Julian Assange’s spouse urges Biden to ‘take action’ as supporters commemorate five years since his arrest and imprisonment
Julian Assange’s wife has called on Joe Biden to “do the right thing” and “drop the charges” as Thursday marks the fifth anniversary of her husband’s imprisonment.
The US president said on Wednesday he is “considering” a request from Australia, where Assange is from, to drop the prosecution and allow the WikiLeaks founder’s return to his native country.
Mr Biden’s remarks were welcomed as “encouraging” by Mr Assange‘s lawyer, while WikiLeaks editor Kristinn Hrafnsson said it is “not too late” for the president to stop the extradition.
It comes as Mr Assange’s supporters around the world prepare to mark five years since he was taken to Belmarsh prison in London, having been dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy, where he had been staying.
Events will be held around the world on Thursday as supporters continue to campaign for his release.
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Biden ‘considering’ dropping Assange prosecution
The 52-year-old faces prosecution in the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information.
This followed the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
After Britain gave the go-ahead for his extradition last year, Mr Assange’s lawyers in February launched a final attempt in the English courts to challenge that decision.
Julian Assange
Mr Assange’s extradition was put on hold in March after London’s High Court said the US must provide assurances he would not face the death penalty.
A further hearing in the case is due to be held in May.
What does Australia argue?
Australia argues there is a disconnect between the US treatment of Assange and US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning.
The US accuses Mr Assange of encouraging and helping Ms Manning steal diplomatic cables and military files which were then published by WikiLeaks, allegedly putting lives at risk.
Read more on Sky News:
Why is Julian Assange in court again – and what might happen if he’s extradited to the US?
Stella Assange: ‘It’s not safe to send Julian to the United States’
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Ms Manning was sentenced to 35 years but her sentence was commuted by former US President Barack Obama to seven years, which allowed her release in 2017.
Mr Assange’s supporters say he is a journalist protected by the First Amendment who exposed US military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan that was in the public interest.
