The U.S. government has won the latest round in its bid to extradite Wikileaks founder Julian Assange from the U.K. In January, a London court turned down a request for Assange to be extradited to …
to face espionage charges, over mental health concerns. Assange’s clinical depression could be compounded and he might commit suicide if extradited stateside, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser had ruled then.On Friday, a U.K. High Court overturned the previous ruling after U.S. officials gave the court assurances that Assange wouldn’t face the strictest prison conditions, including solitary confinement, unless he performed an act that merited them.
Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett said: “That risk is in our judgment excluded by the assurances which are offered. It follows that we are satisfied that, if the assurances had been before the judge, she would have answered the relevant question differently.” U.S. prosecutors have indicted Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks’ publication of leaked military and diplomatic documents detailing alleged U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, in 2010 and 2011. The charges could lead to a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison.
The case will now go to U.K. Home Secretary Priti Patel who will take the final call on Assange’s extradition. Following the High Court ruling, WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson said in a statement: “Julian’s life is once more under grave threat, and so is the right of journalists to publish material that governments and corporations find inconvenient. This is about the right of a free press to publish without being threatened by a bullying superpower.”
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
British court rules Julian Assange can be extradited to USThe court ruled that United States had given a package of assurances to Britain about the conditions of Assange's detention.
Read more »
U.K. court reverses decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to U.S.BREAKING: UK court reverses decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the U.S. Assange is wanted in the US to face trial on 18 charges including breaking an espionage law, after WikiLeaks published thousands of secret US in 2010.
Read more »
U.S. Wins Appeal Against Decision to Refuse Extradition of Julian AssangeThe government won an appeal against a U.K. court’s decision to bar the extradition of Julian Assange, clearing a big hurdle in Washington’s pursuit of the WikiLeaks founder on espionage charges.
Read more »
U.K. Court Opens Door for Julian Assange Extradition to U.S., Overturning Earlier RulingU.S. authorities had launched a new battle to make the 50-year-old face American justice.
Read more »
US authorities win their latest bid to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian AssangeUS authorities have won their bid to overturn a British judge's ruling that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should not be extradited to face charges in the United States, on the basis of assurances given about his treatment there.
Read more »