north america
Obama’s final act as president puts pressure on Julian Assange to hand himself in
January 19, 2017 9:40am
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is under pressure to hand himself in to US authorities after Barack Obama granted clemency to former soldier Chelsea Manning. Picture: Jack Taylor/AFP
Staff writers News Corp Australia Network
WIKILEAKS said Julian Assange would be “happy” to be extradited to the US but his lawyer says Chelsea Manning’s clemency doesn’t meet his client’s conditions.
Barry Pollack, Assange’s US-based lawyer, told The Hill that while his client had promised to be extradited to the US if Manning was given clemency, Barack Obama’s mercy didn’t go far enough for the Australian to keep up his end of the bargain.
“Mr Assange welcomes the announcement that Ms Manning’s sentence will be reduced and she will be released in May, but this is well short of what he sought,” said Mr Pollack via email.
“Mr Assange had called for Chelsea Manning to receive clemency and be released immediately.”
The statement seemed to contradict an earlier tweet by WikiLeaks that suggested Assange would abide by his promise to be extradited if Manning, who leaked a trove of documents to him, was given clemency.
“Assange is still happy to come to the US provided all his rights are guarenteed despite White House now saying Manning was not quid-pro-quo,” the organisation tweeted.
Assange is still happy to come to the US provided all his rights are guarenteed despite White House now saying Manning was not quid-quo-pro.
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) January 18, 2017
US President Barack Obama’s decision on Tuesday to commute Manning’s sentence brought fresh attention to Assange.
On Twitter last week, Assange’s anti-secrecy site WikiLeaks posted: “If Obama grants Manning clemency Assange will agree to US extradition despite clear unconstitutionality of DoJ case.”
The president commuted Manning’s 35-year sentence, freeing her in May, nearly three decades early. Manning has acknowledged leaking a trove of diplomatic cables and national security documents to WikiLeaks in 2010.
President-elect Donald Trump’s spokesman said the billionaire was “troubled” by Mr Obama’s decision.
“I think the president-elect is troubled by this action,” incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters. “It’s disappointing, and it sends a very troubling message when it comes to the handling of classified information.”
In a statement, Assange called Manning “a hero, whose bravery should be applauded.”
Assange went on to demand that the US government “should immediately end its war on whistleblowers and publishers, such as WikiLeaks and myself,” but he made no mention of the Twitter pledge.
Obama granted clemency to Chelsea Manning in one if his final acts as president. Picture: Saul Loeb/AFPSource:AFP
His lawyer said he had been pressing the Justice Department for updates on an investigation concerning WikiLeaks. Assange has been holed up for more than four years at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London. He has refused to meet prosecutors in Sweden, where he remains wanted on an allegation of rape, fearing he would be extradited to the US to face espionage charges if he leaves the embassy.
The Justice Department has never announced any indictment of Assange, and it’s not clear that any charges have been brought under seal.
The department, in refusing to turn over investigative documents sought by Manning under the Freedom of Information Act, has acknowledged that the FBI is continuing to investigate the publication of national security information on WikiLeaks arising from Manning’s disclosures.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has yet to confirm whether he will hand himself over to US authorities. Picture: Jack Taylor/AFPSource:AFP
“That investigation concerns potential violations of federal criminal laws, in the form of serious threats to the national security, and the investigation continues today,” Justice Department lawyers wrote in a court filing last year.
“From the terms of her request, it is clear that Manning seeks to obtain documents concerning that investigation.
Separately, the FBI is also investigating Russian meddling through hacking in the US presidential election. Hacked emails from top Democratic officials and Hillary Clinton campaign officials were posted on WikiLeaks in the final weeks of the presidential race.
Chelsea Manning will be released from prison in May, 2017. Picture: US Army via APSource:AP
With the commutation coming just days before Mr Obama leaves office, any decision on whether to charge or seek to extradite Assange will now fall to the Trump administration.
In an earlier statement on Tuesday, a lawyer for Assange did not address whether his client intended to come to the US.
“For many months, I have asked the DOJ to clarify Mr Assange’s status. I hope it will soon,” Assange’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, said in the statement.
“The Department of Justice should not pursue any charges against Mr Assange based on his publication of truthful information and should close its criminal investigation of him immediately.”
Another Assange lawyer, Melinda Taylor, had earlier suggested he wouldn’t go back on his word.
“Everything that he has said he’s standing by,” she said.
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