'Considering' Australia's request to drop charges against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange: Joe Biden
United States President Joe Biden has stated that his administration is "considering" a request from Australia to drop charges against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Assange, facing charges related to the publication of classified military documents, has been fighting extradition from the UK for several years.
FollowUnited States President Joe Biden has revealed that his administration is "considering" a request from Australia to drop charges against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. In February, the Australian Parliament endorsed a motion urging Assange's release to Australia. When questioned on Wednesday about Australia's plea to halt Assange's prosecution, Biden stated at the White House, "We're considering it."Â
US authorities accuse Assange, 52, of endangering lives by publishing secret military documents and have sought his extradition on espionage charges for years. Assange faces charges for publishing classified military material provided by former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in 2010 and 2011.
In 2019, prosecutors in Virginia charged Assange with 18 offences, including conspiracy to hack a computer, in connection with the 2010 release of classified military material obtained through Manning, and 17 additional counts under the Espionage Act.
The prosecution alleges that Assange encouraged Manning to obtain thousands of pages of unfiltered US diplomatic cables, potentially endangering confidential sources, Iraq war-related significant activity reports, and information related to Guantanamo Bay detainees.
Each count carries a potential sentence of 10 years, meaning Assange could face up to 175 years in prison if convicted.
Assange has fought extradition from London's Belmarsh prison for the past five years, following seven years as a political refugee at the Ecuadorian embassy in the UK capital. His case has drawn criticism from free speech advocates who fear his extradition would threaten press freedoms.
Last month, Assange successfully resisted immediate extradition in a London hearing.
Assange sought permission to appeal the UK's 2022 approval of his extradition, arguing that the case against him was politically motivated and that he would not receive a fair trial. A panel of two judges ruled that Assange, an Australian citizen, would not be immediately extradited and gave the US three weeks to provide assurances regarding Assange's First Amendment rights and the absence of the death penalty.
If the US fails to provide these assurances, Assange would be allowed to appeal his extradition at a hearing in May. This ruling presents Assange with a potential lifeline in a protracted saga that gained global attention for exposing what he described as "compelling evidence of war crimes" committed by US-led coalition and Iraqi government forces.
