US wins appeal in UK over extradition of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange
Latika Bourke - December 10, 2021
London: The United States is a step closer to extraditing Julian Assange to face trial over the WikiLeaks cables after securing a victory in Britain’s High Court.
Lord Justice Holyrode overturned a previous judge’s ruling that Assange should not face legal proceedings in the United States because he might commit suicide.
Assange is wanted by the US Department of Justice over the leaking of hundreds of thousands of classified cables obtained by hacking more than a decade ago.
His lawyers have argued that his behaviour was that of a journalist, something that has already been rejected by the British courts.
But he has also argued, through his lawyers, that he could commit suicide if held in a US supermax prison. Earlier this year, a judge accepted as the reason for barring his extradition to the US.
The US government appealed leading to Friday’s decision handed down in the High Court and provided the court with new assurances that Assange would not be held in solitary confinement and could serve out any sentence in Australia.
Assange’s partner and mother of two of his children, Stella Moris, attended the hearing. Earlier she said she hoped the High Court would free Julian in time for Christmas.
“I hope the High Court will bring this abusive and vindictive extradition to an end today so that our children will be able to spend Christmas with their father,” she said.
More to come
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/us-wins-appeal-in-uk-over-extradition-of-wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-20211210-p59gjr.html