Assange’s Last Stand: Legal Battle to Halt U.S. Extradition Begins
In a pivotal moment for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the embattled activist faces what could be his final opportunity to prevent extradition from Britain to the United States. After over 13 years of legal skirmishes in English courts, Assange, 52, is confronted with a two-day hearing at London’s High Court to challenge the approval of his extradition.
U.S. prosecutors are seeking to try Assange on 18 counts related to WikiLeaks’ disclosure of confidential U.S. military records and diplomatic cables. Alleging that the leaks jeopardized the lives of agents, they argue that Assange’s actions constitute criminality with no justifiable excuse. Conversely, Assange’s supporters view him as an anti-establishment hero and journalist, claiming he is persecuted for exposing U.S. wrongdoing and alleged war crimes.
Assange’s legal saga dates back to 2010, when his battles began. After spending seven years in Ecuador’s embassy in London, he was arrested in 2019 for breaching bail conditions. Held in a maximum-security jail since then, his extradition was initially blocked due to concerns about his mental health, but it was ultimately approved by Britain in 2022.
The upcoming hearing aims to overturn the extradition approval, with Assange’s legal team contending that the prosecution is politically motivated and an attack on free speech—a historic use of the U.S. Espionage Act against a publisher. Supporters, including Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders, and Australian politicians, rally behind Assange’s cause, arguing for his return to Australia.
Should Assange win permission in the current case, a full appeal hearing will follow. However, if he loses, his last resort lies with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), where an appeal is already pending. Assange’s wife, Stella, describes the situation as a matter of life and death, emphasizing her husband’s declining physical and mental health and asserting that he would not survive extradition.
Stella Assange and supporters express fear that Julian could meet a fate similar to Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny, who recently died in prison. Gabriel Shipton, Assange’s brother, draws parallels between their situations, emphasizing the looming threat that Assange may be lost to the prison system if extradited. The fate of the WikiLeaks founder, known for exposing the 2007 Apache helicopter attack in Baghdad and releasing classified files and diplomatic cables, hangs in the balance as the legal battle unfolds.