Julian Assange's brother is attending President Biden's State of the Union address as Rep. Thomas Massie's guest to bring attention to Assange's prosecution for publishing classified US documents. Assange is facing charges related to WikiLeaks' publication of classified US military documents and could face up to 175 years in an American maximum-security prison if extradited to the US.
Key Points
Rep. Thomas Massie bringing Julian Assange's brother as a guest to the State of the Union address
Assange facing 17 charges under the Espionage Act for publishing classified US military documents
Concerns about Assange's health and safety if extradited to the US
Calls to drop the charges against Assange to protect press freedom
Pros
Raising awareness about potential threats to press freedom and the First Amendment
Highlighting concerns about Assange's safety and well-being if extradited to the US
Cons
Facing up to 175 years in an American maximum-security prison if extradited
Ongoing prosecution despite calls to drop the charges