Carl Court/Getty.A high British court reversed its decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States on Friday. If extradited, he could face charges of breaking espionage laws and conspiring to hack into government computers.The United States government won an appeal over the 50-year-old’s extradition in a British court Friday, according toNBC News, which also reported that Assange’s legal team has plans to appeal the decision.Assange, who was not present at Friday’s hearing and has denied any wrongdoing, is being held in the Belmarsh prison in London, the news outlet added.The 18 U.S. charges Assange could face if extradited include breaking espionage laws after WikiLeaks published classified United States documents in 2010, with some related to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, in addition to others about high-powered officials around the world. Assange has maintained he released the documents in the pursuit of government transparency.Rob Pinney/LNP/ShutterstockPEOPLE previouslyreportedthat in January 2021, British judge Vanessa Baraitser denied a request from the U.S. to extradite Assange.The request was denied after Assange was arrested in London in April 2019 after being pulled from the Ecuadorian Embassy where he lived in asylum for seven years.At the time, Baraitser cited concern over Assange’s mental health.She noted in her decision that while she had “no reason to doubt” that Assange would receive a fair trial, “it would be oppressive to extradite him” to the U.S. given the isolation and conditions he would likely be held in. Baraitser ruled that it would pose a threat to Assange’s wellbeing.“I accept that oppression as a bar to extradition requires a high threshold,” wrote Baraitser at the time.“I also accept that there is a strong public interest in giving effect to treaty obligations and that this is an important factor to have in mind. However, I am satisfied that, in these harsh conditions, Mr. Assange’s mental health would deteriorate causing him to commit suicide with the ‘single minded determination’ of his autism spectrum disorder.“In Friday’s hearing, Assange’s legal team noted that evidence in the original extradition hearing is enough to show he would be held in “conditions of extreme isolation” that would take a toll on his mental health, NBC News added.Assange’s legal team has two weeks to appeal Friday’s decision to the Supreme Court. Assange’s fiancée Stella Moris told the U.K.‘sSky Newsin response to the ruling that “we will appeal this decision at the earliest possible moment.”
Carl Court/Getty.
A high British court reversed its decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States on Friday. If extradited, he could face charges of breaking espionage laws and conspiring to hack into government computers.The United States government won an appeal over the 50-year-old’s extradition in a British court Friday, according toNBC News, which also reported that Assange’s legal team has plans to appeal the decision.Assange, who was not present at Friday’s hearing and has denied any wrongdoing, is being held in the Belmarsh prison in London, the news outlet added.The 18 U.S. charges Assange could face if extradited include breaking espionage laws after WikiLeaks published classified United States documents in 2010, with some related to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, in addition to others about high-powered officials around the world. Assange has maintained he released the documents in the pursuit of government transparency.Rob Pinney/LNP/ShutterstockPEOPLE previouslyreportedthat in January 2021, British judge Vanessa Baraitser denied a request from the U.S. to extradite Assange.The request was denied after Assange was arrested in London in April 2019 after being pulled from the Ecuadorian Embassy where he lived in asylum for seven years.At the time, Baraitser cited concern over Assange’s mental health.She noted in her decision that while she had “no reason to doubt” that Assange would receive a fair trial, “it would be oppressive to extradite him” to the U.S. given the isolation and conditions he would likely be held in. Baraitser ruled that it would pose a threat to Assange’s wellbeing.“I accept that oppression as a bar to extradition requires a high threshold,” wrote Baraitser at the time.“I also accept that there is a strong public interest in giving effect to treaty obligations and that this is an important factor to have in mind. However, I am satisfied that, in these harsh conditions, Mr. Assange’s mental health would deteriorate causing him to commit suicide with the ‘single minded determination’ of his autism spectrum disorder.“In Friday’s hearing, Assange’s legal team noted that evidence in the original extradition hearing is enough to show he would be held in “conditions of extreme isolation” that would take a toll on his mental health, NBC News added.Assange’s legal team has two weeks to appeal Friday’s decision to the Supreme Court. Assange’s fiancée Stella Moris told the U.K.‘sSky Newsin response to the ruling that “we will appeal this decision at the earliest possible moment.”
A high British court reversed its decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States on Friday. If extradited, he could face charges of breaking espionage laws and conspiring to hack into government computers.
The United States government won an appeal over the 50-year-old’s extradition in a British court Friday, according toNBC News, which also reported that Assange’s legal team has plans to appeal the decision.
Assange, who was not present at Friday’s hearing and has denied any wrongdoing, is being held in the Belmarsh prison in London, the news outlet added.
The 18 U.S. charges Assange could face if extradited include breaking espionage laws after WikiLeaks published classified United States documents in 2010, with some related to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, in addition to others about high-powered officials around the world. Assange has maintained he released the documents in the pursuit of government transparency.
Rob Pinney/LNP/Shutterstock
PEOPLE previouslyreportedthat in January 2021, British judge Vanessa Baraitser denied a request from the U.S. to extradite Assange.
The request was denied after Assange was arrested in London in April 2019 after being pulled from the Ecuadorian Embassy where he lived in asylum for seven years.
At the time, Baraitser cited concern over Assange’s mental health.
She noted in her decision that while she had “no reason to doubt” that Assange would receive a fair trial, “it would be oppressive to extradite him” to the U.S. given the isolation and conditions he would likely be held in. Baraitser ruled that it would pose a threat to Assange’s wellbeing.
“I accept that oppression as a bar to extradition requires a high threshold,” wrote Baraitser at the time.
“I also accept that there is a strong public interest in giving effect to treaty obligations and that this is an important factor to have in mind. However, I am satisfied that, in these harsh conditions, Mr. Assange’s mental health would deteriorate causing him to commit suicide with the ‘single minded determination’ of his autism spectrum disorder.”
In Friday’s hearing, Assange’s legal team noted that evidence in the original extradition hearing is enough to show he would be held in “conditions of extreme isolation” that would take a toll on his mental health, NBC News added.
Assange’s legal team has two weeks to appeal Friday’s decision to the Supreme Court. Assange’s fiancée Stella Moris told the U.K.‘sSky Newsin response to the ruling that “we will appeal this decision at the earliest possible moment.”
source: people.com
