UK Approves Extradition Of WikiLeaks Founder To US
The UK Home Office has approved the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States, where he faces 175 years in prison on 18 charges. However, the legal battle, which has been going on for more than a decade, will not end there: Assange will appeal this decision, which could drag out the process for several months.
British Home Secretary Priti Patel has approved the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States, where he faces 175 years in prison, according to WikiLeaks Twitter. The organization said the decision would be appealed. A black day for press freedom and British democracy.
“In this case, the British courts did not conclude that Assange’s extradition would be repressive or unfair,” the Home Office said in a statement (quoted by Reuters). The agency also noted that the extradition would not violate his rights, including the right to a fair trial and freedom of expression, and said that Assange would be treated appropriately in the US.
Initially, a British court ruled that Assange could not be extradited because of the risk of suicide while being placed in a US maximum security prison. But in December, the court granted the US appeal and ruled that such a risk was ruled out, as Washington promised not to keep the founder of WikiLeaks in a maximum security prison and said that if the court found him guilty, he could serve his sentence in Australia.
The Interior Minister’s decision, however, does not mean the end of the US-Assange legal battle, which has been going on for more than a decade and could continue for many more months, Reuters notes. He can appeal to the High Court of London or try to take the case to the Supreme Court of the Kingdom. But if the appeal is denied, Assange will have to be extradited within 28 days.
