US President considering dropping prosecution against Julian Assange

US President Joe Biden is considering dropping the prosecution against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, an Australian citizen indicted on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse for publishing classified US documents. Australia has called on the US to drop the prosecution, arguing a disconnect in treatment compared to Chelsea Manning. Assange's supporters claim he is a journalist protected by the First Amendment who exposed US military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Julian Assange's Extradition Case

Julian Assange has been given permission to challenge his extradition to the United States on espionage charges. The High Court in London ruled that Assange could pursue his appeal at a full hearing if satisfactory assurances are not provided by the U.S. A further hearing will be held on May 20 to decide on the assurances. Assange has been fighting extradition for over a decade and faces multiple charges related to WikiLeaks' publication of classified documents.