Lawyers launch final appeal for Assange’s extradition to U.S.
London — Julian Assange’s lawyers have made their final appeal to a U.K. court against the plans to extradite the WikiLeaks founder to the U.S. to face espionage charges. Assange, who has been imprisoned in London for almost five years, used WikiLeaks to publish a vast number of confidential documents and other materials, arguing that the public had a legitimate right to access this information.
Assange’s lawyers are now seeking a new appeal hearing against the 2022 ruling by the British government that he can be extradited to the U.S. This final appeal, if granted, would enable Assange to ask the European Court of Human Rights to block the extradition. The hearing is scheduled to take place over two days, with the High Court judges, Victoria Sharp and Jeremy Johnson, expected to deliver their ruling soon.
In 2019, a federal grand jury in Virginia indicted Assange on 18 charges, including espionage and computer intrusion, in connection with the publication of classified documents in 2010. If convicted, Assange could face up to 175 years in prison.
Assange’s supporters fight for press freedom and fair trial
Many of Assange’s supporters see the fight to stop his extradition as a battle for press freedom and the right to a fair trial. They argue that journalists need whistleblowers like Assange to expose matters of national security. Campaign groups like Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International have called for the U.S. government to drop its 13-year-old case against Assange, citing the risk of serious human rights violations and the need to protect press freedom.
Assange’s wife, Stella, has highlighted his poor physical and mental health and the potential consequences of his extradition. Protests in support of Assange have taken place in front of the Royal Courts of Justice in London during the appeal hearings.
Assange sought refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden for allegations of sexual assault. After spending seven years in the embassy, Ecuador revoked his asylum status in 2019, leading to his arrest and subsequent custody in London.
