Julian Assange ‘brought decade-long incarceration on himself’

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham says ­Julian Assange cannot blame others for his decade-long incarceration.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in 2019. Picture: AFP

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham says ­Julian Assange cannot blame others for his decade-long incarceration, after spending years frustrating the legal process around his attempted extradition from Britain to the US.

Amid growing calls for the ­Albanese government to seek an end to the US pursuit of the WikiLeaks founder, Senator Birmingham said Australians “should have respect for the rule of law in countries like the UK and the US”.

He said Mr Assange, who spent seven years in Ecuador’s London embassy before his arrest in 2019, should receive appropriate consular support but he was struck by the number of people now citing the length of the incarceration as a reason to demand that the US drop charges against him. “I see many making much of the length of time these matters have dragged out but I do note that the majority of that time has been as a result of Mr Assange seeking to avoid the judicial process rather than engage in the judicial process,” ,” he told The Australian.

He said Mr Assange’s decision to release illegally obtained classified files had also threatened the effective functioning of government, and potentially people’s lives. “It shouldn’t be lost in consideration of these allegations the importance of protecting sensitive information,” he said.

“Whilst there is a crucial role for whistleblowers and for free speech, there is also importance that cannot be completely sidelined of sensitive and secure information being held tightly especially when the release of it threatens lives.”

Anthony Albanese reiterated his “enough is enough” position in relation to Mr Assange on Monday, and said his government would engage “diplomatically and appropriately with our partners”.

As The Australian reported on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has downplayed the level of support Mr Assange should expect from the Australian government as tries to avoid ­extradition to face espionage charges in the US.

“This is a matter for the United Kingdom,” Mr Marles said through a spokeswoman. “Like any Australian citizen facing legal proceedings abroad, he will be provided consular assistance.”

The UK Home Office ordered Mr Assange’s extradition to the US late on Friday after British courts found the move would not be “oppressive, unjust or an abuse of process”, or a violation of his human rights.

Mr Assange’s legal team was given 14 days to appeal the decision to the High Court.