Julian Assange to appeal against extradition to US

WikiLeaks founder Assange may appeal his extradition to the United States. That is what the British Supreme Court ruled on Monday. Assange may file a petition with the United Kingdom’s highest court.

The Supreme Court has ruled that Assange may appeal to the Supreme Court, although that Supreme Court is not required to actually hear the case. This will prevent Assange’s extradition to the US for the time being. The BBC writes that the decision in practice means that it could take months before a final ruling in the case regarding the possible extradition of Assange.

The decision follows an earlier decision by the British High Court. In December, the British High Court gave the green light for the extradition of the WikiLeaks founder. Earlier that year, a British judge ruled that Assange should not be extradited to the United States, partly because of circumstances in the American prison in combination with Assange’s psychological condition.

Those objections were rejected after the United States appealed. The US argued that Assange would not be subject to the most severe custodial measures after extradition unless there was reason to do so based on any future conduct on his part. The US also stated that Assange’s mental condition is not so bad that extradition would not be possible.

Assange is accused in the United States of alleged computer intrusion into a US state computer and violations of the US espionage law, including for publishing classified documents. Assange could be sentenced to 175 years in prison in the US on the basis of the charges.