WikiLeaks' Julian Assange back in court for showdown over extradition to U.S. to face spying charges

The extradition hearing of WikiLeaks founder and publisher Julian Assange resumes in London on Sept. 7 after being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Washington wants British authorities to extradite Assange to the U.S. to face a court over charges of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion. The Department of Justice has indicted him on 18 counts, alleging 17 forms of espionage and 1 instance of computer misuse crimes connected to WikiLeaks' dissemination of secret U.S. military documents provided to him by former U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning.

Assange, 49, denies the charges and claims the U.S. documents WikiLeaks published in 2010 exposed war crimes and human rights abuses by the U.S. military in Iraq. WikiLeaks says the U.S. is trying to criminalize journalistic activity and if Assange is extradited it could have serious implications for First Amendment protections.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2020/09/06/wikileaks-julian-assange-court-showdown-over-extradition-us/5701935002/