The Bring Julian Assange Home Parliamentary Group co-convenors, Independent Member for Clark Andrew Wilkie, Labor Member for Fremantle Josh Wilson, Liberal Member for Bass Bridget Archer, and Greens Senator for New South Wales David Shoebridge, discussed a letter signed by more than 60 Senators and Members from across the Federal Parliament in support of ending the prosecution and incarceration of Julian Assange. Please see below for letter.
The letter will be taken to Washington DC and presented to US Congresspeople and others as part of the cross-party delegation made up of Senators Alex Antic, David Shoebridge and Peter Whish-Wilson, Barnaby Joyce MP, Monique Ryan MP and Tony Zappia MP.
This call follows the bipartisan position expressed by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition that the Julian Assange matter has gone on for too long, and responds to the cross-parliamentary view on this matter.
“The continuing incarceration and extradition attempt of Julian Assange is unjust and strikes at the very heart of media freedom, as his extradition would set a frightening precedent for all journalists that they too are at risk of being locked up, just for doing their job. The United States must listen to the calls of the Australian community and abandon the extradition proceedings. It’s well and truly time for this matter to end and for Julian to be allowed to return home.” – Andrew Wilkie MP.
“As a co-convenor of the Parliamentary Friends group I know how the call to bring Julian Assange home unites so many of us across the Australian Parliament. Together we will bring a powerful collaborative cross-party approach to Washington as a demonstration to US decision makers of the comprehensive political support behind the Assange campaign.” – Senator David Shoebridge.
“The strong support in the Australian community for the end to the maximum-security detention of Julian Assange is reflected in this call by a significant number of Australian Parliamentarians, which in turn emphasises the bipartisan leadership position reached earlier this year that ‘enough is enough’. There is every reason for this matter to come to a close.” – Josh Wilson MP.
“As I have said for some time, I have ongoing concerns about the treatment Julian Assange has endured over the past decade and this must come to an end. He is an Australian citizen who has endured inhumane conditions and has suffered significant mental and physical challenges as a result of his ongoing incarceration due to the lengthy legal battle.” – Bridget Archer MP.