Australia presses US to drop extradition case and free WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange
- Assange is battling extradition from the UK to the US where he is wanted on criminal charges over the release of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables
- Washington says the release of the documents had put lives in danger
The “Bring Julian Assange Home Parliamentary Group” said it had informed the US envoy of “the widespread concern in Australia” about the continued detention of Assange, an Australian citizen.
“There are a range of views about Assange in the Australian community and the members of the Parliamentary Group reflect that diversity of views. But what is not in dispute in the Group is that Mr Assange is being treated unjustly,” the lawmakers said in a statement after meeting Kennedy in Canberra.
Assange’s supporters say he is an anti-establishment hero who has been victimised because he exposed US wrongdoing, including in conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Julian Assange case raises media freedom concerns, says UN rights chief
The US embassy in Australia confirmed the meeting in a tweet but did not share further details.
Assange’s brother, Gabriel Shipton, said he felt the meeting was an “important acknowledgement” by the US government that “Julian’s freedom is important to millions of Australians”.
Support for Assange among US policymakers remains low. Only a few members of Congress have come forward in support of the demand to drop charges against him.
If extradited, Assange faces a sentence of up to 175 years in a maximum-security prison.
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The insufferable hypocrisy of Western governments hell-bent on destroying Julian Assange
