CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA – In a significant diplomatic exchange, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pushed back against Australian demands for an end to the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The Australian citizen is accused of engaging in “very serious criminal conduct” by publishing a trove of classified documents over a decade ago.
The centre-left Labour Party government in Australia has been advocating for the United States to cease its pursuit of the 52-year-old Assange, who has spent four years in a British prison while fighting extradition to the U.S. His freedom has become a test of Australia’s leverage with President Joe Biden’s administration.
During annual talks with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Brisbane, Antony Blinken confirmed that Assange’s case was discussed. While acknowledging the concerns and views of Australians, Blinken emphasized the importance of understanding the U.S. perspective on the matter.
“Mr. Assange was charged with very serious criminal conduct in the United States in connection with his alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of our country,” Blinken stated.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed Australia’s desire for Assange’s prolonged prosecution to be concluded. The country remains somewhat ambiguous regarding whether the U.S. should drop the charges altogether or negotiate a plea bargain.
Julian Assange faces 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse related to WikiLeaks’ publication of hundreds of thousands of classified diplomatic and military documents in 2010. American prosecutors allege that he assisted U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in stealing classified diplomatic cables and military files, putting lives at risk.
Australia contends that there is a “disconnect” between the treatment of Assange and Manning by the U.S. justice system. In 2017, then-U.S. President Barack Obama commuted Manning’s 35-year sentence to seven years, leading to her release, a move that the Australian government views as inconsistent with Assange’s ongoing legal situation.