President Joe Biden is considering a request from Australia to drop the U.S. prosecution of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange for publishing classified American documents. Assange, an Australian citizen, has been fighting U.S. extradition efforts from a U.K. prison. The Australian government has long urged the U.S. to halt its prosecution of Assange, who faces 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse for publishing classified U.S. documents.
Australia has pointed out a disparity in treatment between Assange and U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. Manning had her 35-year sentence commuted by former President Barack Obama, leading to her release in 2017. Assange's supporters argue that he is a journalist protected by the First Amendment, who exposed U.S. military misconduct in Iraq and Afghanistan that was in the public interest.
Assange's wife, Stella Assange, has expressed concerns about his deteriorating health in prison and fears he may die behind bars. WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson responded to Biden's comments by urging him to stop Assange's extradition to the U.S., calling it a politically motivated act. Hrafnsson emphasized the importance of protecting freedom of expression and the rights of journalists and publishers globally.
A recent ruling by a British court stated that Assange cannot be extradited to the U.S. on espionage charges unless U.S. authorities guarantee he will not face the death penalty. The ongoing legal battle surrounding Assange's extradition continues to draw international attention and debate.
