More than 80 Australian and British MPs today called on US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to end the extradition process of Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, as he marks four years of his imprisonment in the UK.
“We appeal to you to drop the extradition request and allow Mr Assange to return home”, is mentioned in the request, made through a letter signed by more than 80 British and Australian parliamentarians – namely by 48 legislators from Australia, both from parties of the opposition and the government.
Australian lawmakers declared that Assange – a 51-year-old Australian citizen – published “information with evidence” on “crimes against humanity, corruption and human rights abuses” carried out by the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Assange has been held since April 11, 2019 in the high security prison of Belmarsh, in south-east London, since Ecuador withdrew his political asylum and expelled him from his embassy in the British capital.
The founder of WikiLeaks awaits the resolution of the extradition process to the United States, where he could be tried for 18 crimes of espionage and computer invasion.
Australian lawmakers declared that Assange “has been effectively incarcerated for a long time, well over a decade” and suggested that he be treated like former US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning – who handed secret information to WikiLeaks -, who was released after her 35-year prison sentence was commuted in 2017.
“If the extradition request is approved, Australians will witness the deportation of one of our citizens, from one AUKUS partner to another, our closest strategic ally”, underlined the letter, referring to the recent security pact signed by Washington, Canberra and London.
More than 30 British lawmakers also recalled that the 18 charges against Assange, who could face 175 years in prison in a trial, would have a “frightening impact” on the practice of journalism and would be a dangerous “precedent” for other reporters and media outlets. communication.
Assange was initially detained in 2010 – shortly after WikiLeaks exposed alleged US war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan – at the request of Sweden, which wanted to question him about alleged sexual crimes he was never charged with, in a case that ended up be archived.
The founder of WikiLeaks, who ensures that the lawsuits against him respond to political persecution by the United States for the disclosure of several cases through WikiLeaks, awaits the decision of the High Court of London.
*With Lusa
