\/a> the cruelty of the U.S. prison system, particularly what would happen to Assange if he was sent to a supermax prison.<\/p>\n

But two days later, lawyers from the Crown Prosecution Service argued<\/a> Assange should not be granted bail because he helped NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden \u201cflee justice.\u201d Lawyers also singled out\u00a0Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador\u2019s asylum offer<\/a> and insisted that he remain in Belmarsh or else he would go to Mexico\u2019s London embassy to escape prosecution.<\/p>\n

The district judge sided<\/a> with the U.S. government. She agreed that the assistance WikiLeaks provided Snowden demonstrated that Assange would pose a \u201cflight risk.\u201d Baraitser further argued that the \u201chuge support networks\u201d that Assange had would aid him \u201cshould he again choose to go to ground.\u201d Supporters would make it easier for the WikiLeaks founder to evade prosecution.<\/p>\n

Following President Joe Biden\u2019s election, Stella was cautiously optimistic that his administration would have want to \u201cproject a commitment to the First Amendment.\u201d This would force the U.S. Justice Department under Biden to drop the charges. However, the Biden administration would not relent in their pursuit of the case.<\/p>\n

Contagious variants of COVID spread throughout the world. For eight months, Belmarsh administrators would not permit <\/a>Stella or his two children to visit Julian.<\/p>\n

Stella told the news media after her prison visit that British authorities needed to bring this case to an end because they were \u201cdriving\u201d Julian to \u201cdeep depression and into despair.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c[Julian] shouldn\u2019t be in prison at all, he shouldn\u2019t be prosecuted at all, because he did the right thing: he published the truth,\u201d Stella declared.<\/p>\n

His Majesty\u2019s Chief Inspector of Prisons made two unannounced visits to Belmarsh in late July 26-27 and early August. A report [PDF<\/a>] published by the inspector found that \u201crates of violence\u201d had spiked despite COVID restrictions \u201climiting the time most prisoners were out of their cells.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe prison had not paid sufficient attention to the growing levels of self-harm and there was not enough oversight or care taken of prisoners at risk of suicide. Urgent action needed to be taken in this area to make sure that these prisoners were kept safe,\u201d according to the report.<\/p>\n

A hearing on the U.S. government\u2019s appeal was held before the British High Court of Justice at the end of October. Assange had a \u201cmini-stroke<\/a>\u201d on the first day and was unable to follow proceedings.<\/p>\n

On December 10, the High Court ruled<\/a> in favor of the U.S. government\u2019s appeal and overturned the lower court decision that had momentarily spared Assange. The judges said they were \u201csatisfied\u201d with diplomatic assurances that were offered by the U.S. State Department. The court had no reason to believe that Assange would not be treated appropriately in U.S. custody.<\/p>\n

Assange immediately appealed to the United Kingdom\u2019s Supreme Court to reconsider the decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday is international Human Rights Day,\u201d Stella declared. What a shame. How cynical to have this decision on this day, to have the foremost publisher [and] journalist of the past 50 years in a U.K prison accused of publishing the truth about war crimes, about CIA kill teams.\u201d<\/p>\n

“In fact, every time we have a hearing, we know more about the abusive nature, the criminal nature of this case.”<\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo of Julian Assange and Stella Assange that Stella shared when announcing their wedding (Source<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2022<\/h2>\n

Another bittersweet moment in the case occurred at Belmarsh on March 23. Prison administrators ended their opposition and allowed Julian and Stella to marry each other in a pared-down wedding ceremony.<\/p>\n

