President Joe Biden is considering Australia’s request to drop the U.S. prosecution of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange for publishing classified documents. Assange, an Australian citizen, has been fighting U.S. extradition efforts from prison in the U.K. Biden stated that they are considering the request during an official visit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Assange has been indicted on numerous espionage charges for publishing classified U.S. documents, with American prosecutors alleging he put lives at risk by encouraging and aiding Chelsea Manning in stealing the documents.
Australia has long argued for the U.S. to drop their prosecution against Assange, citing a disconnect between how Assange and Manning have been treated. Manning had her sentence commuted by then-President Barack Obama, resulting in her release after serving seven years of a 35-year sentence. Supporters of Assange claim that he is a journalist protected by the First Amendment, who exposed U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan that was in the public interest. Assange’s wife has expressed concern over his deteriorating health in prison and fears that he may die behind bars. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stated that Assange has already paid a significant price and that continued incarceration serves no purpose.
The editor-in-chief of Wikileaks, Kristinn Hrafnsson, responded to Biden’s comments by calling for Assange’s extradition to be stopped. Hrafnsson emphasized that dropping the charges against Assange would protect freedom of expression and the rights of journalists and publishers globally. They urge Biden to recognize that journalism is not a crime and to end the legal process against Assange. A recent ruling by a British court stated that Assange cannot be extradited to the U.S. on espionage charges unless authorities guarantee he won’t face the death penalty.
The ongoing saga of Julian Assange’s prosecution has sparked international debate over press freedom and the rights of journalists. Biden’s consideration of Australia’s request to drop the charges against Assange has been met with encouragement from Australian officials. They assert that Assange has already faced significant punishment and that further incarceration serves no purpose. Supporters of Assange continue to advocate for his release, emphasizing the importance of protecting freedom of expression and the rights of journalists globally. The legal battle surrounding Assange’s extradition to the U.S. continues, with concerns over potential consequences if the charges against him are not dropped.
