Julian Assange extradition appeal verdict to be revealed in few days
4 Min Read
In a move to urge the US and the UK to end legal procedures against Assange, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and 85 lawmakers have voted in favor of it.
-
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in London in April 2019 (Getty Images/AFP)
Within the next few days, it will be revealed whether Julian Assange's appeal in the British courts against being extradited to the US succeeds or not during a two-day hearing, which is scheduled to take place in London on Tuesday and Wednesday next week, The Guardian reported.
In this case, Assange seeks leave to appeal against his extradition decision.
In a meeting organized by the Foreign Press Association, his wife, Stella, warned that he could be put on a plane to the US within days if the appeal fails, fearing his death if he is extradited. This is the final chance for Assange to challenge then-former Home Secretary Priti Patel's decision in June 2022 for an extradition.
“The situation is extremely grave. Julian could be on a plane to the United States within days... It is the final hearing if it does not go Julian’s way, there is no possibility to appeal to the supreme court or anywhere else in this jurisdiction," his wife said.
Labor strengthens stance on calls to release WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange #FreeAssange pic.twitter.com/WkkI3QguPw
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) February 15, 2024
His supporters have raised their voices as well, saying that the impact of the decision on press freedom “cannot be underestimated,” while one artist claimed that he will destroy works by Picasso, Rembrandt, Warhol, and others if Assange dies in prison.
Assange’s request to attend his hearing next week in person to communicate with his lawyers has not been granted yet, according to his wife, who added, “It is part of the greater absurdity of this case that keeps on shocking me”.
Read next: CIA secretly ‘hunting’ Assange activists
She continued that her husband has not spent one day outside of Belmarsh prison for almost five years except for his in-person appearance in court back in 2021.
Julian Assange's lawyer recently cited suicide as a possible outcome if the Australian is extradited to the #US on his espionage charges.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 30, 2021
Here's a timeline of some key dates from Assange’s life.#JulianAssange #FreeAssange pic.twitter.com/FTSGibxwQO
Australia to the rescue?
In a move to urge the US and the UK to end legal procedures against the imprisoned WikiLeaks founder, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and 85 lawmakers voted in favor of it and to allow him to return to Australia.
Proposed by independent legislator Andrew Wilkie in the Lower Chamber, the motion won 86 votes in favor and 42 against in a session at the Canberra Parliament.
Gabriel Shipton, Assange's brother, said, "The motion sends a clear message to the UK and the United States that Julian has the support of the Australian people."
Albanese has taken on a more active role since he took office in 2022 regarding Assange's potential extradition to the US, which was also negotiated with US President Joe Biden during Albanese's visit to Washington in October 2023.
Read more: Julian Assange's prosecution threatens global media freedom: IEJ, EFJ
In an interview for the Australian ABC channel in 2023, Albanese said that the Assange matter is frustrating because "the person who leaked the information now walks freely after spending time in jail" - referring to ex-US Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, who leaked the classified information and was released in 2017 following the commute of her 35-year prison sentence.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) said on Wednesday that the prosecution of Assange represents a global threat to media freedom.
"The ongoing prosecution of Julian Assange jeopardizes media freedom everywhere in the world," the IFJ and EFJ said in a joint statement.
