Michi (cat)

Last updated
Michi
Other name(s)Embassy Cat
Species Felis catus
Years active2016–2018
Owner Julian Assange
Residence Embassy of Ecuador, London

Michi, also known as Embassy Cat, was the pet cat of Julian Assange from May 2016 until November 2018, when he reportedly gave away the cat, or April 2019, when he was evicted from the Ecuadorian embassy. [1] [2] In November 2018 the Ecuadorian embassy set a series of house rules in place for Assange, including that he was responsible for the "well-being, food, and hygiene"; his lawyer called this requirement to care for his cat "denigrating", and according to NPR his failure to do so arguably played "a small role" in him being evicted from the embassy. [3] [4]

Contents

Origin

Assange obtained the cat in 2016, saying it was a gift from his children. [5] This has been disputed, with The New Yorker quoting a friend of Assange who said "Julian stared at the cat for about half an hour, trying to figure out how it could be useful, and then came up with this: Yeah, let's say it's from my children. For a time, he said it didn't have a name because there was a competition in Ecuador, with schoolchildren, on what to name him. Everything is P.R.—everything." [6] [4]

The cat's name, "Michi", is Kichwa for "cat", but it was more commonly known after its Twitter handle "Embassy Cat", [6] as well as being occasionally called "James" or "Cat-stro", the latter after Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. [7]

Social media

Under the moniker "Embassy Cat" Michi had accounts on Twitter and Instagram with more than 30,000 followers on the former, having gained more than 3,000 in the first day, [1] and 6,000 on the latter; according to Vox , Assange desired the cat to be a social media celebrity, while according to The New Yorker it was less a pet and more a branding exercise. [3] In May 2016 "Embassy Cat" was tweeting regularly, but this had declined by the end of the year and in 2017 it tweeted only three times, and in 2018 just twice. [4]

The posts were typically cute pictures, with a "bit of political grandstanding thrown in", as well as constant puns. The topics included Hillary Clinton, Brexit, and human rights. [4] [5] According to The New York Times , it was an extension of Assange's politics, used to "promote his causes" as well as sell t-shirts, and that if the purpose had been "to put a cute face on the thorny politics of an international fugitive", it had been effective. [8]

Embassy rules

In 2018, the embassy set a series of house rules in place for Assange's residence there. These included that he must be responsible for the "well-being, food, and hygiene" of his pet, and that if he failed to do so the cat may be confiscated. [9]

Assange took the Ecuadorian government to court over these rules, arguing that they violated his right to asylum; according to his attorney, Baltasar Garzón, the obligations related to his cat were "denigrating". [10] Judge Karina Martinez ruled against him, saying that the "authorities have the right to decide what is and is not allowed inside the building". [4] [11] According to NPR, his failure to care for Michi arguably played "a small role" in Assange being evicted from the Embassy. [4]

Post-embassy life

Journalist James Ball said that he offered to adopt the cat, but said that it was "reportedly given to a shelter by the Ecuadorian embassy ages ago". Hanna Jonasson, a member of Assange's legal team, disputes this, saying that the cat is with Assange's family and "they will be reunited in freedom", while the embassy said "it was taken by Mr. Assange's associates", adding "we are not a pet store, we do not keep pets here." [2] [4]

Assange reportedly gave away the cat in November 2018, just after he lost his court case against the rules requiring to care for it, as its "isolation became unbearable" and to "allow it a healthier life." [11] [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ecuador–United States relations</span> Bilateral relations

Ecuador and the United States maintained close ties based on mutual interests in maintaining democratic institutions; combating cannabis and cocaine; building trade, investment, and financial ties; cooperating in fostering Ecuador's economic development; and participating in inter-American organizations. Ties are further strengthened by the presence of an estimated 150,000-200,000 Ecuadorians living in the United States and by 24,000 U.S. citizens visiting Ecuador annually, and by approximately 15,000 U.S. citizens living in Ecuador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WikiLeaks</span> News leak publishing organisation

