Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange Wins Right To Appeal Against Extradition to US
High Court judges in London ruled that Assange could appeal extradition if the US could not make certain assurances. (Julian Assange via Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange won a High Court bid to appeal his extradition to the United States, where he faces espionage charges, in a decision that now allows the 52-year-old’s lawyers to challenge the extradition at a full appeal hearing.
The ruling comes as a significant victory for Assange, who had planned to apply for an emergency injunction to halt his removal if the appeal bid failed. His legal team had also vowed to approach the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.
On Monday, however, High Court judges granted Assange leave to appeal his removal to the U.S., where he faces 17 charges under the Espionage Act and one charge of computer misuse, collectively threatening up to 175 years in prison.
The charges stem from WikiLeaks’ publication of thousands of classified U.S. military documents related to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars nearly 15 years ago. U.S. prosecutors argue that Assange helped whistleblower Chelsea Manning, a U.S. Army intelligence analyst, steal and leak the sensitive information.
Two UK judges had previously deferred the decision in March, hinging on assurances from the Biden administration regarding Assange’s treatment under U.S. law. The court required that, were extradition to proceed, Assange must be granted First Amendment protections and not face prejudicial treatment due to his nationality. The judges also demanded that the death penalty not be imposed on Assange.
Arguments on assurances regarding the First Amendment and protection from prejudice dominated Monday’s proceedings.
A crowd of supporters gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London ahead of the hearing. Meanwhile, Assange, who has been held at HMP Belmarsh since 2019, did not attend the hearing due to health reasons.
