Biden 'considering' request to drop Assange charges

Australia Asks Biden to Drop Assange Charges Australia has made a formal request to the United States President Joe Biden to drop charges against Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks. The Australian government has urged Biden to end attempts to extradite Assange from the United Kingdom. The request comes after a UK judge denied the US's request to extradite Assange in January 2021, citing mental health concerns. While the UK court ruling was seen as a victory for Assange, it did not prevent the US from appealing the decision. The US government has accused Assange of conspiring to hack into classified US government computers and violating the Espionage Act. Assange, an Australian citizen, has been in legal trouble since 2010 when he released thousands of classified documents through Wikileaks. He sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faced allegations of sexual assault. In 2019, Assange was forcibly removed from the embassy by British police after Ecuador withdrew his asylum. The Australian government has maintained its support for Assange throughout his legal battles. In March 2021, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne stated that she would "continue to seek assurances from the US" regarding Assange's wellbeing and his right to a fair trial. The Australian request to drop charges against Assange is seen as a test for President Biden's commitment to press freedom and human rights. The case has drawn attention from various human rights organizations and journalists who argue that Assange's prosecution could set a