WikiLeaks is a media organisation and publisher that operates as a non-profit and is funded by donations and media partnerships. It has published classified documents and other media provided by anonymous sources. It was founded in 2006 by Julian Assange, an Australian editor, publisher, and activist, who is currently challenging extradition to the United States over his work with WikiLeaks. Since September 2018, Kristinn Hrafnsson has served as its editor-in-chief. Its website states that it has released more than ten million documents and associated analyses. WikiLeaks' most recent publication of original documents was in 2019 and its most recent publication was in 2021. Beginning in November 2022, many of the documents on the organisation's website could not be accessed. In 2023, Assange said that WikiLeaks was no longer able to publish due to his imprisonment and the effect that US government surveillance and WikiLeaks' funding restrictions were having on potential whistleblowers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chancery (diplomacy)</span> Building which houses a diplomatic mission or embassy

A chancery is the principal office that houses a diplomatic mission or an embassy. This often includes the associated building and the site. The building can house one or several different nations' missions. The term derives from chancery or chancellery, the office of a chancellor. Some nations title the head of foreign affairs a chancellor, and 'chancery' eventually became a common referent to the main building of an embassy.

Sondra Crosby is an American medical doctor and Professor of Medicine at Boston University, specializing in internal medicine. She is also a faculty member of the Health Law, Bioethics and Human Rights department at the Boston University School of Public Health.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julian Assange</span> Australian editor, publisher, and activist, founder of WikiLeaks (born 1971)

Julian Paul Assange is an Australian editor, publisher and activist who founded WikiLeaks in 2006. He came to wide international attention in 2010 when WikiLeaks published a series of leaks from US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning: footage of a US airstrike in Baghdad, US military logs from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and US diplomatic cables. Assange has won multiple awards for publishing and journalism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kristinn Hrafnsson</span> Icelandic investigative journalist (born 1962)

Kristinn Hrafnsson is an Icelandic investigative journalist who has been the editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks since 2018. He was the spokesperson for WikiLeaks between 2010 and 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Harding</span> British journalist & writer (born 1968)

Luke Daniel Harding is a British journalist who is a foreign correspondent for The Guardian. He is known for his coverage of Russia under Vladimir Putin, WikiLeaks and Edward Snowden.

WikiLeaks, a whistleblowing website founded by Julian Assange, has received praise as well as criticism from the public, hacktivists, journalist organisations and government officials. The organisation has revealed human rights abuses and was the target of an alleged "cyber war". Allegations have been made that Wikileaks worked with or was exploited by the Russian government and acted in a partisan manner during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

<i>Assange v Swedish Prosecution Authority</i> Legal proceedings over extraditing Julian Assange to Sweden

Assange v Swedish Prosecution Authority were the set of legal proceedings in the United Kingdom concerning the requested extradition of Julian Assange to Sweden for a "preliminary investigation" into accusations of sexual offences allegedly made in August 2010. Assange left Sweden in September 2010 and was arrested in his absence the same day. He was suspected of rape of a lesser degree, unlawful coercion and multiple cases of sexual molestation. In June 2012, Assange breached bail and sought refuge at Ecuador's Embassy in London and was granted asylum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embassy of Ecuador, London</span>

The Embassy of Ecuador in London is the diplomatic mission of Ecuador in the United Kingdom. It is headed by the ambassador of Ecuador to the United Kingdom. It is located in the Knightsbridge area of London, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is in an apartment building which also houses the Embassy of Colombia as well as a number of residential apartments, near Harrods, Hyde Park, and Hans Place, at 3 Hans Crescent at the intersection with Basil Street, and it is close to Knightsbridge Underground station.

National Intelligence Secretariat was the principal intelligence agency of the Republic of Ecuador. The agency was created in September 2009. Directors include Rommy Vallejo, Francisco Jijón, Homero Arellano, Luis Yépez, Raúl Patiño and Pablo Romero Quezada.

Multi_Viral (song) 2013 single by Calle 13 featuring Tom Morello, Julian Assange and Kamilya Jubran

"Multi_Viral" is a single by Puerto Rican alternative hip hop band Calle 13, released on November 11, 2013, as the first and eponymous single from their 2014 fifth studio album, Multi Viral. It features additional vocals from Palestinian singer Kamilya Jubran; spoken words by Australian journalist Julian Assange, which were recorded at the Embassy of Ecuador in London, during his time under diplomatic asylum granted by the Ecuadorian government; and American guitarist Tom Morello, of Rage Against the Machine fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indictment and arrest of Julian Assange</span>

