Australian Federal MPs voted Wednesday in favour of a motion supporting the return of Wikileaks’ founder Jullian Assange to Australia, ahead of a US extradition hearing next week in London’s High Court of Justice. In an unprecedented show of political support for Assange, the Australian Parliament called upon the US and UK to bring the matter to a close.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was amongst Cabinet and Federal ministers who voted Wednesday in support of the motion for the release and repatriation of Assange to Australia. The parliamentary motion was successfully moved by independent lawmaker Andrew Wilkie, passing with 86 votes in favour and 42 against.

The motion stresses “the importance of the UK and USA bringing the matter to a close so that Mr Assange can return home to his family in Australia.”

Wilkie raised concern about the impact of Assange’s extradition on media freedom. “If Mr Assange is extradited to the US, it would be a direct attack on media freedom, as it would set a frightening precedent for all journalists that they too are at risk of being locked up, just for doing their job,” Wilkie told the House of Representatives during the debate.

Albanese responded to the passing of the vote, echoing the shared view of parliament that “enough is enough” and that “it is time for this to be brought to a close.” The Prime Minister underscored the responsibility of parliament to make representations of concern to governments, assuring that the issue has been raised across structures at the highest levels in the US and UK. “It’s not up to Australia to interfere in the legal processes of other countries, but it is appropriate for us to put a very strong view that those countries need to take into account the need for this to be concluded,” Albanese told Parliament.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus confirmed efforts of the Australian government to raise the issue with US and UK officials. Assange’s extradition was raised in a meeting with US counterpart Merrick Garland in Washington last month, said Drefyus.”This was a private discussion; however this government’s position on Mr Assange is very clear, and has not changed,” Dreyfus told the Guardian.

The 52-year-old Australian citizen is currently being held in Belmarsh prison in the UK, pending extradition to the US for charges relating to the WikiLeaks release of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables in 2010.

If Assange is extradited to the US, he will face 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse in relation to his “alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States.”  However, views have been taken that Assange’s Wikileaks exposed US misconduct committed in Iraq and Afghanistan in connection to war crimes, underscoring the importance of exposing government wrongdoing that has been shared by legitimate whistleblowers.

Amnesty International reiterated concerns about possible human rights violations if Assange is extradited, warning of the effect the extradition would have on global media freedom. Amnesty International’s expert on counter-terrorism and criminal justice in Europe Julia Hall stated, “The risk to publishers and investigative journalists around the world hangs in the balance. Should Julian Assange be sent to the US and prosecuted there, global media freedoms will be on trial, too.”

Assange has remained in Belmarsh for approximately 5 years on remand without bail, having never faced trial or conviction. The prison is a Category A prison known for housing high-profile inmates, especially those involved in cases of national security.

The British government ordered Assange’s extradition to the US in June 2022. However, Assange has remained in Belmarsh while the Home Secretary’s decision to extradition is currently being appealed by Assange’s lawyers.

The High Court of Justice in London will hold a two-day hearing into whether Assange can appeal his extradition to the US on February 20 and 21, 2024. The outcome of the case will determine whether Assange will have the further opportunity to argue his case before the UK courts, or whether avenues of appeal have been exhausted in the UK.

Stella Assange, the wife of Jullian Assange, signalled that Assange may appeal to the European Court of Human Rights if no further recourse is available in the UK.