A British judge is scheduled to rule on Tuesday whether to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States or allow him to appeal his extradition.
Two senior judges at Britain’s High Court will decide Assange’s fate at 10:30 a.m. GMT (6:30 a.m. ET) on Tuesday. A full appeal hearing could be held if the High Court rules in Assange’s favor on Tuesday, but if he loses that appeal his options will be limited. Dew.
Assange’s wife Stella wrote to X: “This is it. Tomorrow’s decision.”
Assange, 52, was charged with espionage for releasing classified US military documents 14 years ago, but has not yet been tried in a US court as he remains a fugitive abroad.
Julian Assange’s US extradition hearing concludes in London, decision not expected until at least next month
Britain’s High Court is scheduled to rule on Tuesday on whether to grant a full appeal challenging WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s extradition to the United States. (FOX News Digital/Landon Mion)
Tuesday’s ruling follows a two-day hearing last month that may have been the final appeal in an attempt to block Mr. Assange’s extradition to the United States.
If the court does not grant a full appeal, Assange may make one last request before trial. European Court of Human Rights. But his supporters fear an unfavorable result on Tuesday could lead to his extradition.
Assange will then stand trial Alexandria, Virginia; He faces 17 charges under the Espionage Act for allegedly receiving, possessing and transmitting classified information to the public, as well as one count of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion.
If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 175 years in a maximum security prison in the United States.
Assange is accused of espionage for releasing classified US military documents 14 years ago. (Getty Images)
The charges stem from WikiLeaks’ 2010 publication of leaked cables by U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning detailing alleged war crimes committed by the U.S. government in Iraq, Afghanistan and Cuba’s Guantanamo Bay detention center. This was brought about by the Trump administration’s Justice Department. The document also exposes cases of CIA torture and coercion.
he is in custody London’s maximum security Belmarsh prison Since he was expelled from the Ecuadorian embassy on April 11, 2019.
A British district judge rejected a U.S. extradition request in 2021, citing the risk that Assange would commit self-harm if held in a U.S. prison.
The High Court later overturned this decision after receiving assurances from the United States about his treatment, and the British government signed an extradition order in June 2022.
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U.S. prosecutors said in a hearing last month that Assange put innocent lives at risk by publishing the material and that his efforts to obtain and release classified U.S. government documents exceeded the boundaries of journalism. insisted. They claimed that Assange encouraged and helped Manning steal military and diplomatic files that were later released by WikiLeaks, thereby endangering his life.
They provided no evidence that WikiLeaks put anyone at risk by publishing the documents. It is also common for journalists to request additional documents and materials from sources.
Julian Assange’s lawyers are waging a final legal challenge in the UK to prevent the WikiLeaks founder from being extradited to the US on spying charges. (AP)
The Obama administration decided in 2013 not to prosecute Assange over WikiLeaks’ 2010 release of confidential cables, because it would have required the prosecution of journalists at major news organizations who had published the same material.Former President Obama too Manning’s 35-year prison sentence commuted Manning, who was sentenced to seven years in prison in January 2017 for violating the Espionage Act and other charges, was released later that year after being imprisoned since 2010.
However, the Justice Department under former President Donald Trump later moved to indict Assange under the Espionage Act, and the Biden administration continues to prosecute him.
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Julian Assange’s wife Stella Assange speaks next to a poster of Julian Assange at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Wednesday, February 21, 2024. (AP)
It was also revealed that the CIA was spying on Assange and his lawyer. A judge recently ruled that a lawsuit filed against the CIA for spying on visitors can proceed.
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Until Assange, no publisher had been charged under the Espionage Act, but many press freedom groups argue that his prosecution sets a dangerous precedent aimed at criminalizing journalism. .
Assange’s U.S. attorney said last week that there was no sign that the case against him would be resolved, following reports that the U.S. Department of Justice was considering granting him reduced charges.
Reuters contributed to this report.
