UK approves extradition of Assange to US
He has been in prison in Britain for years. Now the country wants to extradite Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to the United States. There he faces up to 175 years in prison.
Britain has approved the extradition of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange to the US. Home Secretary Priti Patel signed an extradition order, her ministry said on Friday. The Australian faces life imprisonment in the United States for publishing secret documents on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Under the 2003 Extradition Act, the Secretary of State must sign an extradition order if there is no reason to prohibit the order,” the Guardian quoted a Home Office spokesman as saying. A reason not to carry out the delivery was therefore not seen.
Supporters hope there is a way out for Assange
After years of back and forth in various courts, it was now the turn of the British government. At the end of last year, the High Court in London lifted an extradition ban on Assange that had previously been issued because of the risk of suicide. The Supreme Court had recently rejected an appeal.
It was initially unclear whether and when the 50-year-old Australian would be extradited. “Mr Assange has the right to appeal within the usual 14-day period,” the Home Office said. Assange has the option to challenge his extradition in the High Court, which Wikileaks says he will do.
According to his supporters, legal recourse has not yet been exhausted. They fear that he will be sent to a maximum security prison, despite assurances from Washington to the contrary. Should Assange fail with his appeal, he would still have to go to the highest British court, the Supreme Court, the Home Office said.
If the judges give the green light for extradition, Assange must be flown to the United States no later than 28 days later. “This is a dark day for press freedom and for British democracy,” said Assange’s wife Stella. “The fight does not end today. It is only the beginning of a new legal battle.”
175 years imprisonment
The US judiciary wants to put Assange on trial for allegations of espionage. He faces up to 175 years in prison if convicted. He is accused of having stolen and published secret material from US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan together with whistleblower Chelsea Manning, thereby endangering the lives of US informants.
His supporters, on the other hand, see him as an investigative journalist who has brought war crimes to light and who is now to be made an example of.
