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
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street

Australian lawmakers to travel to US, urging Assange's extradition

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News Websites
  • 10 Sep 2023 13:05
3 Min Read

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, has been embroiled in a complex and contentious legal battle, making his plight one of the most high-profile cases in recent years.

  • x
  • Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange take part in a Night Carnival for Assange march in London, February on 2023. (AFP)
    Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange take part in a Night Carnival for Assange march in London, February 2023. (AFP)

A delegation of Australian lawmakers is scheduled to visit the United States this month with the aim of advocating for the release of the founder of WikiLeaks Julian Assange. The bipartisan group will include former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, who expressed during a news conference on Tuesday that it is time for a resolution to this matter.

It's incredibly important that we use this opportunity to convey to the United States as even as a very strong ally, that the issue pertinent to Mr. Assange should be coming to a conclusion. Enough is enough. He's been incarcerated now for a long period of time.

 

- Barnaby Joyce, Former Australian Deputy Prime Minister

The Australian delegation plans to journey to the United States prior to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's scheduled visit to the White House in October. During their trip to Washington, D.C., the Australian politicians are anticipated to emphasize arguments related to freedom of speech as they advocate against the extradition of the WikiLeaks founder from the UK.

People of the United States feel strongly about their First Amendment rights to free speech and to freedom of the press, and Australians feel the same way. Australia is an excellent friend to the US. And it's not an unreasonable request to ask the US to cease this extradition attempt on Mr. Assange. He is a journalist.

 

- Monique Ryan, Independent Member of Australian Parliament

The delegation is anticipated to hold meetings with various representatives from the US Congress and Senate, as well as officials from the State and Justice Departments. They also plan to engage with think tanks like the American Civil Liberties Union and Reporters Without Borders.

This bipartisan delegation will strongly advocate for US leaders to abandon their pursuit of extraditing Julian Assange, an Australian citizen, to the United States. 

Assange's woes: US shuns Australia's pleas in Ausmin talks

At the end of July, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken rejected Australia's demands to halt the pursuit of Julian Assange, arguing that the WikiLeaks founder's alleged actions pose a serious national security risk.

Related News

Trump approves Patriot missiles to Ukraine, bills EU for costs

Russia slams US-Denmark military pact as threat to its security

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

During high-level discussions in Brisbane focused on military cooperation, Blinken acknowledged that Australia had raised Assange's case multiple times and understood the concerns of the Australian government. However, he emphasized that it was crucial for Australia to grasp the US' concerns about Assange's purported involvement in a significant compromise of classified information.

Enough is enough

At the time, Gabriel Shipton, Assange's brother, urged Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to advocate for Julian's freedom during his upcoming visit to the US. Shipton expressed disappointment in Blinken's stance, pointing out that Chelsea Manning, the person responsible for leaking the information Assange published, has been free since 2017.

“Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s snub to Australians demanding Julian’s freedom cuts deeper knowing the American who allegedly leaked the information has been free since 2017,” Shipton said.

Greg Barns, an advisor to the Australian Assange Campaign, also emphasized that Australia is the US' closest ally and called on Blinken to understand the overwhelming view of Australians, who demand Julian's immediate release to reunite with his family.

“Australia is the US’s closest ally,” Barns said.

“Mr Blinken needs to understand the overwhelming view of Australians, which is that enough is enough. Julian must be released immediately and be able to rejoin his family,” he added.

It is worth noting that Julian Assange; a name that emerged in the media and international arena after WikiLeaks, a website he founded in 2010, revealed important and dangerous information and facts about what the United States government and other governments have wrought in the West Asia - crimes they have not been held accountable for yet. As a result, Assange faced pressure and persecution, until he was arrested by the British police in 2019 after seeking refuge for seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

  • United States
  • Australian lawmakers
  • Australia
  • Julian Assange extradition
  • Julian Assange

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

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