UK judge refuses extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

Name: British court rejects US request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange
Uploaded: 2021-01-04T11:16:53.000Z
Duration: 2 min 43 s
Description: British court rejects US request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

US authorities accuse Australian-born Assange of 18 counts relating to WikiLeaks’ release of troves of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables

His lawyers have argued the entire prosecution was politically motivated, powered by US President Donald Trump

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A protester outside the trial of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the Old Bailey in London. Photo: EPA

Reuters

Published: 7:16pm, 4 Jan 2021Updated: 3:14am, 5 Jan 2021

A British judge ruled on Monday that WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange should not be extradited to the United States to face charges of breaking a spying law and conspiring to obtain secret US documents by hacking government computers.

US authorities accuse Australian-born Assange, 49, of 18 counts relating to WikiLeaks’ release of vast troves of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables which they said had put lives in danger.

His lawyers had argued the entire prosecution was politically motivated, powered by US President Donald Trump and that his extradition posed a severe threat to the work of journalists.

At a hearing at London’s Old Bailey, Judge Vanessa Baraitser rejected nearly all his legal team’s arguments but said she could not extradite him as there was a real risk he would commit suicide and ordered his discharge.

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British court rejects US request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

“Faced with conditions of near total isolation … I am satisfied that the procedures [outline by US authorities] will not prevent Mr Assange from finding a way to commit suicide,” she said.