Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli drone targets a car on the Ayta al-Shaab-Debel road in southern Lebanon
Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson Yahya Saree: The remaining airlines that have not yet complied with the ban are urged to take this into serious consideration to ensure the safety of their aircraft and passengers
Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson Yahya Saree: The YAF, after successfully imposing a partial ban on air traffic at Lydd Airport, are now working to impose a full ban on air traffic at the aforementioned airport in the coming period
Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson Yahya Saree: YAF's UAV Unit carried out three military operations targeting three vital Israeli sites in the occupied Palestinian areas of Yafa, Isdud, and Umm al-Rashrash, using three drones
Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson Yahya Saree: The operation successfully achieved its objective, causing millions of Zionist settlers to flee to shelters and bringing airport operations to a halt
Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson Yahya Saree: YAF targeted Lydd Airport in the occupied Yafa area (Tel Aviv) with a hypersonic ballistic missile
Israeli media: Ben Gurion Airport airspace sut down following missile launch from Yemen
Israeli media: Air raid sirens sound in the central region and Hashfala following the detection of a missile launch from Yemen
SDF announces the killing of three of its members as a result of ISIS cells detonating a landmine targeting a vehicle of a security patrol on the Hasaka-Raqqa road
The Popular Resistance Committees: We call on all international institutions to take urgent action and uphold their responsibilities by restoring and immediately enforcing effective mechanisms for the distribution of humanitarian aid.

48 Australian politicians demand US to abandon Assange extradition

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 11 Apr 2023 13:04
  • 2 Shares
4 Min Read

Marking the fourth anniversary of Julian Assange's detention in Belmarsh prison, 48 MPs and senators warn the US that the pursuit of the WikiLeaks founder "set a dangerous precedent" in an open letter.

  • x
  • Julian Assange is in custody at London’s Belmarsh prison as he battles a US attempt to extradite him to face charges in connection with the publication of leaked documents. (AP)
    Julian Assange is in custody at London’s Belmarsh prison as he battles a US attempt to extradite him to face charges in connection with the publication of leaked documents. (AP)

Across the political spectrum, Australian federal MPs have asked US attorney general Merrick Garland to drop efforts to extradite Julian Assange from the UK.

The 48 senators and representatives, 13 of whom are from the ruling Labor party, warned that the hunt for the WikiLeaks founder "set a dangerous precedent" for press freedom and would harm the US reputation.

Assange, an Australian citizen, is still detained in Belmarsh prison in London as he resists a US request to extradite him to stand trial on charges related to the release of tens of thousands of leaked diplomatic papers about the atrocities of US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Read next: Job of US Marine corps was killing people: Iraq War veterans speak up

The Labor, Coalition, Greens, and crossbench MPs pleaded with Garland to "drop the extradition proceedings and allow Mr. Assange to return home" in an open letter that was published on Tuesday.

“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 – with Mr Assange facing the prospect of spending the rest of his life in prison,” the letter said.

“This would set a dangerous precedent for all global citizens, journalists, publishers, media organizations and the freedom of the press. It would also be needlessly damaging for the US as a world leader on freedom of expression and the rule of law,” it added.

The letter acknowledged that the allegations - which include 17 counts under the Espionage Act and one count under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act - pertained to Assange's acts "as a journalist and publisher" in publishing information "with evidence of war crimes, corruption, and human rights abuses."

The MPs and senators compared Assange's continuous persecution to that of Chelsea Manning, a former US Army intelligence analyst who was freed in 2017 after Barack Obama commuted her 35-year military prison sentence for disclosing the information.

Related News

‘Israel’ lost 'international legitimacy' for Gaza war: Israeli media

One Chinese shipyard outbuilt entire US industry since WWII in one yr.

The letter went on to say that  Assange – who initially took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London – “has been effectively incarcerated for well over a decade in one form or another, yet the person who leaked classified information had their sentence commuted and has been able to participate in American society since 2017."

The letter was sent by independent MP Andrew Wilkie, who also serves as co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Julian Assange Group. It falls on the same day as Assange's fourth anniversary of being imprisoned in Belmarsh.

According to Wilkie, the 48 federal lawmakers from Australia were representing millions of constituents by working "in concert with similar letters from parliamentarians from around the world."

“This is no small matter and must not be dismissed,” Wilkie said. “Nor should it be ignored that the outpouring of political concern spans the political spectrum and is based on a diverse range of reasons.”

On his account, Assange’s father, John Shipton, made a heartwrenching remark, revealing that said his son had been living under “a pall of shame and disgrace."

Shipton said the ruling by the new Australian high commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith, to visit Belmarsh prison last week marked “the beginning of the end of this bleak, severe frost on truth and destruction of Julian Assange."

Julian Assange's lawyer recently cited suicide as a possible outcome if the Australian is extradited to the #US on his espionage charges.
Here's a timeline of some key dates from Assange’s life.#JulianAssange #FreeAssange pic.twitter.com/FTSGibxwQO

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 30, 2021

Greg Barns SC, a legal advisor to the Assange campaign, warned the US attempt to prosecute Assange was “dangerous” because it meant “any journalist or publisher anywhere in the world could face extradition to the US for exposing material Washington doesn’t want you to know about."

The 13 Labor MPs to ink Tuesday’s letter were Michelle Ananda-Rajah, Mike Freelander, Julian Hill, Peter Khalil, Tania Lawrence, Zaneta Mascarenhas, Brian Mitchell, Alicia Payne, Graham Perrett, Susan Templeman, Maria Vamvakinou, Josh Wilson and Tony Zappia.

It is worth noting that the former deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and the member of parliament for Bass, Bridget Archer, were the most prominent Coalition signatories.

Read next: Stand up for Julian Assange: Zakharova to Borrell

  • US
  • Australian politicians
  • Australia
  • Julian Assange extradition
  • Julian Assange

Most Read

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington (AP)

Rift widens: Trump, Netanyahu clash in heated phone call over Iran

  • Politics
  • 26 May 2025
US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump tensions

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump pressures

  • US & Canada
  • 25 May 2025
An Israeli army vehicle moves in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 29, 2025 (AP)

Hamas rejects Witkoff ceasefire plan, says alters terms

  • Politics
  • 29 May 2025
Spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announces a new operation against Ben Gurion Airport on May 29, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen announces successful hypersonic missile strike on Ben Gurion

  • Politics
  • 30 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
MIT bans class president who gave pro-Palestine speech
US & Canada

MIT bans class president over pro-Palestine speech

Arab ministers condemn Israel 'ban' on planned West Bank visit
Politics

Arab ministers condemn Israeli ban on planned West Bank visit

Major General Hu Gangfeng, Vice President, National Defense University, People's Liberation Army, China, leaves after a panel discussion during the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Politics

China blasts Hegseth, calls US top 'troublemaker' in Asia-Pacific

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: Reports
Technology

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: NBC News

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS