Julian Assange is likely to hear his fate at a Monday hearing in London. Two judges at the British High Court are set to rule on whether the WikiLeaks founder could be extradited to the US.
The ruling is over the mass leaking of US classified documents by WikiLeaks.
This is the final ruling in the UK on this case. Assange will be on a flight to the US within 24 hours if the ruling is in favour of extradition.
US assurances
The judges will have to consider if the US’s assurances are credible. The US has assured the court that Assange will not face the death penalty.
The judges must be satisfied that he can exercise his right to the First Amendment. The First Amendment protects free speech. Assange’s defence will rely on it during his trial in the US.
What did WikiLeaks do?
WikiLeaks released classified US military documents on the US’s war in Afghanistan and Iraq. It published a classified video in 2010. The video showed a US helicopter firing and killing 10 people in Baghdad. This included two Reuters staff.
The US wants Assange extradited from the UK where he is currently in prison. Assange has 18 charges against him there under the Espionage Act. The US says his actions damaged national security and endangered the lives of agents.
Assange’s wife, Stella believes that anything can happen in the judgment.
“Julian could be extradited, or he could be freed.”
Stella has been pushing a campaign on X to stop the extradition.
On Monday, journalism goes on trial and there’s nowhere to hide for the British justice system. This morning, Assange supporters took to Westminster Bridge to call on the UK to #StopTheExtradition
📸 @isabell_jezek #FreeAssangeNOW #LetHimGoJoe #JournalismIsNotACrime pic.twitter.com/wS1Me1Jh5e
— Free Assange – #FreeAssange (@FreeAssangeNews) May 18, 2024
She said her husband hoped to be in court for the crucial hearing.
Charges against Assange
Assange was first arrested in Britain on a Swedish warrant over sex crime allegations in 2010. Sweden later dropped the allegations against him. He was under house arrest in Ecuador’s embassy in London. The embassy evicted him in 2019. As a result, he has been in Belmarsh’s top security prison since then.
Assange’s options
Assange’s legal team will approach the European Court of Human Rights if he loses his extradition plea. They will seek an emergency injunction blocking deportation pending a full hearing by that court into his case.
Assange will have permission to appeal his extradition case if the judges reject the US submissions.
A positive ruling can help ensure his release
(REUTERS)
