Julian Assange (52) has tried to prevent the extradition, and appealed an extradition order that the UK’s then Home Secretary Priti Patel signed in 2022.
The court has decided to give Assange a new appeal, unless the US authorities come up with guarantees that Assange, who is Australian, will receive the same freedom of speech protection as an American citizen, and that he will not be sentenced to death.
If the US presents such guarantees, “the parties will have an opportunity to make further submissions” before a final decision is made on the appeal, the judges write. There will be another court hearing on April 20 if the US meets the requirements.
Can be charged with espionage
If he is extradited to the United States, he risks being prosecuted for espionage.
The charge concerns Wikileaks’ publication in 2010 of the secret documents on the US’s warfare. A video recording of two journalists who were killed in an American helicopter attack was also published.
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US prosecutors believe Assange helped then US intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal classified documents. Lives were allegedly put in danger when these were made public.
Last appeal
The case is Assange’s last chance to appeal in Britain, and supporters feared before Tuesday’s ruling that he would quickly be put on a plane to the United States if he did not win.
Assange has been in the British maximum security prison Belmarsh for five years. Before that, he spent seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he sought refuge.
Tags: British court Assange opportunity appeal decision extradition United States
