Julian Assange’s lawyers say ‘no indication’ of US considering dropping 18 espionage charges

According to a Wall Street Journal report, the US Justice Department has been looking at ways for WikiLeaks in 2010 of thousands of classified US documents related to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

What is reportedly the US leniency plan for Julian Assange?

The report claimed that a plan under consideration would be to drop the current 18 charges under the Espionage Act under the condition that Assange pleaded guilty to mishandling classified documents.

The report further claims that Assange has already spent five years in custody in the UK. It also claims that he would likely be freed soon if the deal is agreed upon.

However, Assange’s legal team said they were not aware of this development.

One of Assange’s defence attorneys, Barry Pollack, said in a statement: “It is inappropriate for Assange’s lawyers to comment while his case is before the UK high court other than to say we have been given no indication that the Department of Justice intends to resolve the case and the United States is continuing with as much determination as ever to seek his extradition on all 18 charges, exposing him to 175 years in prison.”

What next?

A court in London will decide in the coming weeks whether to grant Assange a further right to appeal his extradition. He is being held in the high-security Belmarsh prison.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange initiates last-ditch battle to halt US extradition

He was said to be too sick to go to the Royal Courts of Justice to attend the most recent hearing last month.

If the two judges rule against Assange, he would have exhausted all UK options to challenge the extradition, and the sole remaining avenue open to him would be the European Court of Human Rights.

That court could potentially order the UK not to go ahead with the extradition until it has heard the case.