Julian Assange Thinking of Running for State Senate in Australia

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is thinking of contesting elections which will act as a defense against possible criminal prosecution in the U.S. and Britain, the Associated Press reported citing an Australian news website.

Speaking with The Conversation website Assange said that if he wins a Senate seat in upcoming elections on Sept. 24, the U.S. Department of Justice would drop its "grand jury espionage investigation."

"The Cameron government will follow suit," he said. In case Britain fails to back off, Assange said, "the political costs of the current standoff will be higher still."

The Associated Press also reported that the supporters of the WikiLeaks founders enrolled him to vote in Vitoria state, a step necessary to be nominated as a candidate. Australians living overseas can enroll to vote and run as a Senate candidate if they left Australia within the past three years and intend to return within six years of their date of departure. Assange said he was last in Australia in June 2010.

A new political party, the WikiLeaks Party is due to launched soon with a 10-member national council and field candidates for the senate, reported Business Recorder.

Assange's father, John Shipton, a Sydney-based architect said, "The party stands for what Julian espouses - transparency and accountability in government and, of course, human rights."

Assange's mother, Christine Assange, is confident of the WikiLeaks founders' win the elections.

"There is a lot of enthusiasm in people for a change," she said.

Assange's supporters suggest the Swedish case is being pursued as an avenue to extradite him to the U.S., though the Swedish government denies it, reported the Associated Press.

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