WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s father calls for espionage charges to be dropped

Julian Assange’s family defended the WikiLeaks founder as a wrongfully imprisoned journalist as he opened up about his ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the case and the subsequent impacts it could have on the free press.

Assange is wanted in the United States on charges related to WikiLeaks’ publication of thousands of classified documents in 2010 and 2011. They mainly concerned the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which Assange argued exposed US wrongdoing.

He has been behind bars at London’s high-security Belmarsh prison since 2019, when he was arrested for skipping bail in connection with a separate legal battle. And before that, he camped out inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for seven years.

In June, a judge approved his extradition to the United States, where he is expected to stand trial for espionage under the Espionage Act. He has since appealed.

John Shipton, Assange’s father, said they are no closer to securing their freedombut that the support of the whole world continues to grow.

“We have a rising tide of support around the world,” Shipton said during an appearance on Tucker Carlson Tonight.

“I think if they reconsidered this case and realized that they are prosecuting someone for doing what journalists do every day (publish) or what they should be doing (publish without fear or favor), then they would realize that this prosecution must come. until the end,” he continued.

“You should listen to … human rights groups, free press groups and First Amendment advocates who are calling for this prosecution to be dropped because of the threat it poses to the First Amendment in the United States.”