Comment

Comment by Boris on June 11, 2018 at 2:11pm

June 19 marks six years since Julian Assange sought asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Kellie Tranter weighs back in.

Media reports that Australian government officials have visited Julian Assange in his Ecuadorian embassy refuge in London is welcome news. But the Turnbull Government still won’t say whether or not it agrees with the 2016 findings of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

On 6 February 2016, referring to that report, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said:

“I have now read the report and I am seeking legal advice on its implications for Mr Assange, as an Australian citizen.”

The Foreign Minister sought that legal advice from her own Department. FOI documents recently produced by the Attorney General’s Department suggest that the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (“DFAT”) emailed that advice to the Attorney General’s Office on 9 February 2016.

As I have previously reported