LONDON (AP) – A British court says Julian Assange cannot be immediately extradited to the United States to face spying charges, in a partial victory for the WikiLeaks founder.
Two High Court judges said they would allow Assange to appeal again unless US authorities give further assurances about what will happen to him. The ruling means a legal battle that has dragged on for more than a decade will continue.
The case was adjourned until May 20th.
Justices Victoria Sharp and Jeremy Johnson said if the United States did not provide a commitment, they would allow Assange to appeal his extradition on grounds including violations of freedom of expression and the possibility of the death penalty.
BREAKING NEWS: Julian Assange granted leave to appeal extradition to US
A publisher who has been held in Britain’s most secure prison for almost five years will continue to be separated from his young family and kept in detention for exposing war crimes. #Free Assange NOW pic.twitter.com/L3L1NZFSAB
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) March 26, 2024
During a two-day hearing in the High Court in February, Assange’s lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, said that U.S. authorities had accused WikiLeaks of “crimes on the part of the U.S. government on an unprecedented scale,” including torture and murder. The government said it was seeking to punish him for “revelation of the incident.”
Mr. Assange’s supporters argue that he is a journalist protected by the First Amendment who exposed public interest wrongdoing by the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan. They claim his charges are politically motivated and that he cannot receive a fair trial in the United States.
The U.S. government said Assange’s actions go beyond journalism, including demanding, stealing and indiscriminately publishing confidential government documents that endanger innocent lives.
Exclusive video: Julian Assange’s father calls on America to respect the First Amendment https://t.co/8CKzl4U3vg
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) February 26, 2020
