Republican Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Democrat Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) have jointly called on President Joe Biden to issue a pardon for Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks. The lawmakers argue that the Espionage Act charges against Assange set a dangerous precedent for press freedom and risk silencing journalists worldwide.

Assange, who was detained in the UK’s Belmarsh prison for five years after years of asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy, reached a plea deal with the U.S. Justice Department earlier this year. While the agreement allowed him to return to Australia, it required him to plead guilty to charges of “Conspiracy To Obtain and Disclose National Defense Information.”

The lawmakers’ letter emphasized their concern over the implications of Assange’s case. “This is the first time the Espionage Act has been used against a publisher,” they wrote, warning that the charges could criminalize routine journalistic practices, particularly those involving national security.

Massie and McGovern pointed to warnings from press freedom advocates, including Jodie Ginsberg of the Committee to Protect Journalists, who described the case as a “harmful legal precedent.” They argued that a pardon would demonstrate the Biden administration’s commitment to protecting journalists and the free press.

The congressmen have long supported Assange’s cause, previously leading a coalition of lawmakers in urging the administration to drop charges and end extradition efforts. While the plea deal avoided a potential 175-year sentence, critics maintain that the prosecution has already damaged press freedoms.

Assange’s case originated with his publication of the Iraq and Afghanistan War Logs, leaked by Chelsea Manning. While these disclosures exposed government misconduct, they also sparked a legal battle that many see as a threat to investigative journalism.

The joint appeal to Biden highlights a rare bipartisan effort to protect press freedoms in an increasingly polarized political landscape. Advocates hope the administration will reconsider its position and issue the pardon.