A judge has ordered WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to appear at his next court hearing unless he can provide medical evidence.
District judge Vanessa Baraitser made the ruling after being told that Assange was said to be too ill to attend Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
He was meant to attend the latest administrative hearing in his extradition case at the court but he did not turn up.
Assange, 48, is wanted in the US to face 17 charges under the Espionage Act and conspiracy to commit computer intrusion after the publication of hundreds of thousands of classified documents in 2010 and 2011.
He is currently being held in London’s maximum-security Belmarsh prison while the court system tries to reschedule his extradition hearing, which was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Assange’s barrister Mark Summers QC told the court his client did not appear by video link because he was unwell.
Mr Summers said he was surprised US authorities issued a new and wider indictment last week against Assange, whom they are seeking to extradite from Britain.
He said: “We are to say the least surprised by the timing of this development.”
Assange’s legal team had heard about the latest indictment through the press and is waiting to be served with it, he said.
The judge told the court that the final hearing is likely to be held at the Old Bailey in September.
She said this has not been confirmed but it “is almost certainly to be held at the Central Criminal Court”.
In adjourning the case to July 27 at 10am, the judge said Assange must appear via video link “unless there is medical evidence” to explain his non-attendance.
His full extradition hearing is set to take place on September 7, having originally been scheduled for May 18.
