Australian lawmakers meet US envoy to seek release of Julian Assange

Australian lawmakers have met with the US ambassador to Canberra, pressing the foreign envoy to seek the release of Julian Assange.

Assange, 52, is an Australian citizen who remains in Belmarsh prison in London as he fights a US attempt to extradite him to face multiple charges in connection to espionage.

The WikiLeaks founder was convicted in Australia for hacking in 1996 before the establishment of his widely-acclaimed whistleblowers’ non-profit organization in 2006.

In 2010, Assange published a series of damning leaks provided by US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, including about 750,000 classified military and diplomatic documents related to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars which exposed the US military's crimes in these countries.  

Biden accused of hypocrisy over seeking extradition of Julian Assange

Joe Biden has been accused of hypocrisy for demanding the release of journalists detained around the world as he continues to seek the extradition of the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

In an effort to secure the release of the detained journalist, a cross-party delegation of Australian lawmakers on Tuesday met with US Ambassador to Canberra Caroline Kennedy, urging her to help drop the pending extradition case against Assange and allow him to return to Australia. 

Their meeting with Kennedy took place as Canberra prepares for the upcoming visit of US President Joe Biden this month to attend the upcoming Quad leaders' summit. 

The group told the US ambassador of the "widespread concern in Australia" about Assange's continued imprisonment.

The MP delegation said they had created a "Bring Julian Assange Home Parliamentary Group" to launch a collective campaign for his release.

The US embassy in Australia confirmed the meeting but did not share further details.

Ambassador Kennedy welcomed representatives of the Assange Parliamentary Group to the Embassy this morning. We appreciate the time they took to meet and share their views. pic.twitter.com/mbgV7NdZ8M

— U.S. Embassy Australia (@USEmbAustralia) May 9, 2023

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is a vocal critic of Assange’s imprisonment and extradition to the US.

Albanese has repeatedly called for Assange’s release from the UK prison.

On Friday, Albanese said he was frustrated for not yet finding a diplomatic solution over the continued detention of Assange and expressed concerns about his mental health.

"I know it's frustrating, I share the frustration," Albanese told ABC television from London where Assange is being held. The US has asked for his extradition.  

"I can't do more than make very clear what my position is and the US administration is certainly very aware of what the Australian government's position is. There is nothing to be served by his ongoing incarceration,” he added.

If the UK extradites the Australian citizen to the US, he will face 18 counts of court charges and a sentence of up to 175 years in a maximum security prison. 

Albanese has been advocating for the release of Assange.

He said Australians cannot understand why Assange, a citizen of Down Under, has been forced to suffer the hardships he has been through for so long, while the leaker of the documents [Manning] walks freely. Manning was granted clemency by US President Barack Obama.

"Enough is enough, this needs to be brought to a conclusion, it needs to be worked through," said Albanese.

In June, the then-UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel, approved the extradition of Assange to the US.

The WikiLeaks founder, less than a month later in July, filed an appeal at the UK’s High Court against his extradition to the United States.

WikiLeaks’ founder files appeal with UK High Court against extradition to US

Julian Assange will be extradited within 28 days if his appeal is rejected by the High Court.

If Assange's appeal is rejected by the High Court, he will be extradited to the US within 28 days of the verdict.

In the meantime, Assange is praised worldwide as an anti-establishment hero, who has been targeted by the West in a politically motivated assault on journalism and free speech. 

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