Australian politicians call for release of WikiLeaks founder
Australia’s parliament has approved a resolution urging the US and UK to release Julian Assange, ahead of a pivotal legal hearing.
Next week, Mr. Assange is scheduled to appear before the UK’s High Court for his final appeal against US extradition. The Australian national, currently detained in London’s Belmarsh Prison, faces espionage charges in the US and a potential 175-year prison sentence.
Australian MPs voted 86-42 in favor of allowing Mr. Assange to return home. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, backing the motion, has emphasized the need for closure in the Assange case since assuming office in 2022. During a state visit in October, he directly addressed the matter with US President Joe Biden.
Earlier, a bipartisan group of Australian MPs traveled to Washington to advocate for Mr. Assange’s release from US custody. The WikiLeaks founder is accused of disseminating thousands of classified documents in 2010 and 2011, which US authorities contend violated the law and jeopardized lives.
Maintaining that the charges against him are politically motivated, Assange and his legal team warn of the risk of suicide if he is extradited to the US.
In 2021, a UK judge blocked Mr Assange’s extradition, citing concerns for his mental health.
The High Court subsequently reversed that decision on the basis that the US had proven that Mr Assange would be safely cared for. In 2022, then Home Secretary Priti Patel approved the US extradition request – triggering his renewed legal appeal.
Mr Assange’s family has continued to call on the Australian government to do more to secure his release, warning that the 52-year-old could “disappear” into the US justice system for decades if handed over.
Australia’s Attorney General Mark Dreyfus said he had raised the matter with his US counterpart Merrick Garland at a meeting in Washington last month.
“This was a private discussion, however, this government’s position on Mr Assange is very clear, and has not changed. It is time this matter is brought to an end,” Mr Dreyfus said in a statement.
Mr Assange has been in the high-security Belmarsh Prison since 2019. He had previously spent seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London while trying to seek asylum in the South American country.
