iTWire - Lower house votes for Assange to be freed and sent back home

Thursday, 15 February 2024 08:21

Lower house votes for Assange to be freed and sent back home Featured

By Sam Varghese

Julian Assange.

Pixabay

Less than a week ahead of what may be his last chance to appeal against his extradition to the US, Julian Assange has gained support from the lower house of Australia's parliament to be released and sent back home.

After independent MP Andrew Wilkie moved a resolution on Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted 86-42 to end the Australian WikiLeaks founder's persecution and bring him back home.

Assange is being held in the UK's Belmarsh Prison where he has been since he was arrested following an US extradition request on 11 April 2019.

In December, the UK High Court announced it would hold a two-day public hearing on 20 and 21 February for Assange's final appeal against being sent to the US.

I successfully moved a motion to recognise the importance of bringing Julian Assange’s extradition to an end. The Govt voted for it in an unprecedented show of political support for Julian. The US must heed these calls & drop the extradition. #FreeAssangeNOW #auspol #politas pic.twitter.com/enUwKiiByA

— Andrew Wilkie MP (@WilkieMP) February 14, 2024

“This Walkley Award-winning Australia journalist remains incarcerated in HMP Belmarsh in the UK, awaiting extradition to face charges for material published in 2010, which revealed shocking evidence of misconduct by the US.

“If Mr Assange is extradited to the US, it would be a direct attack on media freedom, as it would set a frightening precedent for all journalists that they too are at risk of being locked up, just for doing their job.

“The Australian community has long called for Mr Assange’s release, with his unjust treatment being a uniting call for a significant number of Australian Parliamentarians from all parties.

“The vote today [Wednesday] is the biggest demonstration yet that Mr Assange’s incarceration is unjust, and once again demonstrates the widespread support for him in the halls of Parliament House. The US must recognise the weight of Australia’s political support and abandon the extradition proceedings.”

Wilkie's motion gained the support of the Labor Party, the Greens and Independents. But only a lone Liberal MP, Bridget Archer, backed the motion, apart from Russell Broadbent, a Liberal MP who now sits on the crossbench.

Both Opposition leader Peter Dutton and his deputy, Sussan Ley, did not back the motion, as also National Party leader David Littleproud.

At the February hearing, two judges will review an earlier High Court decision on 6 June 2023 which refused Assange permission to appeal against his extradition.

FreeAssange mobile billboard trucks tour New York today ahead critical UK court date on Feb 20-21 | more via @CredicoRandy #FreeAssange pic.twitter.com/Oj7VGRZg2b

— Defend Assange Campaign (@DefendAssange) February 14, 2024

A second appeal was filed on 13 June. Assange's extradition was given the green light in June 2022 by then British Home Secretary Priti Patel.

The February hearing will determine whether or not the WikiLeaks founder will be able to argue his case further before British courts. If that fails, he may be able to approach the European Court of Human Rights.

Apart from his supporters, Assange has received backing from both American and Australian politicians. In November, 16 American politicians from both sides of the political spectrum, wrote to US President Joe Biden asking him to end the extradition bid.

In September, 63 members of Australia's Parliament published a letter in the Washington Post, calling for Assange to be freed. Six of this group travelled to Washington DC to lobby for the charges against Assange to be dropped.

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