US ‘considering’ dropping Assange prosecution as people mark prison anniversary

Assange is embroiled in a lengthy legal battle to avoid being extradited

Supporters of Julian Assange marched to Downing Street in February Picture: James Manning/PA

US president Joe Biden has said the US is “considering” dropping the prosecution of Julian Assange, as supporters of the WikiLeaks founder mark the fifth anniversary of him being held in prison in London.

Assange faces prosecution in the US over an alleged conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information, after the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.