The British Supreme Court has allowed the US government to appeal the decision of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange not to be extradited to the United States, the Associated Press reported.
The founder of WikiLeaks is wanted by the American judiciary on charges of espionage.
The announcement released today states that a cassation case will be scheduled, but does not specify the date.
In January, a lower British court rejected a US request for Assange’s extradition to be tried for publishing a large number of secret military and diplomatic documents a decade ago. The court then justified its decision on humanitarian grounds, namely that the defendant was likely to commit suicide if placed in the harsh conditions of American prisons. But Judge Vanessa Bareitzer ordered Assange to remain in custody pending an appeal and the likelihood that he would escape if released.
Assange hid for seven years at the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for rape and sexual assault. In November 2019, Stockholm dropped these charges due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. But US prosecutors have filed 17 espionage charges against Assange and one for computer misuse. If convicted on all counts, the 50-year-old Australian could face up to 175 years in prison.
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