‘Five years is too long’: MEAA urges Albanese to act, as Biden considers dropping Assange charges
The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance has written an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong, urging them to publicly call upon the US government to drop its charges against Julian Assange.
Last month, Australia’s most famous journalist was granted a conditional right to appeal against extradition orders. Overnight, Biden told a journalist the White House is considering a request from Australia to drop the charges.
A documentary about Assange’s plight is launching in cinemas, and the MEAA note this activity all coincides with the fifth anniversary of Assange’s detention in the UK.
“We are writing to urge you in the strongest possible terms to take immediate public action to demand the United States government drop the charges against Julian Assange so he can resume life as a free man in Australia,” writes MEAA Media Federal President Karen Percy.
“This week marks five years since Mr Assange’s detention in Belmarsh Prison began. In those five years his health has significantly deteriorated and his prospects for living a free life have declined.
“The recent decision by the United Kingdom High Court to conditionally grant Assange leave to appeal against the 2022 extradition order is a small and unsatisfactory reprieve. The only certainty that can ensure Julian Assange’s freedom is a decision by the United States government to drop the charges.”
Albanese told Parliament in February he had hoped for a swift resolution to the matter.
“I hope this can be resolved,” the PM said. “I hope it can be resolved amicably. It’s not up to Australia to interfere in the legal processes of other countries, but it is appropriate for us to put our very strong view that those countries need to take into account the need for this to be concluded.
“Regardless of where people stand, this thing cannot just go on and on and on indefinitely.”
In the plea, the MEAA acknowledged “the advocacy of the Prime Minister and government ministers” in raising the case with the US Government.
“However, as we draw closer the US Presidential election, the opportunity for a satisfactory resolution to this case diminish,” Percy writes.
“Even if he is given leave to appeal, he would remain in prison for many more months, further worsening his health and wellbeing.
“Beyond our immediate and urgent concerns for Julian Assange, his extradition and prosecution by the United States would set a disturbing global precedent for the suppression of press freedom and would constitute an assault on the public’s right to know.
“It would mean that any journalist, anywhere in the world, could be charged and extradited for handling any information that the US government classifies as ‘secret.'”
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Nathan Jolly is the Deputy Editor of Mumbrella. He joined the team in July, 2023.
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