Dozens of Julian Assange’s supporters have gathered in front of London’s High Court. The court must decide whether the WikiLeaks founder can appeal against his extradition.
Dozens of supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange demonstrated loudly in London against his extradition to the USA. They gathered outside London’s High Court and held up signs that read something like: “Freedom for Julian Assange.” They chanted: “There is only one decision – no extradition.”
The proceedings in London may be the final round in the legal tug-of-war over Assange’s extradition. The court is reviewing a judge’s decision from last June in a two-day hearing. Assange had refused to appeal against his extradition to the USA.
Last option ECtHR?
The court will now finally decide whether all legal remedies for Assange have been exhausted in Great Britain – or whether he can continue to take action against his extradition before the British courts. If his appeal is rejected, the extradition process would begin.
Assange’s supporters have announced that they will take this case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to have the extradition stayed. Great Britain is subject to the jurisdiction of the ECHR. However, the Court only orders such suspensions in exceptional cases. It is also questionable whether the British government would accept a corresponding decision by the ECHR.
Assange not at the hearing
Today’s hearing began without Assange. He is “not feeling well today,” said his lawyer Edward Fitzgerald at the High Court in London. He has been in a maximum security prison for almost five years. His wife Stella said his physical and mental health suffered greatly as a result.
She thanked the protesters when she arrived at the court. “Please keep coming, be there for Julian and for us until Julian is free,” she said. Assange and his supporters are now facing “two big days”. “Julian needs his freedom and we all need the truth,” she added.
Protests planned outside Downing Street
After the hearing ended, demonstrators planned to march to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s office in Downing Street. The organization Reporters Without Borders, which campaigns for press freedom and against censorship worldwide, and the human rights organization Amnesty International support the protests and call for the extradition to be stopped.
The Australian citizen Assange is accused in the USA of having published around 700,000 confidential documents about US military and diplomatic activities on the WikiLeaks platform starting in 2010. The papers contained explosive information about the wars, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the killing of civilians and the mistreatment of prisoners. If convicted, the 52-year-old could face up to 175 years in prison in the USA.
Christoph Prössl, ARD London, tagesschau, February 20, 2024 6:20 p.m