(WATCH) Julian Assange’s Fiancee Speaks Out After Court Rules Assange Can Be Extradited To The US (VIDEO)
The United States was successful in its appeal of a January UK court decision that he could not be extradited owing to concerns regarding his mental health.
Judges were reassured by US “promises” to reduce Assange’s risk of suicide. Assange’s fiancee said that they planned to file an appeal.
Mr. Assange is wanted in the United States for the publishing of thousands of classified documents in 2010 and 2011.
Senior judges determined that the lower court judge had made her judgment in January based on the possibility that Mr. Assange would be kept under extraordinarily restrictive jail conditions if extradited to the United States.
However, the United States authorities then assured the judge that he would not be subjected to severe measures of imprisonment unless he performed an act in the future that would justify them.
Giving the judgment, Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett said: “That risk is in our judgment excluded by the assurances which are offered. It follows that we are satisfied that, if the assurances had been before the judge, she would have answered the relevant question differently.”
Stella Moris, Mr. Assange’s fiancee, described the ruling as “dangerous and misguided” adding that the guarantees from the United States were “inherently unreliable”.
Julian Assange Fiancee @stellamoris1: "Julian has been detained in one form or another for 11 years… every time we have a hearing we hear more about the criminal nature of this case" #HumanRightsDay pic.twitter.com/LA8rZU5TNw
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) December 10, 2021
“Julian’s life is once again in grave danger, as is the right of journalists to publish material that governments and corporations find inconvenient,” Wikileaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson said in a statement following the extradition verdict.
“This is about the right of a free press to publish without being threatened by a bullying superpower.”
WikiLeaks Editor-in-Chief Kristinn Hrafnsson: “Julian’s life is once more under grave threat, and so is the right of journalists to publish material that governments and corporations find inconvenient #AssangeCase #FreeAssangeNOW https://t.co/xD0NDaxhHJ pic.twitter.com/rtQkLglhv9
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) December 10, 2021
Amnesty International referred to the verdict as a “travesty of justice” and the assurances provided by the United States as “deeply flawed”.
Amnesty International: “Travesty of justice” as extradition appeal fails to recognise that it would be unsafe for Julian Assange to be sent to the US #FreeAssangeNOW @amnesty https://t.co/HljmTwk0wi
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) December 10, 2021
This “poses a grave threat to press freedom both in the United States and abroad”, said Nils Muiznieks, the human rights organization’s Europe director.
Assange’s legal team, Birnberg Peirce Solicitors, said any appeal would have to be over questions of assurances and not have to do with free speech or any “political motivation of the US extradition request”. Assange’s lawyers argued the assurances over his future treatment were “meaningless” and “vague”.
If convicted in the US, the 50-year-old Assange could face up to 175 years in jail. However, the US Government alleges the sentence could be 4-6 years.
Assange faces an 18-count indictment, being accused of conspiring to hack into US military databases to acquire classified information concerning the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, which he published on his Wikileaks website.
Assange alleges this information was disclosed to expose alleged abuses committed by the US military. However, the US Gov’t prosecutors claim the leaked documents endangered lives.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for any updates.
