WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been all over the news as of late. His website exposes secret documents and he has caused a lot of trouble by releasing sensitive documents that some say has jeopardized global security.
Regardless of whether or not you support Julian Assange’s quest to reveal global secrets, there is one person who has the power to cancel Assange’s Australian passport. Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd is the man who holds the fate of Assange’s passport. There are laws that protect a person’s legal right to hold a valid passport.
Not only is Assange being permitted to keep his passport, but Mr. Rudd also says that he will provide a laptop computer to Mr. Assange so that the WikiLeaks founder can prepare himself to face the London court where he is scheduled to appear.
Australian Attorney General Robert McClelland feels that Mr. Assange should have his passport cancelled, but the decision lies with Foreign Minister Mr. Rudd.
Mr. Rudd was quoted as telling the Australian that “Under law, I’m responsible for the Passports Act, therefore the decisions concerning the withdrawal or otherwise of passports rests exclusively with the foreign minister based on the advice of the relevant agencies.”
While WikiLeaks founder Assange waits in jail, the Australian Federal Police are investigating whether or not Mr. Assange has broken the law. This process is expected to take quite some time.
McClelland said that last week the government had considered cancelling Mr Assange’s passport, but they decided that Assange is entitled to the support any Australian citizen overseas would receive. Therefore they refused to cancel his passport.
Assange’s opponents feel that his passport should be cancelled due to the serious nature of the leaks and the threat to the workings of international diplomacy.
Proponents of Assange feel that his passport should not be cancelled and that the Australian government has overreacted to the leaks. They feel that Assange should not be treated as a criminal.
Regardless of what your feelings are about Assange’s passport, if you are a US citizen and interested in getting a US passport, contact Rush Passport™. If you need an expedited passport, emergency passport, same day passport, US Passport book, US Passport Card, passport photos or other passport services, be sure to contact Rush Passport™. You can visit us at http://www.rushpassport.com or call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with a Live Passport Agent. (877) 937-7277 (All 50 States) or (212) 643-9305 New York Passport Agency. Rush Passport™ Official US Passport Expeditors, serving Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Westchester County, Nassau County & Suffolk County, Long Island, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Miami, Florida.
Tags: Assange, brooklyn passport, cancelled passport, Julian Assange, manhattan passport, passport, passport agency, passport connecticut, passport long island, passport ny, passport nyc, passports, queens passport, US passport, US Passport Card, valid passport, WikiLeaks