Two U.S. Representatives, James McGovern (D-MA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), have formally requested President Biden to pardon WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Their letter emphasizes the need to safeguard journalistic activities and prevent the chilling effect of prosecuting publishers under the Espionage Act.
Assange recently accepted a plea deal, resulting in a sentence of time served, resolving charges related to publishing classified U.S. military documents. While this agreement allowed Assange to return to Australia, the congressmen express concern over the precedent it sets for press freedom.
The plea deal involved Assange pleading guilty to charges under the Espionage Act. McGovern and Massie argue that this sets a dangerous precedent, potentially enabling the prosecution of journalists who receive classified information from whistleblowers. They highlight the Obama administration's decision not to indict Assange in 2013, specifically to avoid jeopardizing journalists who published the same material.
The leaked documents, published by WikiLeaks in 2010, exposed alleged U.S. war crimes and other controversial activities. The representatives stressed that the government admitted during Assange's sentencing that there was no evidence of harm caused by the publications.
Assange's case marks the first time a publisher has been prosecuted under the Espionage Act. The congressmen argue that a pardon would reverse this precedent and send a strong message that the U.S. government will not target journalists for performing their duties. This plea echoes a previous bipartisan letter led by McGovern and Massie urging the Biden administration to drop the case against Assange.
Assange's family, including his brother Gabriel Shipton and wife Stella Assange, are campaigning for a pardon. They've requested Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to advocate for a pardon during his final conversation with President Biden.
