British court rules Assange can be extradited to US to face espionage charges
“Today is international human rights day, what a shame. How cynical to have this decision on this day.”
A British high court just ruled that Wikileaks founder and publisher Julian Assange can be extradited to theU.S. to face espionage charges.
According to The Washington Post, the 50-year-old Australian will remain in London’s Belmarsh prison, where he has been held since April 2019 after the Ecuadoran Embassy revoked his political asylum.
His lawyers claim they will seek appeal but this news is devastating depressed freedom advocates and human rights advocates.
“Today is international human rights day, what a shame. How cynical to have this decision on this day,” says Stella Moris, Assange’s fiancee.
“This is an utterly shameful development that has alarming implications not only for Assange’s mental health, but also for journalism and press freedom around the world,” says Rebecca Vincent, director of international campaigns for Reporters Without Borders.
The decision overturns an earlier ruling by Judge Vanessa Baraitser of the Westminster Magistrates’ Court, who argued in January that extradition would endanger the WikiLeaks founder’s life, writes Common Dreams.
As reported by The New York Times, the ruling was a victory for the Biden administration, at least for now, which has pursued an effort to prosecute Mr. Assange begun under the Trump administration.
“Biden’s administration cannot reasonably claim to support principles of democracy and human rights while at the same time seeking the extradition of a publisher, Julian Assange, which is opposed by global press freedom organizations,” says Shadowproof’s Kevin Gosztola.
Julian Assange: WikiLeaks founder can be extradited to the US, rules UK High Court
By Euronews • Updated: 10/12/2021 -
Supporters stage a demonstration in support of Julian Assange, outside the High Court in London, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. - Copyright Frank Augstein/Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
A British court has ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can be extradited to the US where he faces up to 175 years in jail over the 2020 release of top secret diplomatic cables by Wikileaks.
The High Court overturned a January 4 ruling by District Judge Vanessa Baraitser that the Wikileaks founder could not be extradited on mental health grounds following an appeal by the US.
On August 11, 2021, the court allowed the US to widen the scope of its appeal and on 27 and 28 October the court heard arguments from both parties.
What is WikiLeaks? What did Julian Assange do? Why does the US want to extradite him?
Baraitser had said that Assange was unable to cope with the harsh prison system in the US and was a suicide risk if he was extradited.
But the High Court said it had received guarantees that Assange would not be sent to a so-called "supermax" prison.
On Twitter, Wikileaks quoted Assange's fiancee describing the decision as a "grave miscarriage of justice".
“This is a travesty of justice," said Nils Muižnieks, Amnesty International's Europe Director. "By allowing this appeal, the High Court has chosen to accept the deeply flawed diplomatic assurances given by the US that Assange would not be held in solitary confinement in a maximum-security prison. The fact that the US has reserved the right to change its mind at any time means that these assurances are not worth the paper they are written on.
“If extradited to the US, Julian Assange could not only face trial on charges under the Espionage Act but also a real risk of serious human rights violations due to detention conditions that could amount to torture or other ill-treatment.
“The US government’s indictment poses a grave threat to press freedom both in the United States and abroad. If upheld, it would undermine the key role of journalists and publishers in scrutinizing governments and exposing their misdeeds – and would leave journalists everywhere looking over their shoulders.”
Assange, 50, is currently being held at London’s high-security Belmarsh Prison.
US prosecutors have indicted Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks’ publication of thousands of leaked military and diplomatic documents.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison, although government lawyer James Lewis said: “the longest sentence ever imposed for this offence is 63 months".
By Euronews • Updated: 10/12/2021 -
Supporters stage a demonstration in support of Julian Assange, outside the High Court in London, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. - Copyright Frank Augstein/Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
A British court has ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can be extradited to the US where he faces up to 175 years in jail over the 2020 release of top secret diplomatic cables by Wikileaks.
The High Court overturned a January 4 ruling by District Judge Vanessa Baraitser that the Wikileaks founder could not be extradited on mental health grounds following an appeal by the US.
On August 11, 2021, the court allowed the US to widen the scope of its appeal and on 27 and 28 October the court heard arguments from both parties.
What is WikiLeaks? What did Julian Assange do? Why does the US want to extradite him?
Baraitser had said that Assange was unable to cope with the harsh prison system in the US and was a suicide risk if he was extradited.
But the High Court said it had received guarantees that Assange would not be sent to a so-called "supermax" prison.
On Twitter, Wikileaks quoted Assange's fiancee describing the decision as a "grave miscarriage of justice".
