© Reuters. Supporters of Julian Assange show indicators and a banner, outdoors the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Britain December 10, 2021. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls/File Picture
LONDON (Reuters) – WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange’s potential remaining authorized problem to cease his extradition from Britain to america the place he’s wished on prison expenses will probably be held at London’s Excessive Courtroom in February, his supporters mentioned on Tuesday.
Assange, 52, is needed by U.S. authorities on 18 counts, together with one below a spying act, regarding WikiLeaks’ launch of huge troves of confidential U.S. navy data and diplomatic cables which Washington mentioned had put lives in peril.
Britain has given the go-ahead for his extradition, however he has been making an attempt to overturn that call. Campaigners mentioned a public listening to would happen on the Excessive Courtroom on Feb. 20-21 when two judges will assessment an earlier ruling which had refused Assange permission to attraction.
“The two-day hearing may be the final chance for Julian Assange to prevent his extradition to the United States,” WikiLeaks mentioned in an announcement.
WikiLeaks first got here to prominence in 2010 when it launched a whole lot of 1000’s of secret categorised recordsdata and diplomatic cables in what was the biggest safety breach of its sort in U.S. navy historical past, which U.S. prosecutors say imperilled the lives of brokers named within the leaked materials.
Assange’s supporters say he’s an anti-establishment hero who has been victimised as a result of he uncovered U.S. wrongdoing, and that his prosecution is an assault on journalism and free speech.
He spent seven years holed up in Ecuador’s embassy in London earlier than he was dragged out and jailed in 2019 for breaching bail circumstances. He has been held in jail ever since whereas his extradition case is set.
His legal professionals have additionally utilized to the European Courtroom of Human Rights which may doubtlessly order the extradition to be blocked.
“The last four and a half years have taken the most considerable toll on Julian and his family, including our two young sons,” mentioned his spouse Stella, who he married in jail.
“The persecution of this innocent journalist and publisher must end.”
