Legal proceedings against Julian Assange: “enough is enough”, deplores the Australian Prime Minister
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denounced this Thursday, February 15, the legal proceedings initiated for years by the United States and the United Kingdom against the founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, saying: “enough is enough”.
Protesters demand the release of Julian Assange, in London, April 20, 2022. © AP - Alastair Gran
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The Australian Parliament passed yesterday Wednesday, with the support of the Prime Minister, a motion calling for an end to the prosecution of
Julian Assange
, aged 52, so that he can return to his family in Australia. Two British magistrates will examine on February 20 and 21 the decision of the High Court of Justice in London, taken on June 6, to refuse Julian Assange authorization to appeal his extradition to the United States accepted in June 2022 by the British government.
Julian Assange, an Australian citizen, imprisoned in London since April 2019, faces decades in prison in the United States where he is being prosecuted for having published more than 700,000 confidential documents on American military and diplomatic activities since 2010, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“
Opinions on Mr. Assange’s conduct are diverse
,” Anthony Albanese told parliament. “
But no matter where people stand, this matter cannot go on forever.
» According to him, Australians of all stripes agree that “
enough is enough
”.
Anthony Albanese
said he had raised Assange's case "
at the highest levels
" in Britain and the United States.
Defending the interests of Australian citizens
The Australian government has a duty to defend the interests of its citizens, he insisted. He cited the case of
Australian journalist of Chinese origin Cheng Lei
, released in early October after more than three years of detention in China on espionage charges. The Australian Prime Minister also spoke of diplomatic “
successes
” achieved for Australians detained in Vietnam and Burma. Australian economist Sean Turnell, close advisor to Aung San Suu Kyi overthrown in Burma by a military coup in 2021, was released in November 2022 after 650 days of detention following a espionage conviction.
Vietnamese dissident Chau Van Kham, holder of Australian nationality and who was arrested and imprisoned in 2019 in Vietnam for terrorism, was released in July 2023. Australia should not interfere in the judicial mechanisms of other countries , insisted Anthony Albanese, “
but we can strongly assert our views
”.
Julian Assange was arrested by British police in 2019 after seven years confined in the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden in a rape investigation, dismissed in 2019. He is currently detained in prison high security facility in Belmarsh, east London.
(
With
AFP)
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