Julian Assange's lawyer makes urgent plea to Anthony Albanese after UK High Court ruling
- Australian government must pressure US, lawyer says
- Assange's extradition from the UK to the US is on hold
- READ MORE: US government must promise there will be no death penalty for Julian Assange if he is extradited to America, rules judge
A lawyer for Julian Assange has called on the Australian government to negotiate a political pathway for the WikiLeaks founder to avoid extradition to the US after a legal ruling in London.
US prosecutors' plans to extradite the 52-year-old Australian from the UK and put him on trial for the release of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables have been put on hold after London's High Court on Tuesday said US authorities must provide assurances he will not face the death penalty.
Two UK High Court judges said they would grant Assange, who has been held in a London high-security prison since 2019, a new appeal if US authorities do not give such assurances within three weeks.
'We want to see the Australian government continue to push for a political resolution because Julian will remain in Belmarsh Prison ... and his circumstances there have been dire, his health continues to decline and this at the end of the day is a political case,' lawyer Greg Barns SC told ABC TV after the decision in London.
Anthony Albanese and the Australian government needs to continue to pressure United States officials on the case of Julian Assange (pictured), one of his lawyers says
READ MORE: Roger Waters visits WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at Belmarsh prison
Roger Waters (left) visited WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in prison with wife Stella Assange (right)
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said last month his government was using diplomatic channels to try to secure Assange's release and had raised the issue with US President Joe Biden.
'There really does need to be continued political involvement because this may take some months,' Mr Barns said.
'The way the appeal process has gone in the UK in his case has been lengthy delays ... and so we would say to the prime minister and we would say to those MPs who support Julian Assange that this is not the time to take your foot off the pedal.'
Mr Barns added that 'people shouldn't be extradited to the United States if there's a risk of cruel and unusual punishment'.
The UK judges provisionally gave Assange permission to launch a full appeal against extradition as it was not certain the Australian would be entitled to rely on the US constitution's right to free speech as a foreigner.
Stella Assange described the UK court's decision regarding her husband as 'bizarre'.
'The court's recognised that Julian is exposed to a flagrant denial of his freedom of expression rights, that he is being discriminated against on the basis of his nationality - an Australian - and that he remains exposed to the death penalty,' Ms Assange said.
'What the courts have done has been to invite a political intervention from the United States ... send a letter saying "It's all okay." I find this astounding,' she told reporters.
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie said he welcomed the court being open to giving Assange permission to appeal against his extradition.
'Hopefully a new appeal will be successful. Even better, the US drops the charges against Mr Assange,' Mr Wilkie said.
'The US must not continue to pursue Mr Assange but instead drop all charges against him, allow him to reunite with his family and to return to Australia.'
Anthony Albanese (pictured) has been called on to negotiate a political pathway for the WikiLeaks founder to avoid extradition to the US after a legal ruling in London
