Biden says 'considering' Australian request to drop Julian Assange prosecution
WikiLeaks founder is currently held in Britain while fighting extradition to the US
Washington: President Joe Biden said Wednesday the United States was "considering" a request by Australia to drop the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on espionage charges.
Australia's parliament passed a motion in February with the prime minister's support calling for an end to the legal saga surrounding Assange, who is currently held in Britain while fighting extradition to the United States.
"We're considering it," Biden replied at the White House when asked by a reporter if he had a response to Australia's request.
Biden, who took the question while walking with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to a meeting in the Oval Office, did not elaborate.
Australian citizen Assange, 52, who has been held in a London prison since 2019, has been indicted by the US government over his role in the 2010 leaking of a huge trove of classified documents related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In late March, the High Court in London gave the US government three weeks to provide further "assurances" on his treatment if he is sent there to face charges.
Assange's supporters say he exposed US military wrongdoing and see the legal battle as a fight for media freedom. The US government says his leaks put lives at risk by publishing documents that included the names of intelligence sources.