Coalition of US Politicians Calls for End of Julian Assange Prosecution Ahead of His Final Extradition Trial in UK
Coalition of US Politicians Calls for End of Julian Assange Prosecution Ahead of His Final Extradition Trial in UK
Wikileaks announced this week, on December 19, that Julian Assange will face trial at the High Court of London on February 20-21, 2024. The hearing could be Assange’s final appeal against extradition to the United States if unsuccessful. The court will decide whether or not to permit Assange another chance to appeal his case in British courts, or if he will need to prepare for an upcoming extradition.
The Free Assange Campaign’s John Rees gave a statement saying that if the US is allowed to “get away with [their attempts to prosecute Assange], they will have succeeded in redefining journalism as spying,” as reported by the People’s Journal. Rees continued that if Assange is ultimately extradited, “every journalist will be intimidated. Every newspaper and journalist will look at material critical of the government and feel significant pressure not to publish for fear of prosecution and imprisonment.”
If Assange is extradited to the US, then he will face a trial in front of a grand jury where he faces 18 charges and a maximum prison sentence of 175 years. This indictment represents the first time that a publisher has been charged under the US Espionage Act. Assange’s extradition had been rejected by a London district court judge in 2021 but overturned by the High Court of London later that year. Therefore, this appeal could be the final decision.
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has introduced a resolution to drop all charges against Assange. A resolution was introduced to the House of Representatives by Republican Paul Gosar (AZ) and co-sponsored by seven other politicians: Republicans Thomas Massie (KY), Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA), Anna Paulina Luna (FL), Eric Burlison (MO), and Jeff Duncan (SC) and Democrats Jim McGovern (MA) and Ilhan Omar (MN). The resolution would not only drop charges but reinforce that Assange, as a journalist, is protected by the First Amendment.
A group of bipartisan Congress members, led by McGovern and Massie, also sent a letter to US President Joe Biden in November calling for the charges to be dropped. This letter received support from politicians across a broad range on the political spectrum, with signatories including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Ayanna Presley (D-MA), and Rand Paul (R-KY). Tucker Carlson also visited Assange in London, which is the subject of a mini documentary that he has shared.
American citizens can contact their own representatives and senators to demand support for Assange ahead of this crucial trial and looming indictment.
