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| Assange supporters welcome ‘significant’ UK prison visit by Australian high commissioner | Assange supporters welcome ‘significant’ UK prison visit by Australian high commissioner |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Stephen Smith says he hopes to make regular visits to the WikiLeaks founder, who is in Belmarsh prison and faces espionage charges in the US | Stephen Smith says he hopes to make regular visits to the WikiLeaks founder, who is in Belmarsh prison and faces espionage charges in the US |
| Julian Assange’s supporters have welcomed the “very positive and significant” prison visit by Australia’s new high commissioner to the United Kingdom, Stephen Smith. | Julian Assange’s supporters have welcomed the “very positive and significant” prison visit by Australia’s new high commissioner to the United Kingdom, Stephen Smith. |
| The Wikileaks cofounder remains in Belmarsh prison in London as he fights a US attempt to extradite him to face charges in connection with the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents about the Afghanistan and Iraq wars as well as diplomatic cables. | The Wikileaks cofounder remains in Belmarsh prison in London as he fights a US attempt to extradite him to face charges in connection with the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents about the Afghanistan and Iraq wars as well as diplomatic cables. |
| Smith, a former Labor minister who took up the diplomatic appointment in late January, visited Assange on Tuesday. | |
| The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said on Wednesday that he had “encouraged” Smith to visit Assange in prison. | The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said on Wednesday that he had “encouraged” Smith to visit Assange in prison. |
| “I have said publicly that I have raised these issues at an appropriate level, of Julian Assange. I have made it clear the Australian government’s position, which is: enough is enough. There’s nothing to be served from ongoing issues being continued. And I said that in opposition. My position hasn’t changed as the prime minister and I’ve indicated that in an appropriate way.” | “I have said publicly that I have raised these issues at an appropriate level, of Julian Assange. I have made it clear the Australian government’s position, which is: enough is enough. There’s nothing to be served from ongoing issues being continued. And I said that in opposition. My position hasn’t changed as the prime minister and I’ve indicated that in an appropriate way.” |
| Greg Barns SC, a spokesperson for the Assange campaign, welcomed the new high commissioner’s decision to make the visit an early priority in his posting and to ensure it was “a public on-the-record” event. | Greg Barns SC, a spokesperson for the Assange campaign, welcomed the new high commissioner’s decision to make the visit an early priority in his posting and to ensure it was “a public on-the-record” event. |
| Barns said it was “not every day that an Australian ambassador or high commissioner visits an Australian citizen in prison in another country”. | Barns said it was “not every day that an Australian ambassador or high commissioner visits an Australian citizen in prison in another country”. |
| “What we’ve got here is an Australian representative in London going to see an Australian citizen who is of course being sought by Australia’s closest ally, the United States,” Barns said on Wednesday. | “What we’ve got here is an Australian representative in London going to see an Australian citizen who is of course being sought by Australia’s closest ally, the United States,” Barns said on Wednesday. |
| “In that sense, this is different from those occasional cases where Australian ambassadors and high commissioners visit in countries where there is not the same close relationships such as China or Iran.” | “In that sense, this is different from those occasional cases where Australian ambassadors and high commissioners visit in countries where there is not the same close relationships such as China or Iran.” |
| Barns said it was an indication that the Albanese government was “taking this matter seriously”, although he said this came from “a very low base” under the previous government. | Barns said it was an indication that the Albanese government was “taking this matter seriously”, although he said this came from “a very low base” under the previous government. |
| He said the two previous Australian high commissioners to the UK – Alexander Downer and George Brandis – had shown “no interest” in the Assange case. | He said the two previous Australian high commissioners to the UK – Alexander Downer and George Brandis – had shown “no interest” in the Assange case. |
| Assange continues to face espionage charges in the United States and has been held in Belmarsh prison since 2019 while fighting extradition proceedings. | Assange continues to face espionage charges in the United States and has been held in Belmarsh prison since 2019 while fighting extradition proceedings. |
