WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has called on the Federal Government to help him return to Australia.
Mr Assange is due to appear in a London court next week where he faces extradition to Sweden on possible sexual assault charges.
In a pre-recorded video played at a forum in Melbourne this evening, Mr Assange thanked his supporters and said WikiLeaks would continue to publish secret documents.
But he said the Australian Government should be supporting him.
“There has been outrageous and illegal calls to have me and my staff killed, clear cases of incitement to violence,” he said.
“Yet the Australian Government has condoned this behaviour by its diplomatic silence.”
He also called on Prime Minister Julia Gillard to assist him.
“Julia Gillard should be taking active steps to bring me home and to protect our people,” he said.
“She should be contacting the US embassy and demanding that it back off.
“As for the future, we are as determined as ever. With your help and support, we’ll make it through this storm and continue to publish and hold powerful and abusive organisations to account.”
A mature country would welcome its own citizen Assange back
