Biden considering Australia's plea to drop charges against WikiLeaks founder
President Joe Biden is reportedly considering Australia's request to end the US pursuit of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (52). The Australian national, currently fighting extradition from his UK prison, faces charges for disclosing a large volume of classified American documents. "We're considering it," Biden stated on Wednesday when asked about Australia's request, during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Potential shift in Biden administration's approach to Assange
Biden's recent statement indicates a possible shift in his administration's stance toward Assange's trial. This decision could be politically sensitive during an election year. A report from The Wall Street Journal last month suggested that the Biden administration was contemplating a deal where Assange pleads guilty to a minor offense of mishandling internal documents, leading to an early release.
Australian PM expresses optimism over Biden's remarks
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed optimism following Biden's comments. "I'm increasingly optimistic about an outcome, but one certainly has not been delivered yet," Albanese told Sky News Australia. He further emphasized that Australia will continue to advocate persistently for Assange's case.
Assange's charges and potential consequences
Assange, currently held in London's Belmarsh prison, is facing 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse related to his website's disclosure of classified US documents nearly 15 years ago. If convicted, he could face up to 175 years in prison. US prosecutors allege that Assange aided and abetted US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in stealing diplomatic documents and military files, which WikiLeaks later published.
Australia highlights inconsistent treatment of Assange and Manning
Australia has also pointed out the inconsistent treatment of Assange and Manning by the US. Former President Barack Obama reduced Manning's 35-year sentence to seven years, leading to her release in 2017. Earlier this year, the Australian parliament passed a resolution urging the UK and US governments to allow Assange to return home, a move supported by Albanese and his cabinet.
Defense stance: Assange's supporters argue for his journalistic rights
Assange's supporters argue that he's a journalist protected by the First Amendment who exposed US military's misconduct in Iraq and Afghanistan in the public interest. Assange's wife, Stella, has expressed concern about his deteriorating health in prison and fears he may not survive his sentence.
British court rules on Assange's extradition to the US
Last month, a British court ruled that Assange cannot be extradited to the US on espionage charges unless US authorities assure he will not face the death penalty. If Biden decides to dismiss the charges against Assange, it would align him with the previous Democratic administration of Barack Obama, which refrained from charging Assange due to concerns about infringing upon press freedom rights under the First Amendment. The 18 charges against Assange were ultimately brought under Donald Trump's presidency.
