A British judge at the Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning formalized the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States to face espionage charges. The issuance of the order ends all stages of the long legal battle, returning the case to the Boris Johnson administration, in which Home Secretary Priti Patel will make the final decision.
The WikiLeaks founder, who virtually joined the brief seven-minute administrative session, still has legal avenues of appeal. Starting Wednesday, the journalist’s lawyers have four weeks to file allegations with Patel, in addition to trying to appeal to the Supreme Court.
According to Mark Summers, lawyer for the journalist imprisoned in Belmarsh, there was no option to gather new evidence but to send the case to the Home Secretary. However, with “new developments”, Summmers said that “serious allegations” would be made to the secretary about “sentences and other matters”.
The US government’s struggle to extradite the Australian is long, in addition to having involved other countries such as Sweden. The journalist’s persecution began when, more than a decade ago, he published US military secrets leaked by whistleblowers such as Chelsea Manning.
Image: Katherine Da Silva/Shutterstock.com
On American soil, Assange faces 17 spy charges, which could lead to 175 years in prison.
British government under US pressure
A historic ally of the United States, the British government is likely to face greater pressure in the next four weeks, as the final decision will rest with the Home Secretary.
Image: @DEAcampaign
Protesters in defense of the journalist gathered on Wednesday in front of the courthouse in central London. The mobilization that began immediately after the session included entities such as Amnesty International.
Outside Westminster’Magistrate’s Court, minutes ago. I am now inside the building. My colleagues and I are waiting for the judge to come. It will be announced that the extradition can take place. But we all will need to keep fighting for #Assange‘s freedom. For our freedom. pic.twitter.com/bLgjvkVI6S
— Sara Chessa (@sarachessa1) April 20, 2022
According to the statement by the organization that defends freedom of the press and expression, the United Kingdom will be in breach of international human rights law if Assange is extradited by any other means to the United States.
Amnesty International: “Were Julian Assange to be extradited or subjected to any other transfer to the USA, Britain would be in breach of its obligations under international human rights law” @amnesty #FreeAssangeNOW pic.twitter.com/pqrC8rdxbP
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) April 20, 2022
with information from The Guardian, independentForbes and MediaTalks