“This is a travesty of justice," said Nils Muižnieks, Amnesty International's Europe Director. "By allowing this appeal, the High Court has chosen to accept the deeply flawed diplomatic assurances given by the US that Assange would not be held in solitary confinement in a maximum-security prison. The fact that the US has reserved the right to change its mind at any time means that these assurances are not worth the paper they are written on.
“If extradited to the US, Julian Assange could not only face trial on charges under the Espionage Act but also a real risk of serious human rights violations due to detention conditions that could amount to torture or other ill-treatment.
“The US government’s indictment poses a grave threat to press freedom both in the United States and abroad. If upheld, it would undermine the key role of journalists and publishers in scrutinizing governments and exposing their misdeeds – and would leave journalists everywhere looking over their shoulders.”
Assange, 50, is currently being held at London’s high-security Belmarsh Prison.
US prosecutors have indicted Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks’ publication of thousands of leaked military and diplomatic documents.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison, although government lawyer James Lewis said: “the longest sentence ever imposed for this offence is 63 months".
Julian Assange: WikiLeaks' Controversial Founder
By Callum PATON
10/24/21
The legal controversies surrounding WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange are now in their second decade and the divisions between his supporters and critics remain as intractable as ever.
For some, the Australian national, now 50, is a fearless campaigner for press freedom. For others, he was reckless with classified information, possibly endangering sources.
Assange is the figurehead of the whistleblowing website that exposed government secrets worldwide, notably the explosive leak of US military and diplomatic files related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
By Callum PATON
10/24/21
The legal controversies surrounding WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange are now in their second decade and the divisions between his supporters and critics remain as intractable as ever.
For some, the Australian national, now 50, is a fearless campaigner for press freedom. For others, he was reckless with classified information, possibly endangering sources.
Assange is the figurehead of the whistleblowing website that exposed government secrets worldwide, notably the explosive leak of US military and diplomatic files related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Julian Assange has spent most of the past decade either in custody or holed up in Ecuador's London embassy as he has tried to avoid extradition Photo: AFP / BEN STANSALL
He has spent most of the past decade in custody or holed up in Ecuador's London embassy, trying to avoid extradition -- first to Sweden to answer allegations of rape, and then to the United States.
Born in Townsville, Queensland, in 1971, Assange has described a peripatetic childhood and claims to have attended 37 schools before settling in Melbourne.
As a teenager, he discovered a talent for computer hacking, which soon brought him to the attention of Australian police.
Assange fell out spectacularly with erstwhile media partners after WikiLeaks dumped unredacted documents online Photo: AFP / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS
He admitted most of the charges levelled against him, for which he paid a fine.
Assange launched WikiLeaks in 2006 with a group of like-minded activists and IT experts.
"We are creating a new standard for a free press," Assange told AFP in an interview in August 2010.
He has spent most of the past decade in custody or holed up in Ecuador's London embassy, trying to avoid extradition -- first to Sweden to answer allegations of rape, and then to the United States.
Born in Townsville, Queensland, in 1971, Assange has described a peripatetic childhood and claims to have attended 37 schools before settling in Melbourne.
As a teenager, he discovered a talent for computer hacking, which soon brought him to the attention of Australian police.
Assange fell out spectacularly with erstwhile media partners after WikiLeaks dumped unredacted documents online Photo: AFP / Daniel LEAL-OLIVASHe admitted most of the charges levelled against him, for which he paid a fine.
Assange launched WikiLeaks in 2006 with a group of like-minded activists and IT experts.
"We are creating a new standard for a free press," Assange told AFP in an interview in August 2010.
Assange has been held at Belmarsh high security prison in southeast London, despite his extradition being blocked, as he is deemed a flight risk Photo: AFP / Tolga Akmen
His current legal saga began in 2010, soon after he published revelations from classified documents about US military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, and rape allegations in Sweden, which he consistently denied.
His current legal saga began in 2010, soon after he published revelations from classified documents about US military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, and rape allegations in Sweden, which he consistently denied.
Assange's case has become a cause celebre for free speech but the United States says he put lives at risk by publishing classified information Photo: AFP / JUSTIN TALLIS
He was in Britain when Sweden sought his extradition, which he was able to dodge when Ecuador granted him political asylum and allowed him to live in its London embassy.
For seven years, Assange lived in a small apartment in the embassy, exercising on a treadmill and using a sun lamp to make up for the lack of natural light in a situation he compared to living in a space station.
