The expected hearing on the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States at the High Court in London has ended in an impasse, at least for now. In recent days, English judges have been called upon to rule on the appeal presented by the lawyers of the Australian journalist and founder of WikiLeaks. The case of Assange, detained for five years in London's Belmarsh maximum security prison, has become one of the most debated internationally. In the United States, the founder of WikiLeaks is accused of publishing approximately 700,000 classified documents relating to military and diplomatic activities carried out by the United States abroad. If convicted, he faces up to 175 years in prison. The final decision on his extradition was expected today, but judges took their time before delivering their verdict. According to English media, it will only be a matter of days, but the court has given no indication on this matter and reserved the right to take the necessary time to reflect on the arguments presented by the parties involved.
An international case
Secondly, Amnesty International, Reporter at the frontier and all the main associations of the freedom of the press, Julian Assange is not yet “a prime politician”, punished by western governments for being hidden in the world by the world's publicity. documents Top secret. The US Department of Justice does not see things the same way. According to Clair Dobbin KC, a lawyer for the US government, Assange “knowingly and indiscriminately published to the world the names of people who acted as sources of information for the United States”, thus putting them in danger and going “well to beyond the limits.” actions of a journalist who was simply gathering information.
Assange absent from court again
During today's and yesterday's hearings, the WikiLeaks founder did not appear in court due to health problems. Indeed, Assange has been detained for five years in the maximum security prison of Belmarsh, in the British capital, and in the past his physical and psychological state has been certified as “precarious” both by third-party doctors and by delegates of the International community. organizations. “Julian Assange – writes WikiLeaks in an article published on
Cover photo: EPA/Neil Hall | A demonstration of solidarity with Julian Assange in London (February 21, 2024)
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