Stella proclaimed<\/a>, \u201cThis is not a prison wedding, it is a declaration of love and resilience in spite of the prison walls, in spite of the political persecution, in spite of the arbitrary detention, in spite of the harm and harassment inflicted on Julian and our family. Their torment only makes our love grow stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, the United Kingdom\u2019s Ministry of Justice refused to allow journalists Craig Murray and Chris Hedges to attend as witnesses because they regularly publish articles about the case. The prison also tried to deny access to the couple\u2019s \u201cproposed photographer\u201d and labeled wedding pictures a \u201csecurity risk\u201d because the photos could circulate on social media or in the press.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am convinced that they fear that people will see Julian as a human being. Not a name, but a person,\u201d Stella responded. \u201cTheir fear reveals that they want Julian to remain invisible to the public at all costs, even on his wedding day, and especially on his wedding day,\u201d Stella responded.<\/p>\n

Still, as Stella told 60 Minutes Australia<\/a>, the two exchanged vows and hugged. \u201cIt was like we weren\u2019t in a prison. For a moment, the prison walls disappeared. The guards and the prisoners and the visitors were all saying congratulations, and when Julian came in as well, they started clapping.\u201d<\/p>\n

Julian Assange\u2019s appeal to the U.K. Supreme Court was rejected<\/a> days before wedding. The court was unwilling to review any of the issues that his legal team raised. That meant the extradition request was approved by the district court and sent to U.K. Home Secretary Priti Patel for approval in June.<\/p>\n

A new appeal was filed<\/a> in July, and as Assange sought an appeal hearing before the High Court, his case was thrust into limbo.<\/p>\n

In October, Assange was forced to isolate in the prison for several days after he was infected<\/a> with COVID. He was locked in his cell for 24 hours a day.<\/p>\n

The news was shared a couple days after Stella Assange and supporters formed a human chain around U.K. Parliament in a show of solidarity for the jailed WikiLeaks founder.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo: Alisdare Hickson<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2023\/2024<\/h2>\n

While the Australian government had consistently declined to advocate for the rights of one of their own citizens, Stephen Smith, who was Australia\u2019s high commissioner to the United Kingdom, visited Julian Assange at Belmarsh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very keen just to have a conversation with him, check on his health and wellbeing and hopefully see whether regular visits might be a feature of the relationship with Mr Assange going forward,\u201d\u00a0Smith told<\/a> the press, as he entered the prison.<\/p>\n

The visit was a product of campaigning by Assange supporters in Australia. Finally, the prime minister of Australia\u2014a close U.S. ally\u2014was publicly demanding that the case against Assange end.<\/p>\n

A similar visit by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Secretary-General Christophe Deloire and Director of Operations Rebecca Vincent was blocked<\/a> by Belmarsh administrators on the same day. RSF was stunned because they had coordinated with the prison.<\/p>\n

“Prison officials told the RSF representatives that they had \u2018received intelligence\u2019 that they were journalists, and would therefore not be allowed in, per a decision of Belmarsh Prison Governor Jenny Louis. The Governor did not respond to urgent requests to meet Deloire and Vincent or to otherwise intervene to allow their access,\u201d RSF shared.<\/p>\n

In May, the first public letter<\/a> from Assange since he was confined at Belmarsh was shared. The jailed WikiLeaks founder satirically welcomed King Charles to the British throne and encouraged Charles to visit his prison.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a political prisoner, held at Your Majesty\u2019s pleasure on behalf of an embarrassed foreign sovereign, I am honored to reside within the walls of this world class institution. Truly, your kingdom knows no bounds, Assange wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring your visit, you will have the opportunity to feast upon the culinary delights prepared for your loyal subjects on a generous budget of two pounds per day. Savor the blended tuna heads and the ubiquitous reconstituted forms that are purportedly made from chicken. And worry not, for unlike lesser institutions such as Alcatraz or San Quentin, there is no communal dining in a mess hall. At Belmarsh, prisoners dine alone in their cells, ensuring the utmost intimacy with their meal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVenture further into the depths of Belmarsh and you will find the most isolated place within its walls: Healthcare, or \u201cHellcare\u201d as its inhabitants lovingly call it,\u201d Assange added. \u201cHere, you will marvel at sensible rules designed for everyone\u2019s safety, such as the prohibition of chess, whilst permitting the far less dangerous game of checkers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Assange described the \u201cBelmarsh End of Life Suite,\u201d where prisoners cry, \u201cBrother, I\u2019m going to die in here,\u201d and the crows nesting on the razor wire along with \u201cthe hungry rats that call Belmarsh home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you come in the spring, you may even catch a glimpse of the ducklings laid by wayward mallards within the prison grounds. But don\u2019t delay, for the ravenous rats ensure their lives are fleeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

