The US Should Act With Humanity In The Assange Case: AMLO


Australian journalist and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. | Photo: Twitter/ @SomersetBean

Published 3 January 2022

The Mexican President urged Biden to respect the fundamental rights of the Australian activist, whom is accused of publishing the U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

On Monday, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) revealed that he asked former U.S. President Donald Trump to exempt WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in late 2020 when Trump had the authority to do so because he was about to leave office.

"Trump never considered nor answered my request," AMLO condemned and urged President Joe Biden’s administration to respect the fundamental rights of the Australian activist, whom the U.S. accuses of 18 charges over WikiLeaks’ publication of the U.S. military wrongdoing in Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

"Assange live is in danger since he suffers from psychological problems that stem from the constant isolation he suffers in U.K. Belmarsh high-security prison. Therefore, It would be a sign of solidarity and fraternity to allow him to receive asylum in our country," AMLO insisted.

He recalled that the right to asylum is part of Mexico’s foreign policy and that the Australian journalist meets the requirements since he does not pose any danger to Mexico or the United States.


In 2012, Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London to avoid being extradited to the U.S. or Sweden, which unfoundedly accused him of rape. In April 2019, however, British police arrested him because President Lenin Moreno withdrew his political refugee status.

Ever since, Assange has been held in the Belmarsh prison, where he waits for the result of his lawyers’ appeal to the London High Court of Justice decision to extradite him.

“Assange is a very resistant and intelligent man, who dared to denounce what everyone had been silent about for years. In other country and time, he will be considered a hero,” U.K. Labour Party’s former leader Jeremy Corbyn.



Mexican president renews asylum offer for Assange
CGTN

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday reiterated the asylum offer he made for Julian Assange a year ago, and said he had written a letter to former U.S. President Donald Trump recommending that the WikiLeaks founder be pardoned.

Mexico did not receive a reply to the letter, Lopez Obrador told a government news conference.

"It would be a sign of solidarity, of fraternity to allow him asylum in the country that Assange decides to live in, including Mexico," Lopez Obrador said.

(With input from Reuters)