Devendra Kumar
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reiterated that the United States is committed to seeing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange face trial for publishing a trove of classified documents over a decade ago, despite Australian demands for his prosecution to be dropped. Blinken made the comments at a press conference on Saturday, where he pushed back against Australian concerns about the prolonged nature of the prosecution. According to Blinken, Assange is accused of “very serious criminal conduct” for his alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in US history.
Assange has been held in a British prison for four years, fighting extradition to the US, where he faces 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse. The charges relate to WikiLeaks’ publication of hundreds of thousands of classified diplomatic and military documents in 2010, which prosecutors claim put lives at risk. American prosecutors allege that Assange helped US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal classified diplomatic cables and military files, which WikiLeaks later published.
Blinken’s comments come as Australia’s centre-left Labour Party government has been arguing that the US should end its pursuit of Assange, citing his Australian citizenship and the country’s close relationship with the US. However, Blinken said that the US government is deeply concerned about the matter, and that Assange’s prosecution is a reflection of the seriousness with which the US views the revelation of classified information.
In contrast, the Australian government has been more ambiguous about its stance on the matter, with some officials suggesting that a plea deal may be a more acceptable outcome. The case has become a test of Australia’s leverage with the US, and Blinken’s comments are likely to fuel tensions between the two nations.
Assange’s plight has gained widespread sympathy in Australia, with many arguing that his prosecution is a form of political persecution. However, Blinken’s comments suggest that the US is unlikely to back down on its demands for Assange to face trial. The case is set to continue, with Assange’s legal team vowing to fight the charges.