On June 8, the British High Court of Justice ruled<\/a> against Assange\u2019s request for an appeal. The court decision, which inexplicably took nearly a year to be issued, was authored by Judge Sir Jonathan Swift and contained little explanation for the denial.<\/p>\n

That forced Assange\u2019s legal team into one more phase of limbo as they re-submitted an abbreviated appeal and waited for the court to grant a hearing.<\/p>\n

Journalist Charles Glass visited Assange on December 13. He last met with Assange six years ago while he was still in Ecuador\u2019s London embassy.<\/p>\n

In a report for The Nation<\/a>, Glass wrote, \u201cHis paleness is best described as deathly,\u201d and the reason he looks so unwell is because he has not seen the sun since he was transported to the prison on April 11, 2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cWarders confine him to a cell for 23 out of every 24 hours. His single hour of recreation takes place within four walls, under supervision.\u201d<\/p>\n

The food that is available at Belmarsh consists of \u201cporridge for breakfast, thin soup for lunch, and not much else for dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBelmarsh\u2019s warders shove the food into the cells for prisoners to eat alone. It is hard to make friends that way. He has been there longer than any other prisoner apart from an old man who had served seven years to his four and a half,\u201d Glass additionally reported.<\/p>\n

The prison opposed Assange\u2019s request for a radio until Glass stepped in to help pressure the prison.<\/p>\n

One of the few bright spots, however, is that Assange has been allowed to maintain a library with dozens upon dozens of books in his cell. In fact, when Glass visited, he could no longer receive books because he had 232 books.<\/p>\n

At the end of December and in early January, Assange was ill. He suffers from osteoporosis and coughing resulted in a broken rib. If prison authorities allowed him some access to sunlight, the 52-year-old publisher may not be so frail.<\/p>\n

Assange was still unwell when an appeal hearing was finally held in February and did not attend the proceedings.<\/p>\n

The High Court partly ruled<\/a> in Assange\u2019s favor on March 26, when it recognized that Assange had valid grounds for an appeal. But the High Court stayed the decision and urged the U.S. government to submit \u201cassurances\u201d that would help the government avoid an appeal.<\/p>\n

Assange was once again punished by the legal process. He has very few options left to prevent extradition to the U.S. for an unprecedented trial on Espionage Act charges.<\/p>\n

Around the fifth anniversary, President Joe Biden was asked by a reporter about the Assange case. Biden said he was “considering” Australia’s request to end the case\u2014whatever that means for one of the best known political prisoners in the world.<\/p>\n

___________________________________________<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kevin Gosztola is <\/em>Editor for <\/em>The Wide Shot, Journalist, film\/video college graduate, and movie fan. Member of Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).<\/em><\/p>\n

Go to Original \u2013 thedissenter.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

11 Apr 2024 – Calls for Assange’s freedom are renewed as the WikiLeaks founder marks five years in Belmarsh prison.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":259494,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[139],"tags":[229,918,2732,2709,910,2963,942,487,2964,378,651,234,911,454,572,639,292,70,126,921,113],"class_list":["post-259496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-justice","tag-activism","tag-assange","tag-belmarsh-prison","tag-belmarsh-tribunal","tag-big-brother","tag-cryptome","tag-ecuador","tag-human-rights","tag-john-young","tag-journalism","tag-justice","tag-media","tag-surveillance","tag-sweden","tag-torture","tag-uk","tag-un","tag-usa","tag-violence","tag-whistleblowing","tag-wikileaks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259496","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=259496"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259496\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":259500,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259496\/revisions\/259500"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/259494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=259496"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=259496"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=259496"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}