Canberra Doesn't See Itself as 'a Party to the Case' of Julian Assange as US Wins Extradition Appeal

Earlier this week, a number of Australian lawmakers lashed out at a London court's decision to allow the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the US, with Amnesty International slamming the move as a "travesty of justice".

The Australian government has demonstrated mixed reactions to MPs' calls to intervene in order to secure Julian Assange's freedom in the wake of a London court's move to rule in favour of a US appeal to extradite the WikiLeaks founder to America.

A spokesperson for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Sunday that they were "monitoring Mr Assange's case closely, as we do for other Australians detained and subject to court proceedings overseas".

"Australia will continue to respect the UK legal process – including any further appeals under UK law. It is for Mr Assange to decide how to respond to the high court decision. Australia is not a party to the case", the spokesperson said.

They added that the WikiLeaks founder had "not responded" yet to the department's "offers" of consular assitance and his consent to discuss his health situation with prison officials.

"The Australian government has raised the situation of Mr Assange with US and UK counterparts – including our expectations of due process, humane and fair treatment, access to proper medical and other care, and access to his legal team – and will continue to do so", the spokesperson stated.

They spoke after Independent Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to "end this lunacy" and demand the US and UK release Assange.

The lawmaker was echoed by Labour, which said it believed the matter had "dragged on for too long" and that Morrison's government should "do what it can to encourage the US government to bring this matter to a close".

The Greens, in turn, urged Foreign Minister Marise Payne to "urgently speak to the US and tell them to drop these absurd charges and end Assange's torture".

Assange Case

This followed a High Court in London ruling on Friday in favour of a US appeal to extradite Assange, dismissing concerns raised about the journalist's health and the inhumane conditions he could face in the American prison system.

Assange's defence still maintains the right to appeal the Court of Appeal's decision.

In January, a British judge ruled that Assange could not be extradited to the US because of the high risk that he might commit suicide in prison there. However, lawyers representing the US dismissed the ruling, saying there was no evidence the WikiLeaks founder could go through with a suicide attempt. The US also said that Assange could serve his prison sentence in Australia.

The journalist is wanted by the US on espionage charges after WikiLeaks published thousands of classified documents that shed light on war crimes committed by American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. If put on trial and convicted in the US, the Australian journalist faces up to 175 years behind bars.