In 2012, while on bail, Julian Assange was granted political asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he sought to avoid extradition to Sweden, and what his supporters said was the possibility of subsequent extradition to the US. On 11 April 2019, Ecuador revoked his asylum, he was arrested for failing to appear in court, and carried out of the Embassy by members of the London Metropolitan Police. Following his arrest, the US revealed a previously sealed 2018 US indictment in which Assange was charged with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion related to his involvement with Chelsea Manning and WikiLeaks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ola Bini</span>

Ola Bini, is a Swedish programmer and Internet activist, working for the Digital Autonomy Center in Ecuador on issues of privacy, security and cryptography. He has been in Ecuador since 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stella Assange</span> Lawyer and human rights defender (born 1983)

Stella Assange is a lawyer and human rights defender. She was known as Sara Devant before changing her name: first to Stella Moris in 2012, later to Stella Moris-Smith Robertson, and to Stella Assange on marrying Julian Assange in 2022. She was born in South Africa, but holds dual Swedish and Spanish citizenship. Throughout her career, she has been an international advocate for human rights, most prominently in the case of her husband.

Kunstler v. Central Intelligence Agency is a lawsuit against the Central Intelligence Agency, former CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Undercover Global S.L., and David Morales Guillen filed by a group of American lawyers and journalists associated with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The lawsuit alleged that the CIA violated their constitutional rights by recording their conversations with Assange and copying their devices after suspicions were raised that Assange was working for the Russian intelligence services.

After Julian Assange was granted asylum and entered the Ecuadorian embassy in London, new CCTV cameras were installed and security personnel working for UC Global and Promsecurity recorded his daily activities and interactions with staff and visitors, including his legal team. In a 2017 email, the surveillance was explained with suspicions that Assange was "working for the Russian intelligence services." New cameras with microphones were installed in December 2017, and the installation of microphones in fire extinguishers and the women's bathroom was ordered. Other microphones were installed in decorations in the embassy. Morales arranged for the United States to have immediate access to the recordings. The embassy staff had removed the toilet in the women's bathroom in June 2012 at Assange's request so he could sleep in the quiet room, which he also used to meet with his lawyers.

Views on Julian Assange have been given by a number of public figures, including journalists, well-known whistleblowers, activists and world leaders. They range from laudatory statements to calls for his execution. Various journalists and free speech advocates have praised Assange for his work and dedication to free speech. Some former colleagues have criticised his work habits, editorial decisions and personality. After the 2016 US Presidential election, there was debate about his motives and his ties to Russia. After Assange's arrest in 2019, journalists and commenters debated about if Assange was a journalist. Assange has been awarded multiple awards for journalism and publishing.

Hanna Jonasson is an editor and doctoral candidate in international law.

References

  1. 1 2 Ap, Tiffany (10 May 2016). "'Counter-purrveillance': Julian Assange gets a kitten for company". CNN. Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  2. 1 2 Kaur, Harmeet (11 April 2019). "Whatever happened to Julian Assange's cat?". CNN. Archived from the original on 27 June 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  3. 1 2 Ward, Alex (19 October 2018). "Julian Assange is fighting the Ecuadorian government over a cat". Vox. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Schwartz, Matthew S. (2019-04-12). "The Mystery of Julian Assange's cat". NPR. Archived from the original on 27 June 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  5. 1 2 Winsor, Ben (2016-11-16). "Julian Assange's cat is on Twitter, dressing for success". SBS News. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  6. 1 2 Khatchadourian, Raffi (14 August 2017). "Julian Assange, a Man Without a Country". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  7. ↑ Thebault, Reis (2019-04-12). "The mystery of Julian Assange's cat: Where will it go? What does it know?". National Post. Washington Post. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  8. ↑ Victor, Daniel (12 April 2019). "The People Demand Answers: What Happened to Julian Assange's Cat?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  9. ↑ "Julian Assange given feline ultimatum by Ecuador". BBC. 16 October 2018. Archived from the original on 19 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  10. ↑ "Assange fights asylum terms requiring him to pay for food, cat care". NBC News. Reuters. 21 October 2018. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  11. 1 2 "Assange loses court case over cat duties, internet bills". ABC News . AP. 30 October 2018. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  12. ↑ Bostock, Bill (April 11, 2019) [November 2018]. "Julian Assange reportedly gave away his cat five months ago so it wouldn't be trapped in the Ecuadorian embassy with him any more". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.