Julian Assange to be made honorary citizen of Rome

FILE PHOTO: A supporter holds a poster depicting Julian Assange during a protest against the extradition of WikiLeaks' founder from Britain to the U.S., in Athens, Greece, June 20, 2022. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis/File Photo

ROME (Reuters) - Jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will become an honorary citizen of Rome by early next year following a vote this week by its local assembly, the city's former mayor Virginia Raggi said on Thursday.

Assange, 52, has been in London's high-security Belmarsh prison since 2019 and is wanted in the United States over the release of confidential U.S. military records and diplomatic cables in 2010.