US president Donald Trump offered to pardon Julian Assange if he would say that Russia had no links to the leak of Democratic National Committee emails, a court has heard.
Assange, 48, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, ahead of an extradition hearing next week, where his barrister made the claim.
Edward Fitzgerald QC highlighted evidence alleging former US Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher visited Assange while he was still in the Ecuadorian embassy in August 2017.
He said a statement from Assange’s lawyer Jennifer Robinson shows “Mr Rohrabacher going to see Mr Assange and saying, on instructions from the president, he was offering a pardon or some other way out".
Julian Assange - In pictures
This was on the condition "Mr Assange… said Russia had nothing to do with the DNC leaks”, the court heard.
A series of emails embarrassing for the Democrats and the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign were hacked before being published by WikiLeaks in 2016.
Donald Trump - In pictures
District Judge Vanessa Baraitser said the evidence is admissible.
Assange is wanted in America to face 18 charges, including conspiring to commit computer intrusion, over the publication of US cables a decade ago.
He could face a sentence of up to 175 years in jail if found guilty.
He is accused of working with former US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to leak hundreds of thousands of classified documents.
The extradition hearing is due to begin at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday, beginning with a week of legal argument.
It will then be adjourned and continue with a three weeks of evidence scheduled to begin on May 18.
The decision, which is expected months later, is likely to be appealed against by the losing side, whatever the outcome.
Today's appearance came after Australian politicians from across the spectrum have appealed to Boris Johnson to stop the extradition hearing against Assange.
George Christensen, an MP for the right-wing Liberal National Party in Australia isited Assange in Belmarsh Prison on Tuesday with fellow member of parliament Andrew Wilkie - who sits as a left wing independent in Canberra.
After the visit, Mr Christensen said: “It is highly political what’s going on – it involves values that Boris Johnson as a former journalist holds dear – press freedom.
“I’ve written to Boris Johnson asking him to think again on this matter. We will see what response we get.”
Additional reporting by PA.
