Biden ‘considering’ Australian request to drop Assange case
WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President Joe Biden said Wednesday he was “considering” a request by Australia to drop the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on espionage charges.
Australia’s parliament passed a motion in February with the prime minister’s support calling for an end to the legal saga surrounding Assange, who has been held in Britain since 2019 while fighting extradition to the United States.
“We’re considering it,” Biden replied at the White House when asked by a reporter if he had a response to Australia’s request.
Biden, who took the question while walking with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to a meeting in the Oval Office, did not elaborate.
Australian citizen Assange, 52, has been indicted by the US government over his role in the 2010 leaking of a huge trove of classified documents related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
If convicted, he faces jail terms of up to 175 years.
In response to Biden’s comments, Assange’s wife Stella said on social platform X: “Do the right thing. Drop the charges.”
She has previously said Assange’s physical and mental health are in decline in jail and that her husband “will die” if sent to the United States.
Assange and his supporters say he exposed US military wrongdoing and see his case as a fight for media freedom. Washington says his leaks put lives at risk by publishing documents that included the names of intelligence sources.
Assange is currently waiting to learn if he can make a last-ditch appeal against extradition, after a British court last month delayed a decision on his case. It is now expected May 20.
In late March, the High Court in London gave the United States three weeks to provide further “assurances” on his treatment if he is sent there to face charges.