Julian Assange’s extradition hearing, which could be his final attempt to avoid extradition to the United States, has begun in London. His team is arguing for the right of a complete appeal, which would take two days to hear. However, it is not certain that this appeal will be granted, and if it is not, he could be extradited in a matter of weeks. Assange is wanted by American authorities for the release of military secrets in 2010 and 2011. While some believe he exposed misconduct, the U.S. claims that he put lives in danger.
Crowds of supporters have been gathering outside the court for hours in advance of Tuesday’s hearing, holding signs that read “Drop the charges.” Stella Assange, his wife, thanked supporters and addressed them from a stage outside the court, saying, “We have two big days ahead. We don’t know what to expect, but you’re here because the world is watching.” Jodie Asard, who traveled from Adelaide with her son, believes that it is “probably the trial of the century in regards to free speech, free press and our right to know, so that’s why I’m here.” In addition, the International Federation of Journalists’ Tim Dawson is also present, saying that the case could make journalists reconsider publishing certain stories.
The legal battle of the Australian-native began in 2010 when WikiLeaks published confidential military files from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, including footage of a U.S. helicopter firing on civilians in Baghdad. Assange sought refuge at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for seven years before being arrested by Metropolitan Police in 2019. In the same year, the United States requested extradition from the UK, claiming that his disclosures endangered lives. A British judge later ruled that while the US had shown a legitimate criminal case against Assange, he could not be extradited because he may attempt self-harm.
If Mr. Assange’s lawyers fail to convince judges that there is an issue with the extradition order signed by former UK Home Secretary Priti Patel almost two years ago, he will be extradited within 28 days unless he can convince the European Court of Human Rights to temporarily stop the process with a so-called “Rule 39” order. Nick Vamos, the former head of extradition at the Crown Prosecution Service, warns that if the High Court throws out the case, US Marshals could arrive in London within days. When asked, Stella Assange told the BBC on Monday that her husband would not survive in a US jail, claiming the case to be politically motivated, saying, “This case will determine if he lives or dies.” Mr. Assange has been detained in London’s Belmarsh Prison since 2019
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