National

MP urges PM to pick up phone over Assange

By AAP Newswire

Dec 13, 2021

A file photo of Julian Assange — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faces an 175-year prison sentence on espionage charges in the US. -EPA

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has implored the prime minister to pick up the phone to the US president and UK prime minister to end the prosecution of Julian Assange.

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The former intelligence analyst said the prosecution of Mr Assange has always been political which meant it could be solved politically by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

"The reality is this has always been an intensively political matter and it can be solved politically by Scott Morrison picking up the phone to Joe Biden and Boris Johnson," Mr Wilkie told the ABC.

It comes after reports the 50-year-old WikiLeaks founder suffered a stroke in prison in October.

"Jail is killing Julian Assange," Mr Wilkie said.

"There is no way he will survive continued incarceration in the UK."

Mr Assange has just suffered a legal blow after the UK High Court ruled he could be extradited to face charges in the US.

Mr Assange's lawyers say they intend to appeal the decision in the UK's highest court.

Mr Assange faces an 175-year prison sentence on espionage charges in the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose classified information which revealed alleged war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq.

By AAP Newswire

Australian Associated Press