His protracted stay in the mission ended, however, after a new government in Quito turned him over to British police in April 2019. He was arrested for jumping bail and jailed.
Swedish prosecutors had dropped the rape investigation, saying in 2019 that despite a "credible" account from the alleged victim there was insufficient evidence to proceed.
He was in Britain when Sweden sought his extradition, which he was able to dodge when Ecuador granted him political asylum and allowed him to live in its London embassy.
For seven years, Assange lived in a small apartment in the embassy, exercising on a treadmill and using a sun lamp to make up for the lack of natural light in a situation he compared to living in a space station.
His protracted stay in the mission ended, however, after a new government in Quito turned him over to British police in April 2019. He was arrested for jumping bail and jailed.
Swedish prosecutors had dropped the rape investigation, saying in 2019 that despite a "credible" account from the alleged victim there was insufficient evidence to proceed.
Assange's fiancee Stella Moris, the mother of his two young boys, has been leading the campaign for his release Photo: AFP / JOEL SAGET
But as Assange had feared, it was then revealed that Washington was charging him with violating the US Espionage Act over the 2010 leaks.
His supporters, including the Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei and the fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, claim the charges are politically motivated.
They have repeatedly raised concerns about the physical and mental toll of his prolonged incarceration.
Nils Melzer, the UN special rapporteur on torture, has condemned the conditions at London's Belmarsh Prison where Assange is being held, saying the "progressively severe suffering inflicted" on him is tantamount to torture.
In January, a judge blocked his extradition on the grounds his mental health could deteriorate drastically if he was sent to the United States, and he could take his own life.
Assange was initially supported by human rights groups and newspapers that once worked with him to edit and publish the US war logs.
They included a leaked video showing a US military Apache helicopter firing on and killing two journalists and several Iraqi civilians on a Baghdad street in 2007.
But many were horrified when WikiLeaks dumped unredacted documents online, including the names of informants, and Assange fell out spectacularly with his media partners.
US lawyers have conceded that while they were "aware" of sources who disappeared after WikiLeaks published their names, it "can't prove that their disappearance was the result of being outed by WikiLeaks".
Questions also mounted over Assange's relationship with Russia.
Special prosecutor Robert Mueller's probe into interference in the 2016 US presidential election won by Donald Trump found that Russians "appeared" to have hacked Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign, and then "publicly disseminated those materials through various intermediaries, including WikiLeaks".
But Assange's lawyer asserted in one court hearing that Trump had promised a pardon if his client testified that Russia did not provide the emails that so damaged Clinton.
Trump has angrily rejected allegations that his campaign colluded with the Kremlin -- claims found to be baseless by the Mueller investigation.
Assange is the father of two small boys with his partner and fiancee Stella Moris, a South Africa-born lawyer.
But as Assange had feared, it was then revealed that Washington was charging him with violating the US Espionage Act over the 2010 leaks.
His supporters, including the Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei and the fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, claim the charges are politically motivated.
They have repeatedly raised concerns about the physical and mental toll of his prolonged incarceration.
Nils Melzer, the UN special rapporteur on torture, has condemned the conditions at London's Belmarsh Prison where Assange is being held, saying the "progressively severe suffering inflicted" on him is tantamount to torture.
In January, a judge blocked his extradition on the grounds his mental health could deteriorate drastically if he was sent to the United States, and he could take his own life.
Assange was initially supported by human rights groups and newspapers that once worked with him to edit and publish the US war logs.
They included a leaked video showing a US military Apache helicopter firing on and killing two journalists and several Iraqi civilians on a Baghdad street in 2007.
But many were horrified when WikiLeaks dumped unredacted documents online, including the names of informants, and Assange fell out spectacularly with his media partners.
US lawyers have conceded that while they were "aware" of sources who disappeared after WikiLeaks published their names, it "can't prove that their disappearance was the result of being outed by WikiLeaks".
Questions also mounted over Assange's relationship with Russia.
Special prosecutor Robert Mueller's probe into interference in the 2016 US presidential election won by Donald Trump found that Russians "appeared" to have hacked Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign, and then "publicly disseminated those materials through various intermediaries, including WikiLeaks".
But Assange's lawyer asserted in one court hearing that Trump had promised a pardon if his client testified that Russia did not provide the emails that so damaged Clinton.
Trump has angrily rejected allegations that his campaign colluded with the Kremlin -- claims found to be baseless by the Mueller investigation.
Assange is the father of two small boys with his partner and fiancee Stella Moris, a South Africa-born lawyer.
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