| It is the first time since November 2019 that he has accepted a consular visit and the first time a high commissioner has met with the Australian behind bars. | It is the first time since November 2019 that he has accepted a consular visit and the first time a high commissioner has met with the Australian behind bars. |
| Smith told the ABC on his way into the prison on Tuesday that it was “very important that the Australian government is able to discharge its consular obligations”. | Smith told the ABC on his way into the prison on Tuesday that it was “very important that the Australian government is able to discharge its consular obligations”. |
| “I’m very keen just to have a conversation with him, check on his health and wellbeing and hopefully see whether regular visits might be a feature of the relationship with Mr Assange going forward,” the high commissioner said. | “I’m very keen just to have a conversation with him, check on his health and wellbeing and hopefully see whether regular visits might be a feature of the relationship with Mr Assange going forward,” the high commissioner said. |
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| Assange is keen to obtain diplomatic support from Australia in his battle to avoid extradition to the US and to be freed from jail. | Assange is keen to obtain diplomatic support from Australia in his battle to avoid extradition to the US and to be freed from jail. |
| After his visit Smith would not comment on whether that issue had been discussed with Assange. | After his visit Smith would not comment on whether that issue had been discussed with Assange. |
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| “In accordance with usual consular practice, and as agreed with Mr Assange, I do not propose to comment on any details of our meeting,” he said in a statement. | “In accordance with usual consular practice, and as agreed with Mr Assange, I do not propose to comment on any details of our meeting,” he said in a statement. |
| Appeals to stop Assange from being extradited to the US are still before the UK courts. | Appeals to stop Assange from being extradited to the US are still before the UK courts. |
| Barns said Albanese should suggest to his British counterpart, Rishi Sunak, that “the UK ought to refuse now to accede to the US request”. | Barns said Albanese should suggest to his British counterpart, Rishi Sunak, that “the UK ought to refuse now to accede to the US request”. |
| “That is a very neat solution which means that Julian can walk out of maximum security prison in London and be reunited with his family,” Barns said. | “That is a very neat solution which means that Julian can walk out of maximum security prison in London and be reunited with his family,” Barns said. |
| He added that Australia should also be suggesting to the Biden administration that it bring to an end the “Trump administration prosecution” of Assange. | He added that Australia should also be suggesting to the Biden administration that it bring to an end the “Trump administration prosecution” of Assange. |
| Albanese is due to meet with Sunak when he visits the UK for the coronation of King Charles next month. Albanese is also due to host Joe Biden for the Quad leaders’ meeting in Sydney later in May. | Albanese is due to meet with Sunak when he visits the UK for the coronation of King Charles next month. Albanese is also due to host Joe Biden for the Quad leaders’ meeting in Sydney later in May. |
| The Australian foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said last week that Australia would continue to express the view to both the US and UK governments that the case against Assange “has dragged on long enough and should be brought to a close”. | The Australian foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said last week that Australia would continue to express the view to both the US and UK governments that the case against Assange “has dragged on long enough and should be brought to a close”. |
| But she also cautioned that there were “limits to what that diplomacy can achieve”. | But she also cautioned that there were “limits to what that diplomacy can achieve”. |
| On the weekend Assange’s father John Shipton welcomed news of Smith’s plans to visit the prison. | On the weekend Assange’s father John Shipton welcomed news of Smith’s plans to visit the prison. |
| “It will provide an opportunity for the high commissioner to see the appalling conditions Julian is kept in and the terrible toll that his ongoing incarceration is having on his health and on his family,” he said in a statement on Saturday. | “It will provide an opportunity for the high commissioner to see the appalling conditions Julian is kept in and the terrible toll that his ongoing incarceration is having on his health and on his family,” he said in a statement on Saturday. |
| The White House has previously said Biden was “committed to an independent Department of Justice” when asked about the Assange case. | The White House has previously said Biden was “committed to an independent Department of Justice” when asked about the Assange case. |