America is "considering" dropping the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Joe Biden has said.
The move comes following a request from the Australian government, Joe Biden has said. Assange faces prosecution in the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information following the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.
President Biden responded, "we're considering it", when asked about the request from the Australian government by reporters at the White House yesterday today.
It comes as Thursday sees the fifth anniversary of the 52-year-old being held in prison amid his fight against extradition to the US.
In a January 2021 ruling, then-district judge Vanessa Baraitser said that Assange should not be sent to America, citing a real and "oppressive" risk of suicide, while ruling against him on all other issues.
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Later that year, US authorities won their High Court bid to overturn the block, paving the way towards Assange's extradition.
During a two-day hearing in February, his lawyers asked for the go-ahead to challenge the original judge's dismissal of other parts of his case to prevent his extradition.
In a March judgment, Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson dismissed most of Assange's legal arguments but said that unless the US gave assurances, he would be able to bring an appeal on three grounds.
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These assurances are that Assange would be protected by and allowed to rely on the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech in the US, that he is not "prejudiced at trial" because of his nationality, and that the death penalty would not be imposed.
The judges said the US authorities had three weeks to give those assurances, with a final hearing potentially taking place in late May.
During a two-day hearing in February, lawyers for the 52-year-old asked for the go-ahead to challenge the original judge’s dismissal of other parts of his case to prevent his extradition. Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Johnson were due to give their decision in writing in March that was then adjourned to May 20.
Supporters of Assange gathered outside the High Court expecting the decision today. Dozens of people stood outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London holding placards bearing the message “Free Julian Assange” and chanting “There is only one decision, no extradition”.
At the start of Assange’s bid for an appeal, Mark Summers KC argued the US prosecution of Assange would be retribution for his political opinions, meaning it would be unlawful to extradite him under UK law. He said: “This is a paradigm example of state retaliation for the expression of political opinion.”
But Clair Dobbin KC, for the US, said the plans to extradite and prosecute Assange are based on his alleged actions, not his political opinions. She added there were “profound consequences” after the leak of documents, with some of the named sources, who had provided information to the US, facing arrest, the loss of assets, threats and harassment.