WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to seek political asylum in France

French lawyers representing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange say they hope to meet President Emmanuel Macron to ask him to grant their client political asylum.

Lawyers have started the process to obtain political asylum for Julian Assange in France. REUTERS/Simon Dawson

Lawyers Eric Dupond-Moretti and Antoine Vey announced their plan at a press conference organised by the Paris-based press freedom group Reporters Without Borders.

Assange’s legal team point out that one of his children is a French citizen and that part of the WikiLeaks organisation is based in France.

Assange is in Belmarsh prison in London since he was arrested at the Ecuadorian embassy in April 2019. The 48-year-old faces extradition to the United States, where he is accused of spying.

His legal team explained that they wanted Macron to understand Assange’s desperate situation.

The WikiLeaks founder was finding speech more and more difficult and sometimes lay down, listless, according to the Dupond-Moretti, who declared he was worried.

Previous bid failed

Assange’s former lawyer in France, Juan Branco, has requested political asylum for him in France, but without success.

Branco was until recently the lawyer for the Russian artist/activist Piotr Pavlenski, who was granted asylum in France in 2017.

Last week Pavlenski posted intimate sex videos and messages of Benjamin Griveaux on a website, leading to the collapse of the LREM MP’s bid to become Mayor of Paris.

Griveaux was a key member of Macron’s 2017 presidential election team and is considered to be in the president’s inner circle.