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Published classified documents, Blinken attacks WikiLeaks

2023-07-29 21:00:14Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Published classified documents, Blinken attacks WikiLeaks
US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday rejected Australia's demands to end the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, saying the Australian citizen was accused of "very serious criminal conduct" in publishing a bundle of classified documents as a decade ago.

Australia's centre-left Labor government has argued since winning elections last year that the United States should end its pursuit of the 52-year-old, who has spent four years in a British prison fighting extradition to the United States. United.

Assange's freedom is widely seen as evidence of Australia's influence with President Joe Biden's administration.

Blinken confirmed on Saturday that Assange had been discussed at annual talks with Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Brisbane, Australia.

"I understand the concerns and views of Australians. I think it's very important that our friends here understand our concerns on this issue," Blinken told reporters.

" Mr. Assange was charged with very serious criminal conduct in the United States in connection with his alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in our country's history," he added .

Wong said Assange's prosecution had been "dragging on for too long" and that Australia wanted the charges "to be brought to a conclusion".

Australia remains unclear on whether the United States should drop prosecution or reach a plea deal.

Assange faces 17 counts of espionage and one count of computer misuse in connection with the release of hundreds of thousands of classified diplomatic and military documents by WikiLeaks in 2010.

US prosecutors allege he helped US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal classified diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published, putting lives at risk.

Australia argues there is a "disconnect" between the US treatment of Assange and Manning. Then-US President Barack Obama commuted Manning's 35-year sentence to seven years, allowing her release in 2017


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